There is no fixed minimum time written into the rules to answer the question ‘How long should an MOT re-test take?’, but a properly conducted partial re-test has a required set of steps, and those steps take time. A re-test completed in under a minute is a strong signal that something has been missed.
What must be included in a partial re-test
Under Section B.5 of the MOT Testing Guide, when a partial re-examination is carried out the tester must work through the following:
- Bring the vehicle to the MOT bay
- Log the re-test on the MOT testing service
- Physically inspect all failed defects (dangerous and major)
- Check anything else that may have been affected by the repair
- Carry out a roller brake test where brakes were involved, recording the results
- Re-check headlamp aim where this was part of the original failure
- Review advisory and minor defects, marking as repaired where appropriate
- Log off and issue the correct paperwork
Working through that list on even a straightforward re-test takes several minutes at a minimum. Where a roller brake test or headlamp aim check is involved, it takes longer still.