Servicesure warns garages about crucial 31st March deadline as 20,000 risk non-compliance

Independent garages across the UK are being urged to check their MOT tester training compliance status immediately, as an estimated 20,000 technicians could be at risk of missing the 31st March deadline.

Servicesure is warning that confusion remains widespread across the independent sector regarding the annual MOT assessment. Many operators mistakenly believe their MOT approval aligns with the calendar year, running from January to December. In reality, MOT authorisation follows the financial year set by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), running from 1st April to 31st March.

Testing is a crucial part of maintaining industry standards. If a MOT tester fails to complete their training and assessments by 31st March, this result in them losing their ability to test for the following year until they are signed back on by the DVSA. This results in lengthy downtime for thousands of technicians who miss the deadline every year.

To maintain ability to test, MOT stations must ensure every MOT tester completes their annual three hours of training and one-hour exam before the deadline.

Adam O’Neill, Partnerships Director at GSF Car Parts, said: “What makes this particularly concerning is that the risk isn’t gradual, it’s immediate. If the deadline passes without the necessary training, assessment or fees being completed, testing can stop overnight. This isn’t simply an administrative exercise; it’s a core part of protecting the commercial stability of the business and maintaining industry standards. We would urge garage operators to proactively check their status now and ensure everything is in place well before 31st March.”