Annual test fees to fall for most test sites

The DVSA is to lower the fees it charges for annual tests for trucks, buses and trailers at authorised testing facilities (ATFs), but raise them for tests carried out at its surviving test stations from 1 October.

DVSA said it was removing the burden of cost of maintaining the remaining estate of test stations from operators who were having their tests carried out at privately-owned facilities.

The changes will narrow the gap between the sum of the test fee (paid indirectly to DVSA) and the ‘pit fee’ (retained by the ATF operator) by operators having vehicles tested at private facilities, and the single test fee paid by operators who are still able to use one of a diminishing number of government-owned DVSA stations.

Currently, 80 per cent of tests are completed at ATFs. DVSA’s target is for 85 per cent of tests to be conducted at ATFs by the end of March next year as it continues its programme of test station closures.

DVSA is also raising operator licence fees by one per cent for both HGV and PSV operators.

Details of all the new testing rates and operator licence fees can be found on the gov.uk website.