GovWire

Introduction

If youre involved in running an MOT centre, you must make sure MOT tests meet the standards set out by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).

To do this, you should:

• put management systems in place to run your business
• check and assess MOT test standards using policies and quality checks
• manage your MOT testers, including recruiting suitable testers and making sure they take regular training
• maintain and monitor your premises and equipment to keep it safe
• understand your MOT centres risk rating

How you manage your MOT centre

How you manage your MOT centre will depend on the size of your business and what works best for you.

This guide sets out 15 important points that you need to think about. You can use different methods from the examples given, as long as theyre effective.

If you do not meet the standards

There are penalties for failing to meet the required standards. The penalties depend on how serious the issues are.

Put management systems in place

Youre responsible for putting management systems in place to manage your MOT business. To do this, you should:

• have simple, clear and effective processes
• keep your business information up to date
• follow data protection rules
• make sure that site managers have the authority to run an MOT centre effectively

1. Have simple, clear and effective processes

You need to have simple, clear and effective processes for your MOT testing business. These processes need to:

• help your testers understand what you want them to do
• show how your MOT centre complies with the testing standards
• show how you manage your MOT centre and your testers

Your processes must follow DVSA policies set out in the MOT testing guide.

2. Keep your business information up to date

Check that the following information is correct in the MOT testing service:

• your MOT centre and business (AE) details
• your limited company director details (sometimes called the authorised examiner principals or AEPs)
• your authorised examiner designated manager or AEDM details (the person responsible for MOT testing in your business)
• your site manager details

Correct any wrong information

Correct any wrong contact details, email addresses or telephone numbers in the MOT testing service.

Fill in a form to make changes to your MOT centre to correct any other details that are wrong.

Display your VT9 certificate

You must display your current authorisation of examiner certificate (VT9) on your public noticeboard, along with the current MOT test fees and appeals information poster (VT9A).

Apply for a replacement certificate online if youve lost or damaged the original. This service is free.

3. Follow data protection rules

You must follow rules on data protection if you store or use personal information. This applies to information kept on staff and customers.

Find out about data protection and your business.

4. Employ site managers

You need to give someone the responsibility for the day-to-day running of a centre. This person is usually called a site manager.

You need at least one site manager per site, but you can decide to have more depending on the size of your business.

They must:

• understand what theyre being asked to do
• know what theyre responsible for
• have a good knowledge of MOT testing standards
• have the right skills to manage an MOT centre and testers

Check and manage MOT test standards

Youre responsible for managing MOT test standards (quality control) at all your MOT centres. To do this, you should:

• have clear MOT test policies in place
• use MOT test quality information to monitor standards
• check samples of MOTs done by your testers

5. Have clear MOT test policies in place

You need to have policies in place to reduce the risk of MOT tests not meeting the required standard.

Your policies should cover things such as:

• whether you allow your MOT testers to test their family and friends vehicles, and if you do, how youll manage the risk to make sure those tests are done to the right standard
• vehicles not being tested without the authority of the AE designated manager
• how customers can complain, and how you deal with the complaints
• what happens if problems with test standards are found

Dealing with testing standards problems

You need to have a policy in place to deal with testing standards problems.

Your policy should help your testers to improve and support their training needs.

The policy needs to include disciplinary action you will take depending on:

• how serious the problem is
• if its a repeated issue that shows no improvement
• if theyve committed fraud

6. Use MOT test quality information

Test quality information is data about the MOT tests that your testers have carried out. Use it as a starting point to monitor their standards of testing.

There are 2 types of information that you can get from the MOT testing service:

• MOT test quality information - a summary of failure rates at your sites
• MOT test logs - a record of every MOT test carried out at your sites

Find out how to use MOT test quality information.

7. Check a sample of MOTs

You need a process in place to check a sample of MOTs to make sure:

• the correct routines and procedures have been followed
• the correct standards have been applied

You can either:

• use a third party to check both the MOT test standards and management of your MOT centre
• choose an experienced MOT tester to carry out assurance checks
• give each MOT tester responsibility for carrying out assurance checks on a rota basis
• partner with other MOT centres to carry out assurance checks on each others centres

Whichever option you choose, make sure all testers have their tests checked by someone else.

When to do the checks

Check at least one MOT test from each tester every 2 months.

When you decide how often to do checks you should consider:

• the testers experience
• how many tests they do each day
• if any issues have been identified with their testing standards

What the checks should include

The person doing the check should either:

• closely watch how the tester carries out all parts of the test
• re-examine the vehicle using the correct testing sta
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