MOT Testing

Claiming a Free Retest

Your vehicle may be able to have a partial retest free of charge under one of the following two circumstances:

1. Leaving your vehicle at the test centre following a failed test

   If the vehicle has failed the MOT test and is then left at the test centre for repair and retested before the end of 7 working days following the day it originally failed, then only a partial retest is needed. There’s no fee.

2. Bringing your vehicle back to the test centre following a failed test

   You won’t have to pay again if the vehicle’s brought back to the same test centre before the end of the next working day for a partial retest on one or more of the following items only:

   • access panels
   • battery
   • bonnet
   • boot lid
   • brake pedal anti-slip
   • break glass hammer (Class 5 vehicles only)
   • doors (including hinges, catches and pillars)
   • door open warning device (Class 5 vehicles only)
   • drop-sides
   • electrical wiring
   • emergency exits and signs (Class 5 vehicles only)
   • entrance door remote control (Class 5 vehicles only)
   • entrance/exit steps (Class 5 vehicles only)
   • fuel filler cap
   • headlamp cleaning or levelling devices (that doesn’t need a headlamp aim check)
   • horn
   • lamps (excluding headlamp aim)
   • loading door
   • main beam ‘tell-tale’
   • mirrors
   • rear reflectors
   • registration plates
   • seatbelts (but not anchorages)
   • seatbelt load limiter
   • seatbelt pre-tensioner
   • seats
   • sharp edges or projections
   • stairs (Class 5 vehicles only)
   • steering wheel
   • tailboard
   • tailgate
   • trailer electrical sockets
   • towbars (excluding body around anchorage points)
   • tyre pressure monitoring system
   • vehicle identification number (VIN)
   • windscreen and glass
   • windscreen wipers
   • windscreen washers
   • wheels and tyres (excluding motorbikes and motorbikes with sidecar)

Paying for a Retest
Bringing your vehicle back within 10 working days

If the vehicle is removed from the test centre for repair and returned within 10 working days following the day it originally failed, then only a partial retest is needed. In this case a partial retest fee of £14.75 will be applicable.

In all other cases, you’ll need to get a full retest and pay the full MOT test fee again.