Minister welcomes reduction in MOT waiting times

Minister Liz Kimmins during a visit to Lisburn MOT Centre where more than 88,100 vehicle tests and more than 3,300 driving tests were conducted in the last 12 months.

The Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA) conducted more than 1.16million vehicle tests from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025, which is the highest number ever recorded.

During that period, the DVA also reduced the average waiting time for an MOT from 100 days to around 30 days. These figures are included in the most recent statistics released by NISRA today.

Temporary exemption certificates (TECs) were introduced in April 2024 to help manage MOT waiting times.

Minister Kimmins announced the extension of the successful initiative for a further year in March.

DVA also recruited 35 new vehicle examiners in 2024 as part of a recruitment campaign to help reduce waiting times. In 2024, there were only six days in the year when MOT appointments were not offered.

The Minister visited Lisburn MOT Centre this week where more than 88,100 vehicle tests and more than 3,300 driving tests were conducted in the last 12 months.

Minister Liz Kimmins with DVA's head of testing operations Donna O'Brien and staff of Lisburn MOT Centre who she has thanked for helping to deliver front-line services.

Minister

“It is a pleasure for me to have the opportunity to visit DVA’s Lisburn test centre, which played its part in achieving these remarkable figures and to meet and thank some of our examiners who work so hard to deliver these critical front-line services.

“I am very aware of the frustration there has been in recent years around MOT waiting times which is why this significant news today from the DVA should be welcomed by all.  

“I took the decision to extend the use of TECS for a further 12 months to minimise inconvenience to until new testing facilities at Hydebank and Mallusk open.  These centres will have a combined capacity to test more than 200,000 additional vehicles annually.

“Regrettably, however, the number of vehicles that fail to appear for test in the 2024 calendar year remained stubbornly high with over 45,000 in 2024 or approximately 870 every week.

“There will be many genuine reasons why some customers fail to attend their MOT appointments but this places added pressure on the DVA’s vehicle testing capacity, as these test appointments cannot be reallocated.”