The following video clips are designed to give the motorist an idea of how the MOT Test is carried out and should be viewed in conjunction with the text on the Car Owner's Guide to the MOT page.

While the MOT Test is designed by VOSA (the government Executive Agency responsible for administering the MOT Test) to ensure that each Test, no matter at which Testing Station or on which vehicle, or carried out by which Tester, is carried out to exactly the same standard and will have the same result, individual Testing Stations and Testers will have their own way of conducting the Test according to the equipment (which must also be approved by VOSA) they are using.

It should be noted that a Tester will conduct the Test in as efficient a manner as possible, and will, for example, conduct all Steering, Brake, Suspension, Exhaust and Bodywork under-vehicle checks at the same time, while he or she is under the vehicle, rather than popping up and down to conduct the checks in the order of the check list.

For this reason the video clips shown here may each cover several Test items and will be repeated for some checks.

Readout 1 Efficiency

Brake efficiency and balace is usually checked on a roller brake tester. In certain cases where a roller brake tester may not be used (for example on certain 4-wheel drive vehicles) it may be necessary to check brake efficiency and balance on a road test, with a portable decelerometer.

The headlamps are checked for alignment with a Beam Setter. After first aligning the equipment with the vehicle, the left and right headlamp beams are checked to ensure they are correctly set so as not to dazzle other road users.