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.
SEG 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.
2024 to 2025 topics
These are the topics for 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025.
Group A
Testers who test vehicles in group A need to know about:
- corrosion
- classification of vehicles
- test procedures
- the MOT inspection manual for motorcycles and sidecars
Group B
Testers who test vehicles in group B need to know about:
- corrosion
- classification of vehicles
- test procedures
- 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 corrosion and standards of repair
These are some examples of the subjects MOT testers will be asked questions about:
- identifying and assessing corrosion
- prescribed areas
- non-prescribed areas
- load area
- load bearing and supportive structures
- tow bar mountings
- suitable materials used in repair
- bonded repairs
- repairs to alloy/steel wheels
- non-metallic structures, such as carbon fibre
- brake pipes
- cab and body mountings (class 4 and 7 vehicles only)
- chassis types (class 4 and 7 vehicles only)
- frame arrangements including sidecars (class 1 and 2 vehicles only)
- when the engine is a stressed member (class 1 and 2 vehicles only)
Questions on classification of vehicles
These are some examples of the subjects MOT testers will be asked questions about:
- non-testable items relating to vehicles identified as mopeds
- EU classification of vehicles (goods vehicles, cars, pickups, quads, motor caravans, mopeds, solo motorcycles, motorcycle and sidecars)
- what to do when the weight or power output of vehicle presented for MOT test is not known (class 4 and 7 vehicles only)
- seat belt requirements for quadracycles (class 4 and 7 vehicles only)
- identification of quadracycles (class 4 and 7 vehicles only)
- the classification of a goods vehicle converted into a motor caravan (for example, seating capacity) and which brake test should be carried out (class 4 and 7 vehicles only)
- which brake test should be carried out on a dual purpose pickup (class 4 and 7 vehicles only)
Questions on test procedures applicable to all classes
These are some examples of the subjects MOT testers will be asked questions about:
- correct use of advisory items
- correct use of the term ‘excessive’
- calibration of equipment
- contingency testing
- what to do if you’ve forgotten your password or user identification
- who can test three-wheeled vehicles
- what to do when the distance between the centres of the areas of contact between the wheels and the road surface is less than 460mm
- what to do when the distance between the centres of the areas of contact between the wheels and the road surface is 460mm or more
- what to check during the retest of a vehicle
- what to do during the pre-check
- what to do when the vehicle does not have a current MOT and the customer is trying to arrange an appointment
- what to do if the vehicle you’re about to test still has 2 months or more remaining on the MOT
- wheel alignment of three-wheeled vehicles (class 1 and 2 vehicles only)
- who can test class 5 vehicles (class 4 and 7 testers only)
Questions on the MOT inspection manuals and MOT testing guide
Please be aware that the content of the inspection manuals and testing guide may change. The topics will be listed below.
These are some examples of the subjects MOT testers will be asked questions about:
- major fail items identified during pre-check
- what to do if a vehicle requires a decelerometer check and dangerous defect has been identified during the test
- equipment failures during a test
- local IT issues during a test
- national IT issues with the MOT testing service during a test
- training logs
- what you must do if you get a criminal conviction
- cessation periods
- action or points awarded if you apply incorrect standards for pass, major and dangerous
- what action DVSA may take if you deliberately carry out MOT testing incorrectly or do not follow the procedure in the MOT testing guide and inspection manual (this information is available in Appendix 8 of the MOT testing guide)
These are some examples of subjects MOT testers might be asked about for group A:
- what to do if a steering damper is fitted
- what to do if ABS is fitted but not working
- what to do if there is significant parallel misalignment of the road wheels
These are some examples of subjects MOT testers might be asked about for group B:
- checking seat belt fitment and condition
- child seats held by isofix, ratchet straps, carabiners, nuts and bolts and also the vehicle’s own seat belt
- emission and smoke testing temperatures, basic emissions test not passed, diesel vehicle plate limits
- brake testing for class 4 three-wheelers and quadracycles
Last updated 1 April 2024 + show all updates
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Removed the MOT annual training and assessment topics for 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024.
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Added the MOT annual training and assessment topics for 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025.
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Added MOT training course topics for 2023 to 2024.
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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.