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Becoming an MOT Tester
Becoming an MOT Testing Station

Any person, company or partnership can become an Authorised Examiner provided they can show themselves to be a ‘legal entity’ to which the Vehicle Inspectorate can allocate the formal responsibility of being in charge. They must also show that they are of ‘good repute’ and ‘adequate financial standing’, and of course over the age of 18.

Premises and Equipment
 To become an MOT Testing Station you must have the proper premises and equipment. This is because VOSA (Vehicle & Operator Services Agency) will only allow equipment to be used which has been properly approved. The equipment needed is:

A vehicle lifting table or an inspection pit and associated equipment as approved
Approved roller brake Test equipment
Approved headlamp beam setting equipment
Approved emission Test equipment
Other small hand tools as specified by the Vehicle Inspectorate
An inspection lamp.

As far as premises is concerned, VOSA are only concerned with two things. Firstly there must be minimum distances between the main Test equipment, and secondly there will be the need for some specialised security provisions to store blank books of MOT Test certificates and the current ‘in use’ book.

Regarding the spacing of equipment, there is a degree of flexibility because the regulations allow for different layouts.

Fill in a form
As with any Government agency, there is a form – VT1, which needs to be filled in when applying to become an MOT Testing Station. This can be obtained from your VOSA local office (See the VOSA Website or your local telephone book).

Becoming an MOT Tester
To qualify to become an MOT Tester you must first have a job with an MOT Testing garage. The owner (or the Authorised Examiner, if they are not the same person) must then nominate you to VOSA to become a Tester, or Nominated Tester (NT) to use the proper term. VOSA have certain criteria which a potential Tester has to fulfil.

To become an NT you must:

1. be sponsored by the Authorised Examiner (AE) of a Vehicle Testing Station - in sponsoring you the AE is not only stating that to the best of their belief you have the necessary background, experience, integrity, etc. to carry out MOT Testing but is also willing to provide the necessary facilities for you to practice Testing and to be able to demonstrate to VOSA that you are competent before you are allowed to carry out actual Tests;
2. be at least 20 years old;
3. have a full unrestricted UK driving licence for the vehicle class(es) you wish to Test. (see note below)
4. be a skilled mechanic with at least four years experience repairing the vehicle types to be Tested;
5. have no "unspent" convictions, as defined in the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, for criminal offences connected with the Vehicle Testing Scheme or the motor trade, or involving acts of violence or intimidation;
6 be otherwise of good repute.

In addition, to become a Tester for a particular type of vehicle you must either possess an acceptable vocational educational qualification or, in the absence of such qualification, pass VOSA’s Nominated Tester Assessment examination, NTT(A) - a special multiple choice Test set by the Vehicle Inspectorate.

The following is a list of educational qualifications currently acceptable to VOSA. Other qualifications are periodically added to the list. If you have qualifications which are not on the list but you believe are equivalent, telephone VOSA to find out if it is about to be added to the list.

1. National Craft Certificate in the specialism of Vehicle Maintenance and Electronic Systems;
2. City and Guilds -
a. Repair and Servicing of Road Vehicles, 383 - full level 2 or 3
b. Motor Vehicle Craft Studies, Modular - part 3 (requires 3 modules)
c. Motor Vehicle Craft Studies, 381 - full Part 2 or 3
d. Motor Vehicle Craft Studies (pre-381 syllabus) - full Part 2
e. Light Vehicle Mechanics Craft Studies - full Part 2 or 3
f. Heavy Vehicle Mechanics Craft Studies - full Part 2 or 3
g. Motor Vehicle Technician's Certificate - full Part 1
3. Business and Technician Educational Council
Motor Vehicle Engineering Studies, National Certificate or ONC
4. Scottish Vocational Educational Council
National Certificate in Vehicle Mechanics and Systems, Part 3
5. National Vocational Qualifications or Scottish Vocational Qualifications
 Vehicle Mechanical and Electronic Systems - Maintenance and Repair (LV) or (HV) Level 3

Note: The list of acceptable qualifications are contained in appendix 5 of the MOT Testing Guide, 5th Edition, a copy of which every MOT Testing station must keep.

For further information contact the MOT enquiry unit on 0845 6005977 or your local area office, a list of which is contained in the Guide which can, in turn be obtained at H M Stationery Office.

©Punters Publishing 2005

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