Drivers Warned of New MOT Photo Rule in Crackdown on Fraudulent 'Ghost' Certificates
Motorists booking their vehicle in for its annual safety check are being warned about a new rule targeting 'ghost MOTs' as part of a government crackdown on fraudulent roadworthiness certificates. Drivers caught flouting the rules could face fines of up to £1,000.
The move comes amid growing concerns over the online sale of fake MOTs, which are issued without a vehicle ever being physically inspected, potentially leaving dangerously unsafe cars on UK roads.
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The move comes amid growing concerns over the online sale of fake MOTs, which are issued without a vehicle ever being physically inspected, potentially leaving dangerously unsafe cars on UK roads.
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Under the new measures being rolled out by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), garages will be required to photograph the entire vehicle in the testing bay during its inspection. This image will serve as evidence that the car was present for the test, aiming to eliminate the practice of issuing so-called 'ghost MOTs'.
"We've moved away from capturing just the number plate and recording that in [MOT test certificates], and instead we want to get a photo of the whole vehicle in the testing bay", a DVSA spokesperson explained. "Our original aim with capturing images of vehicles was to ultimately prevent fraudulent, ghost MOTs happening, and we think this method will be a better way of allowing us to do this".
The crackdown follows a startling poll which found that almost one in five UK drivers (18%) admitted to having purchased a fake MOT for their car. The research, conducted by car servicing platform ClickMechanic and reported by the PA news agency, suggests that as many as eight million motorists may have paid for fraudulent documents that declare their vehicle roadworthy.
These counterfeit certificates, sometimes referred to as, “Bluetooth MOTs”, are increasingly being advertised on social media channels such as TikTok, Instagram and Telegram for up to £100. Unscrupulous sellers offer to issue a passing certificate without ever seeing the car, allowing potentially dangerous vehicles to remain on the road.
The survey of 2,001 drivers revealed the financial pressures fuelling the black market. Of those who paid for a fake MOT, 42 per cent said they did so because they could not afford the repairs needed for their car to pass the test legitimately.
The DVSA has been piloting the new photography strategy since 2023, allowing it to cross-check data from the submitted images against the issued MOT certificate to verify that a genuine test took place. The nationwide implementation of this rule is designed to make it significantly more difficult for both dishonest mechanics and vehicle owners to obtain a fraudulent pass, ultimately enhancing road safety for everyone.
"We've moved away from capturing just the number plate and recording that in [MOT test certificates], and instead we want to get a photo of the whole vehicle in the testing bay", a DVSA spokesperson explained. "Our original aim with capturing images of vehicles was to ultimately prevent fraudulent, ghost MOTs happening, and we think this method will be a better way of allowing us to do this".
The crackdown follows a startling poll which found that almost one in five UK drivers (18%) admitted to having purchased a fake MOT for their car. The research, conducted by car servicing platform ClickMechanic and reported by the PA news agency, suggests that as many as eight million motorists may have paid for fraudulent documents that declare their vehicle roadworthy.
These counterfeit certificates, sometimes referred to as, “Bluetooth MOTs”, are increasingly being advertised on social media channels such as TikTok, Instagram and Telegram for up to £100. Unscrupulous sellers offer to issue a passing certificate without ever seeing the car, allowing potentially dangerous vehicles to remain on the road.
The survey of 2,001 drivers revealed the financial pressures fuelling the black market. Of those who paid for a fake MOT, 42 per cent said they did so because they could not afford the repairs needed for their car to pass the test legitimately.
The DVSA has been piloting the new photography strategy since 2023, allowing it to cross-check data from the submitted images against the issued MOT certificate to verify that a genuine test took place. The nationwide implementation of this rule is designed to make it significantly more difficult for both dishonest mechanics and vehicle owners to obtain a fraudulent pass, ultimately enhancing road safety for everyone.
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