DVSA MOT fraud crackdown leads to mass bans for testers and garages

THE Department and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) are clamping down on fraudulent MOT stations and testers after 2,057 fraud reports were lodged in the last year.

The clampdown on dodgy testers has led to 156 garages and 335 MOT testers having their names struck off the testing register.

The DVSA revealed that the frauds investigated included awarding pass certificates to vehicles that should have failed, taking bribes to issue pass certificates, and issuing certificates to vehicles that the tester hadn’t even inspected.

To combat the seeming rise in rogue testers and testing stations, the DVSA has issued new guidance on what to do if they suspect a testing station is acting in a fraudulent manner. If the reports are found the be true, the testing station could be banned, fined, or even imprisoned.

The new guidance is available at www.gov.uk/guidance/report-an-mot-tester and reports can be made anonymously. 

To make a report, you need to give as much information as possible about:

• who’s involved
• what the MOT tester or centre has been doing
• where it happened
• when it happened
• the vehicles involved, including the registration numbers (number plates) if you know them

DVSA Director of Enforcement Marian Kitson said:

“DVSA’s is committed to protecting everyone from unsafe drivers and vehicles.

“Although most garage owners and MOT testers follow the rules and work within legitimately run businesses, there are still those who try to cheat the system. 

“MOT fraud effectively allows unsafe vehicles on the road, so we’ll come down hard on the perpetrators to protect the public and integrity of the MOT.”