MOT Centre Quality Control: Site Reviews & Tester Checks

Every MOT testing station (VTS) operates under an Authorised Examiner (AE) — the organisation or individual DVSA has authorised to carry out MOT testing. The AE is responsible for how the station is run, how testers are managed, and how testing quality is maintained.

In practice the AE often delegates the day-to-day running of the station to an Authorised Examiner Designated Manager (AEDM) — a named individual who looks after the station's testing standards, records and tester oversight. The AEDM and site managers are there to make sure the AE's obligations are met in full at the premises where testing takes place.

Managing an MOT centre well means keeping clear sight of who can test what, what training they have completed, how quality is checked, and what action has been taken when something is not right.

The AE must ensure that quality control checks are carried out on tested vehicles. Those checks must be carried out by a competent person with appropriate knowledge, skills and experience of MOT testing and the vehicle classes concerned.

Quality control is how a centre confirms that testing decisions and documentation across the site are consistent and meet the standard DVSA expects. It is not a one-off inspection — it is ongoing oversight that the AE is responsible for seeing is in place.

A competent person need not be an active tester at the site, but they must have the practical knowledge to judge whether a test was carried out to the required standard and to identify where recheck or further action is needed.

Records worth keeping organised at the centre include:

Quality control activity — what was checked, when, by whom, and what followed Tester records — who is authorised to test which vehicle classes, and their current status Training status — annual training hours and assessment results for each tester Equipment and calibration information — test equipment, serial numbers, calibration and service dates Site roles and responsibilities — who is the AE, AEDM and site manager, and who carries out quality control Actions arising from quality checks — issues found, corrective action taken and confirmation it was closed out Relevant DVSA communications and special notices — correspondence and notices that affect how the station tests

Keep these records current for the testing year. This guide does not set specific retention periods — confirm those in the current DVSA MOT Testing Guide linked below.

DVSA reviews MOT centres as part of its risk-based assurance approach to confirm stations are meeting their obligations. A site review may be carried out onsite at the testing station, or offsite using records and information provided by the AE. The approach lets DVSA focus its onsite visits where they are most needed.

From April 2025 DVSA introduced changes to its site review approach, including a stronger use of risk-based and offsite reviews alongside the continuing programme of onsite visits. The current DVSA guidance explains how a centre may be selected for review and what is looked at — confirm the position on GOV.UK before acting.

Either type of review is far easier when the records in the previous section are already organised and up to date, so a reviewer can see the centre's testing standards clearly.

Use the questions below to sense-check whether your centre is organised before a review or audit of your own management:

If a site review or a quality check identifies a shortcoming, the AE should make sure the issue is recorded, understood and addressed. Acting promptly — recording what was found, what is being done about it, and confirming the action was completed — is part of how a centre demonstrates it manages testing quality.

Where a shortcoming is serious or repeated, DVSA may take further action under its disciplinary scheme for MOT testing. This guide does not reproduce that scheme; the current process and possible outcomes are set out in the DVSA MOT Testing Guide and related DVSA guidance linked below.

Motor Trade Ready is built to help a MOT centre keep the records and dates above in one organised place. A current or future compliance register can help a garage:

Keep testers, vehicle groups and training status in one list Track training hours, assessments and the 31 March deadline alongside other compliance dates Hold quality control actions and evidence together with other centre records List equipment with calibration and service dates Turn the actions arising from quality checks into tracked tasks with dates and owners

Motor Trade Ready is not DVSA approved and does not replace the MOT Testing Service or DVSA's own records. It helps a centre stay organised so it can demonstrate good management of testing quality.