The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has confirmed a change to MOT tests that will affect thousands of test centres across the UK. From this month (August), MOT centres will be required to take a photo of the vehicle they are testing as part of a new initiative introduced by the Labour Party government to crack down on ghost plates and fraudsters.
Around 2,500 garages across the UK will be subject to the new requirement. However, according to official guidance, at this stage taking and uploading photos is optional. Testers can continue an MOT test without taking a photo by selecting the most appropriate reason within the service. The guidance states that testers will not be prevented from recording the MOT test result if they cannot take or upload a photo.
DVSA encourages early adoption
The DVSA strongly encourages garages to begin using the feature where possible. This will help them become familiar with the process and make the transition easier if photos at test become mandatory in the future. The agency hopes that uploading a photo will provide additional evidence that a vehicle was present at the garage at the time of its test.
This new feature is designed to deter fraudulent MOT activity and reduce the risk of MOT certificates being issued where no vehicle is present. It also supports vehicle identity verification, improves confidence in MOT testing, and contributes to road safety objectives. Importantly, it supports existing MOT processes and does not replace any part of the MOT inspection.
Successful trials pave the way
The national rollout follows two successful trials involving 311 garages. Feedback from testers during these trials was overwhelmingly positive. Many reported that the feature was straightforward to use and that it had little or no impact on overall testing times.
The DVSA said: "The trials also helped us identify opportunities to improve the service. As a result, we were able to improve the photo upload process to improve performance, reliability and the overall user experience." The DVSA's confirmation of this change comes as part of a broader government effort to enhance vehicle testing integrity and road safety.
