Vehicle tester and traffic examiner strike: March 2023
Some vehicles tests, including MOTs for heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), buses and trailers, might be affected by strike action during March 2023.
Some Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) staff who are members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) and Prospect unions are planning to take industrial action during March 2023.
It’s part of national industrial action by the PCS and Prospect unions over pay, pensions, jobs and redundancy terms.
There is different guidance about driving examiner strikes in March 2023.
When the strikes will be held
Strikes will affect different parts of Great Britain at different times.
| Dates | Areas affected | Unions taking strike action |
|---|---|---|
| Monday 6 March and Tuesday 7 March | London and south-east England | PCS |
| Thursday 9 March and Friday 10 March | South-west England and Wales | PCS |
| Wednesday 15 March | All areas of Great Britain | PCS and Prospect |
| Monday 20 March and Tuesday 21 March | East of England, East Midlands, West Midlands and parts of London | PCS |
| Thursday 23 March and Friday 24 March | North-west England and Yorkshire and the Humber | PCS |
| Monday 27 March and Tuesday 28 March | North-east England and Scotland | PCS |
The strike action on Wednesday 15 March 2023 is likely to affect our vehicle services including:
- MOTs for heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), buses and trailers
- MOT demonstration tests (specialist tests for people qualifying as an MOT tester)
- vehicle approval tests
DVSA does not expect the strike action on other days to affect MOTs for HGVs, buses and trailers, but will not know for certain until the strike action takes place.
MOTs for cars, vans and motorcycles
MOTs for cars, vans and motorcycles MOTs for cars, vans and motorcycles are not affected by the strike action. They will be taking place as planned.
Services for MOT testers
If you’re an MOT tester with an MOT demonstration test booked on the dates of the strike action, you should still go for your appointment, unless DVSA contacts you to tell you not to go.
Not all vehicle examiners are union members, and even if they are, they might choose not to take part in the industrial action.
DVSA will automatically rearrange your demonstration test if it cannot go ahead because of the industrial action.
MOTs for HGVs, buses and trailers
You should go to your MOT appointment as planned.
Not all DVSA staff are union members, and even if they are, they might choose not to take part in industrial action.
If your MOT cannot go ahead
You will need to book another appointment with an MOT centre if your test cannot go ahead.
Talk to the MOT centre to rebook another appointment. If they do not have a suitable appointment, you can find another MOT centre for HGVs, buses and trailers.
Tell DVSA if you still cannot book a new test if both of these apply to you:
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you have contacted your local test centres and have been unable to book a test
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your MOT expires this month or has already expired
Report that you cannot book an HGV, bus or trailer MOT.
If you manage an ATF
Contact your network business manager if a vehicle standards assessor has not attended your authorised testing facility (ATF) within 15 minutes of the scheduled start time.
To help customers with a test booked, DVSA encourages you to contact them directly once you know if their test will be affected.
Vehicle approval tests
You should go to your vehicle approval test appointment as planned if it’s on the date of strike action, unless DVSA contacts you to tell you not to go.
Not all specialist vehicle standards assessors are union members, and even if they are, they might choose not to take part in theindustrial action.
If your vehicle approval test cannot go ahead DVSA will automatically rebook your vehicle approval test for you if it cannot go ahead because of the industrial action.
You’ll be sent the new details. You do not need to contact DVSA.
Updates to this page
Last updated 3 March 2023 + show all updates
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Added information about Prospect union members taking strike action on Wednesday 15 March 2023.
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First published.