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MOT & Service Prices UK 2026/27

The MOT fee is capped by law. Servicing is not - so here is what the current published price data actually says, and who published it.

Published by the Serviced247 editorial teamLast reviewed 29 August 2026Reviewed annually and when cited price sources change

Two very different pricing regimes sit behind one workshop visit. The MOT test fee is capped by statute and published by GOV.UK. Servicing is completely unregulated, and every headline figure you will read for it comes from a commercial provider pricing its own work.

This guide separates the two, shows the current figures with their sources and dates, and explains how to turn a vague phone quote into something you can actually compare.

Key takeaways

  • Class 4 MOT: £54.85 statutory maximum. Class 7: £58.60. Garages can charge less.
  • There is no legal cap and no official average for servicing prices.
  • RAC's published average quoted full service is £298.60; the AA advertises full servicing from £187.
  • Retailer MOT-and-service bundles exist but are that retailer's advertised offer, not a market rate.
  • The only price that matters to you is an itemised written quote for your registration.

MOT fees: the statutory maximums

GOV.UK publishes the maximum fee a test station may charge. For a Class 4 vehicle - cars and light vans up to 3,000kg - the maximum is £54.85. For a Class 7 goods vehicle between 3,000kg and 3,500kg it is £58.60.

Competition means a great many garages charge below the cap, sometimes substantially, and some offer the test at a discount alongside other work. What no garage may do is charge above the statutory maximum for the test itself.

Statutory maximums quoted from GOV.UK on 29 August 2026.

Retest costs after a failure

A retest is not automatically another full fee. GOV.UK's retest rules provide a free partial retest where the vehicle is left at the station for repair and retested within 10 working days. Taking the vehicle away and returning it within 10 working days can attract a partial retest fee, and there is a next-working-day free route for a defined list of items.

Budget for the possibility of a retest charge, but ask the station which category applies before you drive away - that conversation is often worth the price of the retest.

Service prices: what the published data says

RAC's current car service pricing page states an average quoted full service of £298.60, with make-level examples: Ford £277.32, Volkswagen £280.33, Nissan £280.88, Vauxhall £284.50, Peugeot £287.80, Audi £296.95, BMW £316.10 and Mercedes-Benz £319.02. These are RAC's own quoted-price figures.

The AA advertises interim servicing from £146, full servicing from £187 and major servicing from £227, and states that at least 10% of UK Mobile Mechanics customers paid that price or less for the specific service between 1 April and 31 May 2026. A "from" price with a 10%-of-customers qualification is an entry point, not a typical bill.

Halfords publishes advertised starting prices for MOT and service bundles. That is one national retailer's illustrative offer on the date checked, useful as a reference point and nothing more.

  • RAC - average quoted full service £298.60 (RAC quoted-price data, checked 29 August 2026)
  • AA - interim from £146, full from £187, major from £227 (advertised starting prices with a 10%-of-customers qualification, checked 29 August 2026)
  • Halfords - advertised MOT and service bundle starting prices (illustrative retailer example, checked 29 August 2026)

Figures quoted from third parties are that organisation's own published or advertised prices on the date we checked them, not a UK market average and not a price any garage on Serviced247 is offering. Always get an itemised quote before booking.

Why two quotes for the same car differ so much

  • Labour rate - the largest single variable, differing by region and between independents and franchised dealers
  • Oil specification - long-life and low-SAPS oils cost far more per litre than standard grades, and some engines need five or more litres
  • Parts policy - OE, OE-equivalent and budget parts carry very different costs and warranties
  • Scope - whether filters, brake fluid, plugs or a software update are inside or outside the quoted price
  • Extras - VAT, sundries, disposal charges and diagnostic time are sometimes quoted separately

Does booking an MOT and service together save money?

It saves a trip, and many garages discount the test when it is booked with other work. It does not change what either job involves: a service does not test roadworthiness, and an MOT is not maintenance. Combine them when your dates line up, and read the MOT and service cost guide before assuming a bundle is cheaper than two separately-quoted jobs.

Getting a quote you can actually compare

  • Give the garage your registration, mileage and any service-indicator message
  • Ask for the price broken into labour, parts and consumables
  • Ask what is excluded and which scheduled items fall due at this mileage
  • Ask what happens if extra work is found - and require prior authorisation
  • Get it in writing, by email or text, before you book

Sources