When can you have a free MOT retest?

When you fail your MOT test you have a choice whether you want to fix the issue yourself, get another repair centre to fix it or get it fixed where the MOT was carried out.

You have before the next working day to bring the car back for a free MOT retest when your car fails for the reasons set out by the government.

According to gov.uk:

You will not have to pay again if you take it back to the same test centre before the end of the next working day for a partial retest on one or more of these items:

• access panels
• battery
• bonnet
• bootlid
• brake pedal antislip
• break glass hammer (class 5 vehicles only)
• doors (including hinges, catches and pillars)
• door open warning device (class 5 vehicles only)
• dropsides
• electrical wiring
• emergency exits and signs (class 5 vehicles only)
• entrance door remote control (class 5 vehicles only)
• entrance/exit steps (class 5 vehicles only)
• fuel filler cap
• headlamp cleaning or levelling devices (that does not need a headlamp aim check)
• horn
• lamps (excluding headlamp aim)
• loading door
• main beam ‘tell-tale’
• mirrors
• rear reflectors
• registration plates
• seatbelts (but not anchorages), seatbelt load limiter and seatbelt pre-tensioner
• seats
• sharp edges or projections
• stairs (class 5 vehicles only)
• steering wheel
• tailboard
• tailgate
• trailer electrical sockets
• towbars (excluding body around anchorage points)
• tyre pressure monitoring system
• vehicle identification number (VIN)
• windscreen glass, wipers and washers
• wheels and tyres (excluding motorcycles and motorcycles with sidecar)

Taking it back for a retest within 10 working days

You’ll only need a partial retest if you take the vehicle from the test centre for repairs and take it back within 10 working days. You can be charged a partial retest fee for this.