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The UK MOT Test
What is an MOT Test?
The MOT is a regular examination of the condition of
cars and light commercial vehicles in mainland Britain.
It is required annually on all vehicles over three years
old with one or two very minor exceptions – small
‘breakdown’ trucks is one example.
History – and why it’s
called the ‘MOT’
Following the second world war and into the late 1950s
most people purchased second hand cars and light vans,
many of which were originally manufactured before 1940
and vast numbers of which were not in ‘tip top’
condition, nor were they regularly serviced. As a result
there were numerous vehicles being used on the road
which were potentially dangerous. In particular they
often had defective brakes, lights and/or steering.
As a result of this, in 1960 the then Ministry of Transport
under the direction of the Minister of Transport Mr
Ernest Marples decided that all vehicles over ten years
old should have their brakes, lights and steering checked
every year. This became known as the “ten year
Test”, or alternatively the Ministry Of Transport
Test – which became shortened to ‘MOT’.
The Testable age was progressively reduced to 3 years
by April 1967.
Over the years the MOT Test has been extended and expanded
to the comprehensive examination which is today’s
MOT Test. And the Test is developing all the time. Significantly
since the 1990s has been the development of highly sophisticated
emissions Testing for vehicles with catalytic converters
fitted.
A significant development of the MOT has resulted from
Britain being members of the European Union. All vehicle
Testing is now decided by EU Directives which set minimum
standards for vehicle Testing in member states. Each
state can, however, decide to install more stringent
vehicle Testing regulations in their own domestic regulations
under the EU principle of subsidiarity. In many EU countries,
for example, Testing is carried out every two years
– the basic EU minimum, whereas in Britain it
is on an annual basis.
There are now over 19,000 Testing Stations in Britain
and 50,000 MOT Testers.
Who’s in charge of the MOT?
The Government. From the start the British Government
decided that the annual vehicle check should be carried
out by locally situated repair and service garages thus
ensuring that any motorist would have a local ‘MOT
Testing Station’ who could provide a convenient
service. On the other hand the Ministry of Transport
were very keen to make sure that there was a uniform
set of MOT Testing standards throughout the country
and so they insisted that if a garage wished to become
a Testing Station that they used only approved equipment
and also carried out the Tests to a set of standards
laid down by the Department of Transport.
This system remains to this day, with the Government
in overall charge of MOT Testing, but now through an
Executive Agency called VOSA (Vehicle & Operator
Services Agency) whose Chief Executive is responsible
directly to Parliament, and also to the the Secretary
of State for Transport.
The Testing Garage
The local MOT garage does, however, carry responsibility
for the quality of day to day Testing at that Testing
Station. The garage, either through the individual,
the company or the partnership if that is how it is
set up, becomes what is known as the Authorised Examiner
(AE), having been authorised by the Vehicle Inspectorate
to carry out MOT Tests on their behalf. So generally,
but not necessarily the AE is the owner of the business
or the business itself.
In turn the AE has the power to nominate specially trained
individuals to carry out MOT Testing on customers’
cars. So the official name for an MOT Tester is Nominated
Tester (NT) because he or she has been nominated by
the AE. It should be noted that this is why it is impossible
for aspiring young MOT Testers to go to college and
learn the profession – they have first to be trained
at a Testing Garage and then nominated by the AE.
An aspiring Tester also has to have either a certain
minimum formal qualification or sit a special examination
set by the VI before then going on a two day course
set up by VOSA to calibrate his or her skills.
So your local Testing station is in charge of the
Tests they do, but the Government, through VOSA is responsible
overall for the general quality of MOT Testing. To do
this they have about 100 experts called Vehicle Examiners
who spend much of their time monitoring the performance
of NTs and AEs – but they also have other jobs
as well.
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