MOTLogs glossary

This page is for garage owners, Authorised Examiners, quality control managers and testers who meet an unfamiliar MOT or DVSA term in MOTLogs. Each entry says what the term means and how MOTLogs uses it.

What is an AE (Authorised Examiner)?

An Authorised Examiner (AE) is the person or business the DVSA authorises to run MOT testing at one or more stations. In MOTLogs an AE is the main owner of an Organisation. An AE can sign off each station's month and appoint a delegate and a consultant. MOTLogs also uses AEDM, the Authorised Examiner Designated Manager, for the individual responsible for the AE's testing.

What is an AE delegate or consultant?

An AE delegate acts for the Authorised Examiner. An Authorised Examiner Consultant (AEC) is an outside adviser the AE appoints. In MOTLogs both can be set on the Organisations page, and both can sign off a station's month like the AE.

What is a VTS or testing station?

A VTS (vehicle testing station) is a garage site approved for MOT testing. MOTLogs calls it a Test station in the sidebar and a Station in the scope picker. Each station belongs to one organisation.

What is a site number?

A site number is the DVSA identifier of a vehicle testing station. MOTLogs uses it to tell stations apart and to match your uploaded test logs to the right station. Tests list the station by trading name, falling back to the site number if there is no name.

What is an organisation?

An organisation is the business that holds the AE authorisation and owns one or more test stations. You choose the Organisation in the scope picker, and you are linked to organisations from the Organisations page.

What is a tester?

A tester is a person approved by the DVSA to carry out MOT tests. Each tester has a DVSA user id. Put your own id in the DVSA User field on your profile to get the My work page. The Testers page lists the testers at your stations.

What is TQI?

TQI is Test Quality Information, the monthly figures the DVSA gives each tester and station, such as average test time, failure rate and how often a tester repeats the same result. MOTLogs compares your figures with the national average. In My work, TQI is shown for test classes 3, 4, 5 and 7 as In line or Above national.

What is QC?

QC is quality control: the regular review of your own MOT tests so that problems are found and explained before the DVSA finds them. QC managers are the main users of the At-risk list and of the monthly sign-off.

What is a test log?

A test log is the record of every MOT test done at a station in a month, which you download from the DVSA MOT testing service and upload with Upload logs. The MOT test logs page lists them. Uploading the logs needs the Authorised Examiner or Site Manager role in the DVSA service.

What does At-risk mean?

At-risk is the status MOTLogs gives a test it thinks needs a second look. A test is At-risk when it has not yet been reviewed and either carries a highlight flag or has a total risk score above 25. Its strength is shown as High (highlight flag, or a score of 90 or more) or Medium.

What is a risk rating or risk score?

The risk score is a number MOTLogs works out for each test from your own logs. It is not the DVSA's red, amber or green risk rating for testers and stations. The DVSA does not publish that rating, so MOTLogs cannot show it.

What is attestation?

Attestation is your recorded review of an At-risk test: you note why the test is acceptable and who reviewed it. Once attested, the test is shown as Reviewed and no longer counts as At-risk. Attestations form the audit trail you can show a Vehicle Examiner.

What is a monthly sign-off?

The sign-off is the Authorised Examiner's confirmation that a station's month has been reviewed. It is done from Monthly sign-off and is available to the Authorised Examiner, a delegate or a consultant.

What is a defect?

A defect is a fault found at an MOT, recorded by the tester with a category. Dangerous and major defects cause a fail. MOTLogs shows defects against each test and on a vehicle's MOT history.

What is an advisory?

An advisory is something the tester noted that is not bad enough to fail, such as a worn part. Advisories do not fail a test but appear on the vehicle's MOT history.

What is a scope?

The scope is the organisation, station and month you have chosen in the top bar. Pages in a section show data for that scope. See Choosing organisation, station and month.

What is a one-time code?

A one-time code is the six-digit number emailed to you at sign-in, valid for 20 minutes. It is different from your permanent passcode. See Signing in to MOTLogs.

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