LKQ Euro Car Parts is urging technicians to complete their 23/24 MOT CPD

LKQ Euro Car Parts is urging technicians to complete their 2023/24 MOT CPD before the end of the month, to protect both driver safety and garages’ ability to trade.

Bob Wiffen, Workshop Solutions Director at LKQ Euro Car Parts, said: “As recently as the beginning of February, The IMI estimated that almost three quarters (73%) of testers were yet to take their annual CPD assessment, representing a huge chunk of the aftermarket’s workforce.

“Those who miss the deadline will be suspended, and are then required to demonstrate in person to a DVSA representative that they can carry out an MOT test on a vehicle. This means that it can often take weeks to reverse a disqualification, costing valuable time, customers and money”.

New rules implemented in January require any tester that has missed the deadline to submit a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check from within three months of the test date. Those without a valid certificate will need to request one, which can often take up to six weeks to be processed – meaning more lost time and business.

Bob Wiffen added: “Many independent workshops have just the one tester, without whom they risk loyal customers having to take their vehicles elsewhere – and with this year bringing more stringent requirements for testers that fail to hit the deadline, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

“And when 1st April arrives, and the new CPD year stats – our advice is not to wait until this time next year before completing it. The training is updated every year for good reason: completing it as early as possible can help you to improve your testing accuracy and thus ensure the safety of the vehicles you test.”

LKQ Euro Car Parts collaborates with the IMI and the DVSA on the approved MOT CPD training it offers through the LKQ Academy, with a range of options to suit every tester. Testers are advised to book their training by March 27th to allow enough time to complete it by the 31st of March deadline.