The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has confirmed that it will not extend the MOT Tester Annual Assessment deadline this year. This means that around 50,000 testers who have yet to complete the course must do so before 31st March or find themselves unable to complete MOTs.
Following the initial lockdowns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the deadline for the last two annual assessments has been extended, allowing testers more time to complete the necessary training. With the pandemic causing the integration of an ‘MOT season’, thanks to the six-month extension provided during the first lockdown period, a later assessment deadline had given testers more time, in a less busy period, to ensure their credentials were up to date.
However, as confirmed to Auto Repair Focus, the DVSA is reverting to the 31st March deadline for this year. In an emailed statement, Chris Price, head of MOT policy at the DVSA, stated: “For the past couple of years, we have extended the annual training year in order to help the industry recover from COVID-19, however this year things are much improved, and we will not be extending the annual training year.
“Therefore, if you have not completed this year’s annual assessment by midnight Thursday 31 March 2022 you will be suspended from testing.”
Time running out
The Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) has revealed that according to DVSA data, around 50,000 testers have yet to complete the annual assessment. Time is running out for them to do so.
“The workload of MOT testers remained heavy throughout 2021 as the nation juggled lockdowns, further restrictions and absenteeism as a result of the pandemic,” stated Steve Scofield, Head of Business Development at the IMI. “This has continued into 2022, with many still working full throttle to ensure their customer MOT renewals are met in time.
“The knock-on effect is that prioritising the MOT tester Annual Assessment is falling short; the DVSA reports that nearly 50,000 testers have yet to complete their assessment, despite the deadline being less than nine weeks away. And the reality is that if an MOT tester fails to meet the MOT Annual Assessment deadline of 31st March, they will not be able to legally conduct any MOT work from the 1st April onwards, until training and assessment has been carried out. Indeed, they will need to be able to competently demonstrate to a DVSA representative their ability to carry out an MOT assessment on a vehicle, which will be conducted face-to-face at the tester’s place of work. In short, failing to complete the assessment in time could have serious consequences both for garage income and road safety.”
There are still plenty of courses available for testers to register to, and just under two months to complete them. However, with so many still needing to complete the annual assessment, booking onto such courses should be a priority, otherwise some testers may find themselves unable to continue conducting MOTs after the 31st March.
