Spotlight 11 www.aftermarketonline.net APRIL 2025 meaning a significant number risked being unable to carry out MOT tests if they did not act in time. Those who failed to complete the annual assessment before the deadline were immediately suspended from testing. To regain testing status, suspended testers must complete the current year’s training and assessment and then pass a demonstration test with a DVSA representative. Additionally, any testers returning after a lapse or suspension are required to submit a basic disclosure and barring service (DBS) check, adding further delays to the reinstatement process. The IGA has warned that the suspension of a tester has a serious impact on a garage’s operations, leading to reduced MOT capacity, financial losses, and inconvenience for customers. Keeping on top of training ensures that vehicles remain roadworthy and compliant with safety standards, helping to protect both a business and the wider public. To avoid last-minute issues or disruptions, the association was advising testers not to leave assessments until the last minute and to be fully prepared, by using a wide range of available training resources to ensure testers understood the assessment content. The RMI Academy provides a range of annual training options to help ensure testers can meet their requirements in a way that suits your business. To book an annual training package or discuss your options, contact the RMI helpline: 01788 538 399. How is the MOT price cap freeze affecting your business? Write to the editor (john@aftermarket.co.uk) to tell us your views. Don’t leave assessments until the last minute Testing times continue in Northern Ireland too One-year temporary exemption certificates (TECs) are to be extended in Northern Ireland to help cut MOT waiting times. The TECs were introduced in June last year, allowing some motorists to continue to legally drive their vehicles as long as they are roadworthy, taxed and insured. The TECs applied to private cars first registered between June 1, 2019 and May 31, 2020 — or between June 1, 2017 and May 31, 2018 — which had a valid MOT certificate issued by Northern Ireland’s Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA). Now Northern Ireland infrastructure minister Liz Kimmins has announced a further extension. Kimmins said on March 6 that last year’s move, combined with record levels of testing conducted by the DVA, had significantly reduced MOT waiting times from over 100 days in May 2024 to around 30 days in early February 2025. Those TECs that were introduced on June 1 will start to expire from the end of May 2025 onwards. Meanwhile, the demand for vehicle testing remains high. “After careful consideration I have decided to extend the use of TECs during 2025-26 to manage the demand for MOTs and keep waiting times under control until new testing facilities open for vehicle testing,” Kimmins said. Two new planned testing centres, Hydebank and Mallusk, will provide the capacity to test more than 200,000 additional vehicles annually, she said. However, Kimmins said it was up to motorists to ensure their cars are roadworthy, regardless of TECs. Key IGA recommendations: A formal review of the MOT fee cap to ensure sustainability for independent garages; Increased funding for training and upskilling to address the shortage of technicians and MOT testers and support the transition to servicing EVs; With additional financial pressures expected as a result of last autumn’s budget, such as tax changes, the government is urged to urgently do more to ensure the continued availability of high-quality, affordable MOT services.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjQ0NzM=