MOT cost hike and driving test fee jump by almost £20 mooted under new Northern Ireland proposals

A consultation on changes to fees for driving tests and vehicle tests has been launched by the Department for Infrastructure.

If adopted the price increases would see the vehicles test fee for cars and light goods vehicles increasing from £30.50 to £38, motorcycles rising from £22 to £34 and taxis from £138.50 to £147.

MOT retests for a car would also rise significantly from £18.50 to £29.50 and more than double for a motorcycle from £14 to £29.50.

Practical driving test fees for cars meanwhile would rise from £45.50 to £65, motorcycles increasing from £58 to £80 and lorry and bus (driving ability) increasing from £66 to £87.

These tests are carried out by the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA), which must cover the costs of services through the income it generates from fees. But the department said that the rising cost of providing services means the DVA is now facing a shortfall in its income.

This eight-week public consultation proposes the first increase in most vehicle test fees since 2005 and in most practical driving test fees since 2009.

A spokesperson said: “The proposed new fees would help the DVA to cover the costs of providing services and contribute towards future investment to improve services, including a new test centre at Hydebank in Belfast, which is due to open later in 2023.

“Following the consultation, all responses will be analysed before recommendations are made to the Minister for Infrastructure. Should there continue to be an absence of Ministers, the next steps will be considered taking into account the decision-making framework set out in the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc.) Act 2022 or relevant legislation in place at the time."

In the consultation document, the DVA states: “The Agency operates as a Trading Fund, which means the income we receive from fees must cover the cost of delivering the services we provide.

“Taxpayers do not generally fund our services. The proposed fees will enable us to cover the costs of providing our services and future investments to improve our services.”

The public consultation is available at: https://www.infrastructure-ni.gov.uk/consultations/driver-and-vehicle-agency-dva-consultation-changing-cost-driving-tests-and-vehicle-tests