The new maximum charge for an HGV MOT test will be £70, up from the current £55. For trailers, the cap will rise from £40 to £50, while the maximum charge for buses and coaches will increase from £70 to £90.
The change applies to the service charge levied by Authorised Testing Facilities for providing testing premises and equipment. It is separate from the statutory DVSA test fee.
DVSA said the increase follows a consultation on HGV, bus and trailer MOT centre service charges. The agency said the current maximum charges had not been increased since 2010.
According to DVSA, the new caps are still below the level that would have applied if the charges had been uprated fully in line with CPI inflation.
The agency estimated that the maximum increase in the total test cost, including the DVSA statutory fee, would be 9% for HGVs, 11% for trailers and 11% for buses and coaches.
However, ATFs do not have to charge the maximum amount. Some may charge less, while others may apply no service charge in certain circumstances, for example when testing their own vehicles or including the test as part of a wider service package.
The Road Haulage Association warned during the consultation that even a 9–11% increase in total test costs could be significant for operators working on tight margins, particularly smaller firms.
The new maximum charges take effect on 6 July 2026.
