Contact the DVSA
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is the UK government agency responsible for keeping vehicles and drivers safe on the road. It runs the MOT scheme in England, Scotland and Wales, approves and monitors MOT test centres, conducts driving tests and theory tests, carries out roadside checks on commercial vehicles, and oversees vehicle safety recalls.
The DVSA is a separate organisation from the DVLA. In short: the DVSA deals with testing and roadworthiness (MOTs, driving tests, recalls), while the DVLA in Swansea handles registration paperwork such as the V5C logbook, vehicle tax, SORN declarations and driving licences. Contacting the right agency first will save you time.
DVSA customer support
- Email: [email protected]
- Telephone: 0300 123 9000
- Monday to Friday, 7:30am to 6pm
Opening hours and contact routes can change, so it is worth checking the latest details on gov.uk before calling.
When you might need to contact the DVSA
Common reasons to get in touch include complaining about an MOT test or garage (for example, if you believe a car was wrongly passed or failed), checking or reporting a vehicle safety recall, and queries about driving test bookings. If you have just bought a used car and discover a serious defect that should have failed its recent MOT, the DVSA can investigate the testing station – there are time and mileage limits on appeals, so act quickly.
Before it comes to that, you can review any car’s full MOT pass and failure record as part of a car history check.