If you need to appeal against a failed MOT, then you need to obtain and complete an appeal form named the ‘VT17’ from the MOT test centre. Alternatively you can also call the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency on 0300 123 9000 who will post the form to you.
You must appeal within fourteen working days of the test and the DVSA will then offer you an appointment within five days to recheck your vehicle and you will have to pay the full test fee again. If your appeal is successful some or all of the fee will be refunded.
MOT Retests
There is always the possibility of an MOT retest, this could be a partial retest for free or a reduced MOT fee. A partial retest can take place if your vehicle is left at the test centre for repair and retested before the end of ten working days following the day it originally failed. If you take your vehicle back to the test centre before the end of the next working day for a partial retest it has to be on one or more of the following items; access panels; battery; bonnet; bootlid; brake pedal antislip; break glass hammer (class 5 vehicles) doors (including hinges, catches and pillars); door open warning device (class 5 vehicles); dropsides; electrical wiring; emergency exits and signs (class 5 vehicles); entrance door remote control (class 5 vehicles); entrance/exit steps (class 5 vehicles); fuel filler cap; headlamp cleaning or levelling devices (that does not need a headlamp aim check); horn; lamps (excluding headlamp aim); loading door; main beam ‘tell-tale’; mirrors; rear reflectors; registration plates; seat belts (not anchorages); seatbelt load limiter; seatbelt pre-tensioner; seats; sharp edges or projections; stairs (class 5 vehicles); steering wheel; tailboard; tailgate; trailer electrical sockets; tow bars (excluding body around anchorage points); tyre pressure monitoring system; vehicle identification number; windscreen and glass; windscreen wipers; windscreen washers; wheels and tyres ( excluding motorbikes and motorbikes with sidecar).
If you take your vehicle away to be repaired and bring it back to the test centre within ten working days following the day it originally failed then only a partial retest is required. In this case a partial retest fee maybe charged. In all other cases, you’ll need to get a full retest and pay the full MOT test fee again.
Why not use our handy MOT reminders to automatically get alerted when your MOT is due by simply adding your registration number.