A consultation seeking views on changing MOT test frequencies from one year to two years for some private cars, motorcycles and light goods vehicles is now open for Northern Ireland.
The consultation will run until 16 April 2025 and builds on the 2021 call for evidence on a switch to biennial MOT testing.
The first mandatory vehicle test will remain at four years for private cars and motorcycles and three years for light goods vehicles.
The consultation launches amid an ongoing MOT “crisis” that’s seen motorists face long delays for MOTs.
The Department for Infrastructure said rising numbers of new vehicles were presenting “logistical challenges” for the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA).
But the National Franchised Dealers Association Northern Ireland (NFDA-NI) said the consultation was set against “the backdrop of a persistent MOT crisis in the region” that had seen disruptions caused by Covid-19 lockdowns add to an already existing backlog. This was exacerbated by “defective vehicle lift equipment” found in almost all MOT testing centres across the region in late 2019 that had led to tests being suspended.
The industry body has warned that the MOT crisis continues to “compromise road safety and adversely impact businesses including the region’s car dealer network”.
According to projections, the total number of MOTs required will rise to around 1.2 million for light vehicles and to 65,000 for heavy vehicles by 2030.
Estimates suggest that moving to biennial testing for cars between four and 10 years old and light good vehicles between three and 10 years old would remove approximately 253,000 (26%) of one million vehicles from the testing regime each year. Biennial motorcycle testing would further reduce annual motorcycle MOT testing by 3,300.
The consultation presents a number of options, including maintaining the current testing regime, and looks at road safety, environmental impact, insurance premiums and the potential impact on the local automotive industry.
Infrastructure Minister John O’Dowd said: “I am conscious that modern vehicles are built to high standards, and that this in turn should mean they are more reliable and also safer on our roads, and so consideration of biennial MOT testing is timely.”
Current average MOT waiting times in Northern Ireland now stand at 30 days but that’s following the launch of temporary exemption certificates for five- and seven-year-old cars within specified date ranges, along with the recruitment of new staff and overtime on Sundays and bank holidays.
The consultation is open to individuals, groups, organisations, the automotive industry – particularly those involved in vehicle servicing and MOT preparation – and those with a specific interest in road safety or the environment.
The NFDA-NI said it welcomed the launch of the consultation, adding that it has been vocal about the MOT issues in the region, consistently highlighting areas for improvement, engaging in meetings with DVA officials, and sending correspondence to the Infrastructure Minister.
Sue Robinson, chief executive of the NFDA, said: “NFDA-NI will be preparing its response over the next few weeks on behalf of its members.
“NFDA-NI remains steadfast in its belief that Northern Ireland deserves an MOT regime that is fit for purpose.”
Plans to change the MOT frequency in Britain were shelved in January 2024 after a consultation revealed widespread condemnation.
A consultation by the Department for Transport sought views on changing the date of the first MOT in Britain from three years to four and on altering the frequency of the test to make it “fit for the future”. But the move was slammed by many in the automotive sector, who pointed out that the first MOT and the annual testing thereafter play a crucial role in ensuring that vehicles on our roads are safe and well-maintained.
Following the closure of the Department for Infrastructure’s consultation, the feedback will be analysed and a report presented to the Infrastructure Minister. Any changes to the frequency of MOT testing would require an Act of the Northern Ireland Assembly.
The consultation is online here.
