IGA calls for urgent meeting with Transport Minister
9 October 2026 
Following its meeting with officials from the Department for Transport (DfT) and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) in September, the Independent Garage Association (IGA) is calling for an urgent meeting with the Transport Minister as it escalates its campaign for an increase to the MOT fee cap.
At the September meeting, the IGA set out to the DVSA and DfT the growing financial pressures facing independent garages and the urgent need to address the MOT fee cap. The association says its position remains clear: the MOT fee cap should be increased to at least £95. It cites the fact that garages are having to make difficult commercial decisions about how they use their workshop space, with many prioritising more commercially viable repair and servicing work in order to meet rising overheads. If this trend continues, the Association is warning that the number of MOT appointments available to motorists could fall, reducing consumer choice and making it more difficult for drivers to secure a test when they need one.
Stuart James, Chief Executive of the Independent Garage Association, said: “The IGA has made its position clear to Government, and we are grateful to officials at the DfT and DVSA for engaging with us. However, following our discussions, we believe the time has now come for this issue to receive the direct ministerial attention it deserves.
The MOT fee has been frozen since 2010, while the cost of running a garage and carrying out an MOT has risen significantly. Our members are telling us that they are reaching the point where they can no longer absorb these rising costs and still make MOT testing commercially viable.”
We are therefore asking the Transport Minister to meet with us as a matter of urgency.
Our message is straightforward – the MOT fee needs to increase to at least £95, and it needs to happen before further testing capacity is lost.”
The IGA’s call for a rise to at least £95 comes at a time when the Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation (IAAF) is also calling for a review.
The IAAF believes that a statutory minimum MOT fee, fixed at the existing £54.85 maximum charge, should be introduced. The federation argues that widespread discounting and the use of MOTs as loss leaders have significantly devalued road safety inspections. As vehicle technology becomes increasingly sophisticated, the cost of delivering a thorough and compliant MOT continues to rise.
The IAAF is therefore proposing the minimum fee for a Class 4 MOT test to ensure the true value of the inspection is recognised. It is also citing the issues with vehicle testing stations facing rising costs in technician recruitment, training, equipment calibration and regulatory compliance, while also preparing for future testing requirements linked to advanced driver assistance systems, electric vehicles and emissions monitoring,
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