New rules around MOT tests are being rolled out for garages across the UK from this week, as the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) presses ahead with a national scheme aimed at cutting down on fraudulent testing.
From 3 August 2026, MOT testers at around 2,500 selected garages across Great Britain will be able to take and upload a photo of a vehicle during its test using a smartphone, tablet or other compatible device. The DVSA says this provides additional evidence that the vehicle was actually present at the garage during the test, helping deter so-called “ghost MOTs” — where a certificate is issued for a car that was never actually inspected.
The scale of the problem the DVSA is trying to address is significant: 1,809 fraudulent MOTs were uncovered in 2024, nearly double the 976 identified in 2023. A tester carrying out a ghost MOT can be banned for life and prosecuted for fraud, but the DVSA and industry experts have acknowledged the true scale of the issue is likely higher than official figures suggest, since a ghost MOT is genuinely difficult for an owner to spot without arranging a second, independent test.
Taking a photo remains optional for now — a tester can continue without one by selecting the appropriate reason in the system, and drivers won’t be blocked from getting a result if a photo can’t be taken. The photos are uploaded directly into the MOT Testing Service and aren’t stored on the tester’s own device. The rollout follows two earlier trials involving 311 garages, which the DVSA says produced “overwhelmingly positive” feedback, with most testers reporting little to no impact on overall testing times. Further phases will follow as the rollout continues, and the DVSA has indicated the feature may become mandatory in future, though no date has been set.
For drivers, this is one worth knowing about even if it doesn’t change anything at the counter — it’s a straightforward extra layer of proof that your car was actually inspected, which matters if a certificate’s legitimacy is ever called into question.
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