Provide MOT training courses
How to provide MOT tester and manager qualification courses, and MOT tester annual training courses - including the topics the training must cover.
Applies to England, Scotland and Wales
Types of MOT training
There are 2 types of MOT training you can provide:
- MOT tester and manager qualification courses
- MOT tester annual training courses
You must be approved by an awarding organisation to provide qualification courses.
You don’t need to be approved to provide annual training courses.
Provide qualification courses
You can get approval to provide these MOT qualifications:
- Level 2 Award in MOT Testing (classes 1 and 2 - motorcycles)
- Level 2 Award in MOT Testing (classes 4 and 7 - light vehicles)
- Level 3 Award in MOT Test Centre Management
Apply for approval
Contact an awarding organisation to find out:
- if you’re eligible to be a training provider
- how to register with them
You can register with more than one.
ABC Awards
mot.abcawards.co.uk
Telephone: 0115 854 1620
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
Find out about call charges
Institute of the Motor Industry
www.imiawards.org.uk
Telephone: 01992 511 521
Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm
Find out about call charges
City & Guilds
www.cityandguilds.com
Telephone: 0844 543 0000
Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 6pm
Find out about call charges
When you’re approved
You’ll be responsible for approving individual MOT trainers to run the qualification courses.
The awarding organisations you register with will give you more information about running the courses.
Provide annual training
MOT testers must complete training between April and March every year. You can provide training courses for them to take.
MOT testers have to study different topics depending on whether they test:
- class 1 and 2 vehicles (‘group A’)
- class 3, 4, 5, 7 vehicles (‘group B’)
Most of the questions will be about specific topics. Some of the questions could be about other topics from the MOT inspection manuals and MOT testing guide.
These are the topics for 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023.
Group A
Testers who test vehicles in group A need to know about:
- brake test procedures
- MOT test procedures
- managing your MOT account/continuing professional development (CPD)
- the MOT inspection manual for motorcycles and sidecars
Group B
Testers who test vehicles in group B need to know about:
- brake test procedures
- MOT test procedures
- managing your MOT account/CPD
- the MOT inspection manual for cars and passenger vehicles
Groups A and B
MOT testers who test vehicles in both group A and group B need to study all the topics. They will need to train for at least 6 hours a year (instead of 3) and take 2 annual assessments.
Questions on managing MOT account and continuing professional development (CPD)
These are some examples of subjects that testers need to know about:
- how to manage CPD training records
- what to include on a training log
- how to update contact details
- what to do with multiple MOT accounts
Questions on test procedures
These are some examples of the subjects MOT testers will be asked questions about:
- what to do when retesting a vehicle
- rules for applying a pass after rectification at station (PRS)
- use of headlamp test equipment
- testing at more than one site
- what to test when a modified vehicle is presented for test
- what to do when the vehicle is fitted with disabled driver or rider controls
- how to jack or raise vehicles
- road tests for motorcycles (group A only)
Questions on brake test procedures
These are some examples of subjects MOT testers might be asked about for group A:
- how to test a vehicle fitted with linked brakes
- reasons to refuse to carry out a brake test
- what to do with a vehicle is fitted with a modified or damaged brake control
These are some examples of subjects MOT testers might be asked about for group B:
- incline test
- brake performance for dual purpose vehicles
- how to do brake calculations
Questions on MOT inspection manual
These are some examples of the subjects MOT testers will be asked questions about:
- tyre inspections
- exhaust noise
- what to do if a vehicle does not have a current MOT
These are some examples of subjects MOT testers might be asked about for group A:
- frame condition if the engine is a stressed member of the frame
- brake test procedures and standards
- motorcycle drive systems
These are some examples of subjects MOT testers might be asked about for group B:
- reading a manufacturer’s plate on a vehicle
- emissions and smoke test
- driver’s view and indirect vision devices
- rear wheel steering
Last updated 28 January 2022 + show all updates
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Added MOT training course topics for 2022 to 2023.
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Removed the 2020 to 2021 training topics
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Added the training topics for 1 May 2021 to 30 April 2022.
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Removed the 2019 to 2020 training topics.
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Added the annual training and assessment topics for April 2020 to March 2021.
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Added the annual training and assessment topics for April 2019 to March 2020.
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Added information about providing MOT tester annual training courses.
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First published.