MOT Bay Capacity Calculator
Your weekly MOT capacity is simple maths: bays × hours open × days open, divided by minutes per test. Most independent garages never hit that ceiling — not because the bay is idle by choice, but because there aren't enough bookings coming in to fill it. This calculator shows you both numbers side by side: what you could be testing, and what that gap is worth in real revenue.
Enter your own numbers below — all the maths runs in your browser. We'll ask for your email once before showing the results, so we can send your report and remember it for next time.
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Weekly capacity
Idle capacity worth
Current utilisation
Add how many tests you currently do a week above to see your utilisation and what your empty slots are worth.
Get found by drivers searching for MOT testing near them.
How this is calculated
Weekly capacity = bays × hours open per day × days open per week × 60, divided by average minutes per test. It's a ceiling, not a guarantee — it assumes every minute in every bay is booked back-to-back, with no gaps for staff breaks, vehicle turnaround, no-shows, or admin between jobs. In practice, most garages we've looked at across Glasgow run at somewhere between 55% and 80% of this theoretical maximum, which is normal and healthy — treat anything consistently above 90% as a sign you're closer to needing a second bay or longer hours than more marketing.
Revenue-per-test defaults to £54.85, the current statutory cap for a Class 4 MOT test in the UK. If your garage typically combines MOTs with servicing or repair work, your real average ticket is likely higher — adjust the field above to match your own numbers for a more accurate figure.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a UK MOT test actually take?
A standalone Class 4 MOT test typically takes 45–60 minutes on the ramp, including vehicle prep and paperwork. If it's combined with a service or repair work in the same visit, garages usually block out 60–90 minutes so the bay isn't rushed between jobs.
How many MOT bays does a small independent garage need?
Most independent single-site garages in and around Glasgow run one or two MOT bays. One bay open 9 hours a day, 6 days a week at 45 minutes per test gives a theoretical ceiling of roughly 70 tests a week — in practice most garages sit well under that once you allow for servicing work sharing the same bay, no-shows, and admin time.
What's a good utilisation rate for an MOT bay?
There's no official DVSA target, but 70–85% is a commonly cited healthy range for independent garages — high enough that the bay is earning its keep, with enough slack to absorb same-day bookings, re-tests, and the odd overrun without a backlog building up.
How can I fill empty MOT slots?
If your bays are under-utilised, the usual bottleneck isn't capacity — it's visibility. Being findable on a local MOT directory, keeping your Google Business Profile accurate, and making it effortless for a driver searching "MOT near me" to reach you by phone are the highest-leverage fixes before spending on advertising. Claiming your free listing on Glasgow MOT Directory is a start.
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