Garages across the country will soon be required to take photos of every vehicle they test.
The new rule is part of a plan to tackle “ghost MOTs,” in which certificates are issued to vehicles that are never actually inspected at the test station.
The national rollout of the system began on August 3, following trials in more than 300 garages across Great Britain. More than 60,000 images were uploaded during the pilots, with the DVSA reporting strong support from testers and garage owners.
Grant Thunder, head of MOT at the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), said: "The MOT is designed to help keep road users safe by helping ensure vehicles are roadworthy and environmental standards are maintained.
"Photos at test will help prevent fraud, provide reassurance to motorists, and protect the reputations of hard working and honest MOT testers across the country.
"This change adds to the range of intelligence and evidence gathering processes used by DVSA to tackle MOT fraud, and will help us to take action against anyone who attempts to undermine the integrity of the MOT or compromise road safety."
The new requirement aims to give DVSA greater evidence that a vehicle was physically present during testing. Each year, millions of drivers rely on the MOT to confirm that vehicles on UK roads are safe and compliant with environmental standards.
However, a minority of individuals attempt to game the system by issuing certificates for vehicles that never arrive at the test station – often meaning unroadworthy or unsafe vehicles remain on the road.
Mr Thunder said this not only puts motorists at risk but also undermines confidence in the MOT system and the many garages who follow the rules.
The photo requirement will be made mandatory following changes to the MOT testing guide, MOT testing manuals, and DVSA operating instructions.
During the first phase of the DVSA trial, 62 garages uploaded more than 13,000 images, averaging 450 to 500 per day.
In the busiest garages, upload success rates reached 90 per cent in the first week, and many achieved 99 to 100 per cent.
A second, larger trial included an additional 244 garages and saw more than 47,998 images uploaded, with an overall success rate of 92 per cent.
More than half of participating users said they were very satisfied with the process, describing it as "easy," "painless," and "stress-free."
The DVSA said the trials confirmed that the feature had little impact on test times, with standard MOTs taking around 40 minutes and re-tests only slightly longer.
For motorists, the new process will not involve any changes to how they book or attend an MOT.
The photograph will simply serve as proof that the vehicle was physically present in the testing bay.
Images will be stored securely within the MOT Testing service and used solely for verification by the DVSA.
They will not appear on the public MOT history service, cannot be linked to vehicle owners, and do not include any personal data.
The DVSA emphasised that the vast majority of garages and MOT testers carry out their responsibilities with professionalism and integrity.
The new measure is designed to protect the reputation of honest testers while giving motorists greater confidence that vehicles issued with an MOT certificate have genuinely been inspected.
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