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The MOT annual assessment is an important part of being a qualified MOT tester. As an MOT tester, you will be assessed once a year to ensure that you are competent and confident in your role.

This guide contains practical tips on how to pass the MOT annual assessment for new testers who may need some help getting started.

The MOT Annual Assessment is the process by which DVSA ensures that MOT testers remain competent and confident in their role. All testers must be assessed at least once every 12 months or they will be removed from the Approved Testing Facility register and will not be able to test vehicles.

Testers can request an annual assessment from their Manager at any time, but it is up to them when they have it done as long as it is within the 12 month period before their current certificate runs out.

Practical Tips:

If you’re an MOT tester, it’s likely you’ll be taking your annual assessment in the coming months.

Preparation is key and with the right approach, there’s no reason why you can’t pass first time.

For those who are getting ready to sit the annual assessment, we spoke to a highly experienced MOT tester, who gave us their top tips on how to pass first time.

1. Read the manual

The official DVSA guidance: MOT testing guide contains important information regarding what will be expected of you during your test. It contains advice on everything from test procedures and refusal defects, through to protecting yourself and dealing with customers.

Don’t just read it once. Instead, make sure you read it several times. The guidance will tell you everything you need to know about what’s required of you throughout the day. It will set out all the requirements as far as your attitude and behaviors go, as well as practical aspects of the assessment such as vehicle preparation, recording customer information and following procedures correctly.

2. Fill out your personal details correctly

Filling out your personal details correctly is essential as they are used by DVSA to identify who has carried out the test. Therefore, if you fill in this information incorrectly and do not pass the assessment, DVSA will not know who has completed it and when.

3. Know your stuff

If you need to brush up on anything before you take your test, visit GOV.UK for a wide range of resources including:

• MOT testing guides
• The MOT inspection manual (VT01)
• The MOT assessment specifiations (VT01A)

4. Complete your training correctly

As part of your MOT annual assessment, you’ll be required to complete an online training module called ‘MOT procedures’ and be able to demonstrate that you understand it by answering questions at the end of the module. It’s important to pay attention throughout this training module as it’s updated every year, based on changes made to the MOT testing guide – a key tool to help you carry out your tests.

5. Have the correct study plan

Let your study plan be derived from the syllabus and the MOT annual assessment 2020/2021 handbook. If there is something specific that you need to know in order to excel, make sure you include these things in your study plan from the beginning of your course. Don’t wait until you reach this part of the study material at a later stage to start preparing for it.

6. Sleep enough

Get a good night’s sleep before your exam. If you’re tired, you won’t be able to think clearly and concentrate.

7. Mind what you eat

Eat something nutritious beforehand, so you’ve got fuel for your brain.

8. Arrive at the testing center early enough

Make sure you know when and where your exam is. You’ll need to be there at least half an hour early because they will check your ID and take a photo of you. Have all the documents that they ask for ready in advance (driving license, passport, etc). Take a bottle of water with you into the exam room – it helps.

9. Understand things instead of memorizing them

Don’t try too hard to memorise huge amounts of information. The GMC advise that it’s better to understand things conceptually rather than by rote learning facts without understanding what they mean or why they’re important. It’s also more likely to stick in your memory if it makes sense to you.

10. Reviewing should be an important part

Review all the questions after you’ve completed each section of your study material, or chapter. This will help you determine whether or not you understand every concept, term, etc.; and also where your weaknesses are with regard to what is being tested in these questions.

The Ministry of Transport test, shortly known as MOT, involves testing the quality of vehicles before riding them on the roads. A vehicle should meet certain parameters such as emission, safety, and efficiency to pass the MOT test. Without MOT, it becomes difficult to claim insurance amounts. Those who are having a car vehicle in the UK should consider choosing a training centre for enhancing their skills to a large extent. This will help to know the basics, technical applications, and other things in detail that give ways to accomplish goals with high success rates.

Here are some reasons why one should consider joining an MOT training centre in the UK.

1. Helps to become a tester or vehicle technician

Anyone who wants to become a professional tester or vehicle technician can benefit a lot from a training centre. Furthermore, it makes feasible methods to learn lessons with highly qualified teams to become expert testers. Joining an MOT training centre not only helps to improve the knowledge but also enhances the abilities effectively.

2. Higher earnings

Automotive industries offer a wide range of employment opportunities for job seekers in the markets. Having an MOT certificate provides methods to earn higher earnings. An MOT contractor will be paid more than permanent employees in the UK.

3. Utilizes the latest equipment

An MOT training centre uses the latest equipment enabling learners to know how to inspect a car properly. Not only that, it employs highly qualified teams while teaching lessons to students. Furthermore, a training centre uses state-of-art training facilities that cater to the needs of learners.

4. Covers training at different levels

An MOT training centre offers classes at different levels and one can select the right one among them after knowing the details. Apart from regular classes, it provides weekend classes and evening classes at affordable prices to obtain optimal results.  

5. Provides full support and guidance

A training centre provides full support and guidance for learners thereby showing ways to gain more advantages. It enables learners to focus more on how to carry out a complete and successful inspection effectively.

6. Better customer service

Attending an MOT class paves ways to provide a better service for customers when they want to pass a test. Not online that, it will help a lot to grow business in the markets after opening a shop that gives ways to generate high revenues and profits.

MOT test involves several things and those who want to become a tester in the UK should pass an exam conducted by the respective department. On the other hand, many testers fail in their test due to various factors and they should know how to overcome them. This will help a lot to reduce mistakes effectively that give ways to accomplish goals. Not only that, it provides ways to focus more on the objectives to a large extent.

Here are some common mistakes to avoid in the MOT test.

1. Lack of preparation and training

A lot of MOT testers tend to take the test without attending training classes. Moreover, they don’t know how to prepare for the exam properly which results in more problems. Therefore, one should consider joining MOT test classes in a location that will help improve the skills and abilities significantly. They will cover everything in detail enabling a tester to clear an exam with a good score.

2. Forgetting to study the CPD curriculum

Most Mot testers fail to study the continuing professional development (CPD) curriculum which results in various problems. Although the Drivers and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) don’t give more importance to CPD, the MOT test contains 34% of the CPD exam. Joining a training class will help know the updates and modules with ease.

3. Poor time management

The MOT trainer test can cause panic to testers because it has a duration of only 60 minutes that will test the skills. Time management is necessary for the test that gives ways to secure the best marks. A training class allows testers to understand the concepts including the basics easily to gain more advantages. It also makes feasible methods to explore many things while taking the test.

4. Not refreshing the curriculum of previous year question papers

A majority of MOT testers will fail to refresh the curriculum of the previous year’s question papers which results in various problems. Anyone who wants to pass the MOT test should consider choosing the best training classes for meeting the essential needs.

5. Not knowing the deadline In many cases, MOT testers will miss a deadline and they should know the updates from different sources. Joining a training class provides ways to gather more information about exam details including deadlines easily. It involves different levels that cater to the needs of learners with highly qualified teams. On the other hand, testers should evaluate fees before joining a class.

Are you feeling nervous because the MOT test date is coming closer? With the rise in the difficulty of rules of MOT tests, there are high chances of failure.

No matter what choice of the MOT test centre you made in the past, the decision now should be taken with proper caution.

What is MOT Test?

The MOT test will check your vehicle on different parameters such as vehicle safety, roadworthiness aspects exhaust emissions. If you get the test done by an authorized centre, they will include every inspection and check mandated by the ministry of transport..

A reliable MOT test centre can help you pass the test with flying colours.

But, where and how do you find such a centre?

In this blog post, we shall discuss four ways through which you find an ideal MOT training centre.

1. Choose a Certified MOT Training Center

The best way to check the credibility of the centre is to go through listing websites so you can find a handful of MOT training centres. Once you have listed some of the training providers, you can analyze their website to understand what accreditations they have, how much experience they have, and what do their alumni say about them on different reviews websites.

2. Social Media Can Be Vital

A well-recognized, well-connected, and reputed training would always want to create a unique online presence of its own. Social media platforms can be crucial when you want to understand the real aspect of different training providers. If the centre you have chosen is active on social media with an impressive number of followers, posts things regularly, it may create a sense of credibility.

3. Compare Different Course Packages

You got the names of the different MOT training providers. Almost each one of them would promote themselves as the best. However, it is not about doubting if they are best or not but about finding which training provider is best suited to your needs as an individual.

4. Fee Structure

You can always compare the pricing structures of different MOT test centres for maintaining the perfect value of your money. Remember, a cheap service might just turn out to be a big problem in the future. So, be sure to pick a trustable MOT centre that offers an affordable and lucid price structure.

Over to You

We hope that you could understand important things that you need to consider before making the choice of the best MOT training centre for you. When you follow all the above-mentioned points, you will definitely get the best centre only.

DVSA brought the concept of Connected MOT Testing Equipment for helping combat frauds and offer accurate results.

What does Connected Equipment really mean?

Connected equipment implies that a real test will have to take place with respect to be entered and if your system is having a read of VN directly from vehicles ECU concurrently.

What are the advantages offered with Connected MOT Equipment?

Some of the benefits offered with Connected MOT Equipment are as follows:

• Contemporary systems for the new age motoring

As there are increasingly connected MOT testing equipment that are being approved by the Garage Equipment Association, we can start to see a drastic shift in the way MOT test is being carried out. Undoubtedly the end goal is completely monitored and the automated procedures with every aspect of test being recorded and simultaneously uploaded onto the DVSA’s database, there is also availability of automatic number plate cameras in test bay and in direct relation to vehicle through OBD port that offers data like vin numbers and mileage.

• The perfection in traffic light mechanism

You might be aware of the current traffic light risk assessment mechanism for testers and stations. They are calculated by making use of the national average, like how the information provided by the testing station is compared to the one submitted by enormous amounts of others. Even statistical analysis can make use of this information for flagging anything that is different from crowd like average time taken for completing test in timeframe and submitted data.

Currently, individual testers might see the traffic lights score but in the upcoming years there might be chances that the risk score may describe whether you can find a job as an MOT tester. There is no need to panic as DVSA are always available for  providing counselling and guidance for improving the rating and will always make a choice to assist you leaving some extreme situations instead of repealing the right for offering MOT tests.

The Bottom Line

The main goal of Connected MOT Equipment is to offer road safety, improving the accuracy of results that are entered in the DVSA database and streamlining of MOT tests. Prior the need was there for manually entering data in database human error was bound to happen and DVSA are trying to make things better and easier.

If you have any queries related with this article or any other MOT test-related best practices, you can contact our MOT Training Centre in Manchester UK