An MOT due date is not a choice between star ratings. The real questions are whether the centre tests your vehicle class, quotes the full fee and explains the retest if the car fails. In Portsmouth city, the address matters too: Hilsea, Southsea, Copnor Bridge and Baffins Road are distinct options, not interchangeable labels.
This guide moves from the named centres in Hilsea and Southsea to Copnor Bridge and the Baffins Road option, then through the remaining Portsmouth city choices. Each centre gets the same practical review—what it is, what the evidence says, who it may suit, where it is and what to ask—before the fee, expiry-date and retest advice.
What this Portsmouth comparison can and cannot settle
The guide is about Portsmouth city, not Gosport, Havant or the wider Hampshire area. Each entry uses the business name, listed category, address, phone number and displayed rating. No provider-specific fee, vehicle class, live booking slot, weekly schedule or retest policy is stated where it was not available.
Ratings and review totals are snapshots dated 8 October 2026, and they apply to the business profile as a whole rather than proving the quality of an individual MOT test. The comparison is strongest on local identity and contact details; the centre itself must answer the practical booking questions.
Which Portsmouth MOT option might suit your priorities?
- Largest review count shown: Elite Garages Portsmouth, with 551 reviews and a 4.8 rating. Its profile is for a garage/inspection business, so the overall score does not isolate MOT visits.
- Highest displayed score: Phoenix MOT Centre Ltd, at 5.0 from 5 reviews. That is a small sample; treat it as an early signal, not a promise.
- Clearly MOT-named options: Hilsea MOT Centre, Portsmouth MOT Centre, Southsea MOT Test Centre, North End M.O.T. Centre, Warren MOT Test Centre, Copnor Bridge MOT Centre and others below.
- Most useful next step for price: call the centre. The captured information does not show a current MOT fee for any of these providers.
- Address to clarify first: M and H MOT Station’s listing text refers to both Rodney Road and Alverstone Road without a single clear site address.
MOT choices from Hilsea and Southsea to Copnor Bridge and Baffins Road
The order follows the local cues in the centre names and addresses, then moves to the other Portsmouth city options. Each profile separates the same five things: positioning, evidence, best fit, location shown and the questions still open. That keeps a rating from doing work it cannot do.
First, the named centres in Hilsea and Southsea
Hilsea MOT Centre Ltd — 22 Limberline Road
Positioning, location and evidence: This is explicitly named as an MOT centre and is categorised as a car inspection station. The listing gives 22 Limberline Road and 023 9266 5400.
Strengths and best fit: That combination makes Hilsea a straightforward first call for a driver looking for a clearly MOT-labelled provider with a street address and phone contact. The review count is large enough to be more informative than a handful of comments, but it still cannot tell you whether the score reflects MOT tests, repairs or both.
Operational reality: Before booking, ask for the fee for your vehicle, the earliest suitable slot and whether the centre handles your vehicle class. The published information does not state a current price, booking method or retest arrangement. Do not assume the nearby-sounding name tells you the journey time from your starting point.
Southsea MOT Test Centre Ltd — 34 B & C Exmouth Road
Positioning, location and evidence: The business is explicitly named as a test centre and is categorised as a car inspection station. The address is shown as 34 B & C, Exmouth Road, with a 4.6 rating from 94 reviews and phone number 023 9286 4050.
Strengths and best fit: For a motorist comparing named MOT providers, those are the two strongest signals: the test is central to the business identity, and the listing has a substantial body of public feedback. Southsea is also named directly, which helps a driver decide whether to investigate this address rather than beginning with a generic “Portsmouth garage” search.
Operational reality: What the listing does not establish is just as important. It gives no current MOT price, test classes, same-day availability or terms for repair and retest. Call before setting out, repeat the address back to the centre and ask for the total test fee in writing or by message if the price matters to your choice.
Next, Copnor Bridge and the Baffins Road address
Copnor Bridge MOT Centre — 2 Milton Road
Positioning, location and evidence: Copnor Bridge MOT Centre is categorised as a car inspection station and is listed at Copnor Bridge Business Park, 2 Milton Road. The profile shows 4.7 from 184 reviews and gives 023 9273 0404.
Strengths and best fit: The named MOT focus is clear, and the listing includes both a business-park description and a street address. That is useful when confirming the test site before setting off. Its review count is one of the larger ones in this group, although it still measures the whole listing rather than an MOT-only sample.
Operational reality: Use the phone number to check the vehicle class, price and booking window; none of those details are provided here. Ask whether repairs are optional and how the centre handles a partial retest. No claim is made here about its service range beyond the MOT-centred name and inspection-station category.
Kingsley Garage — 1 Baffins Road
Positioning, location and evidence: Kingsley Garage is categorised as a car inspection station and is listed at 1 Baffins Road. The displayed rating is 4.8 from 138 reviews, with 023 9281 5377 as the contact number.
Strengths and best fit: Its listing combines a clear street address, phone number and a sizeable feedback count. The business name is broader than “MOT centre”, so a driver should confirm whether the chosen appointment is for an MOT test alone or another garage service. That is a useful distinction when comparing a test-only price with a combined visit.
Operational reality: There is no current fee, vehicle-class information, appointment availability or retest policy in the captured details. Call to confirm all four. The Baffins Road address is a useful locator, but this guide does not infer travel time or access from it.
Then, the remaining Portsmouth city options
Portsmouth MOT Centre Limited — Alchorne Place
Positioning, location and evidence: Portsmouth MOT Centre Limited is listed as a car inspection station, with a 4.7 rating from 106 reviews. The address shown is Alchorne Place; the contact number is 023 9266 2475.
Strengths and best fit: The useful distinction here is clarity of purpose: the business name itself signals MOT testing rather than a general workshop alone. Its listed rating and review total provide a public feedback snapshot, while the street-level location and phone number give a direct route to ask practical questions.
Operational reality: There is no price, vehicle-class list, weekly schedule or booking instruction in the captured details. Ask whether the quoted fee includes only the test, what happens if the vehicle fails, and whether a retest fee applies. The Portsmouth name is not a substitute for confirming the exact entrance or appointment address.
North End M.O.T. Centre — 1 North End Avenue
Positioning, location and evidence: North End M.O.T. Centre is listed at 1 North End Avenue and has a 4.9 rating from 82 reviews. Its category is “auto repair shop”, rather than “car inspection station”, while the business name explicitly identifies MOT work.
Strengths and best fit: That mix may matter if you want to ask about both testing and repairs, but the listing alone does not prove which repairs are offered or whether they can be done at the same visit. The high displayed rating is a useful comparison point; it is not evidence that a particular repair quote will be the right one.
Operational reality: Call 023 9217 5100 to confirm the test fee, vehicle class and booking process. Ask for any repair recommendation and its price separately from the MOT charge. No website link, current opening schedule or retest terms were shown in the captured details.
Warren MOT Test Centre — Warren Avenue Industrial Estate
Positioning, location and evidence: Warren MOT Test Centre is listed as a car inspection station at Warren Avenue Industrial Estate, Warren Avenue. Its displayed rating is 4.8 from 10 reviews, and the phone number shown is 023 9287 1117.
Strengths and best fit: The business name and category make its MOT focus clear. The address also identifies an industrial-estate setting, which is more precise than a broad Portsmouth label when you are checking where to attend. The review score is high, but ten reviews is a smaller sample than several other options in this guide.
Operational reality: This is a sensible candidate to call if its stated location fits your plans; the available details do not include a fee, website, appointment calendar, vehicle classes or after-fail policy. Confirm the exact unit or entrance, ask whether the centre tests your vehicle type and request the full price before booking.
Elite Garages Portsmouth — 468 London Road
Positioning, location and evidence: Elite Garages Portsmouth is listed as a car inspection station at Coach and Horses Roundabout, 468 London Road. It has the largest review count in this shortlist: 4.8 from 551 reviews. The number shown is 023 9266 3351.
Strengths and best fit: Its most useful comparison signal is the breadth of public feedback attached to the listing, not a claim that it is the “best” MOT choice. Because the business is identified as a garage as well as an inspection station, the overall rating may include experiences beyond MOT testing. Drivers should compare its test quote and retest terms directly with the more explicitly MOT-named centres.
Operational reality: The captured details do not show a current MOT fee, vehicle-class range, booking slot or after-fail policy. Ask whether the test is booked separately from any service work and whether the quoted price changes for your vehicle. Confirm the address and which entrance to use before attending.
Phoenix MOT Centre Ltd — Unit 2, South Sea Works
Positioning, location and evidence: Phoenix MOT Centre Ltd is shown as a vehicle inspection service at Unit 2, South Sea Works, Rodney Road. Its listed score is 5.0, based on 5 reviews; the contact number is 023 9200 2478.
Strengths and best fit: The name and category both point to inspection work, and the location is specific enough to ask about the correct unit. The five-star score is the highest displayed in this group, but five reviews make it a limited sample. It should be read as a reason to investigate, not a guarantee or a direct comparison with a much larger review base.
Operational reality: Ask about the MOT fee, vehicle class, appointment route and what happens if the car fails. The listing does not show those terms or a weekly schedule. If comparing on price, get the same information from at least one other centre; a high rating does not answer the cost question.
Ackworth Road MOT Centre — Ackworth Road
Positioning, location and evidence: Ackworth Road MOT Centre is listed at Ackworth Road and has a 4.7 rating from 109 reviews. The category displayed is auto repair shop; the name makes the MOT service explicit. The phone number is 023 9266 6608.
Strengths and best fit: Its appeal as a shortlist option is the clear MOT identity paired with a direct phone contact and a substantial number of reviews. The repair-shop category suggests a broader garage identity, but the listing does not specify which repairs are available. Do not assume a fault can be fixed on site just because the business is listed as a repair shop.
Operational reality: Before booking, ask whether it tests your vehicle class, what the test costs and whether repair work is optional and quoted separately. Current slots, weekly opening times and retest terms are not shown. The address text does not include a postcode, so confirm the exact site when you call.
M and H MOT Station — Rodney Road / Alverstone Road
Positioning, location and evidence: M and H MOT Station is listed as a car inspection station and carries a 5.0 rating from 65 reviews. The phone number shown is 023 9355 2802. Its location text refers to Rodney Road and Alverstone Road, but does not resolve them into one clear address.
Strengths and best fit: The MOT-focused name and inspection category give it a clear place on a Portsmouth shortlist. The displayed rating is based on more reviews than the smallest samples here, but it still cannot tell you whether the comments relate specifically to MOT tests. The first useful step is a call to confirm the test location.
Operational reality: Do not choose this centre on an assumed street address. Ask which road and entrance the appointment uses, then confirm vehicle class, price, booking availability and retest arrangements. Until the address is clarified, its location is less straightforward to compare with the other entries.
Compare Portsmouth addresses, ratings and phone numbers
Prices, weekly opening hours and live appointment availability were not shown in the captured information. They are left out rather than estimated. Ratings below are dated snapshots from 8 October 2026.
| Business | Address shown | Listing category | Rating and reviews | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hilsea MOT Centre Ltd | 22 Limberline Road | Car inspection station | 4.6 (107) | 023 9266 5400 |
| Portsmouth MOT Centre Limited | Alchorne Place | Car inspection station | 4.7 (106) | 023 9266 2475 |
| Southsea MOT Test Centre Ltd | 34 B & C, Exmouth Road | Car inspection station | 4.6 (94) | 023 9286 4050 |
| North End M.O.T. Centre | 1 North End Avenue | Auto repair shop | 4.9 (82) | 023 9217 5100 |
| Warren MOT Test Centre | Warren Avenue Industrial Estate, Warren Avenue | Car inspection station | 4.8 (10) | 023 9287 1117 |
| Copnor Bridge MOT Centre | Copnor Bridge Business Park, 2 Milton Road | Car inspection station | 4.7 (184) | 023 9273 0404 |
| Elite Garages Portsmouth | Coach and Horses Roundabout, 468 London Road | Car inspection station | 4.8 (551) | 023 9266 3351 |
| Phoenix MOT Centre Ltd | Unit 2, South Sea Works, Rodney Road | Vehicle inspection service | 5.0 (5) | 023 9200 2478 |
| Kingsley Garage | 1 Baffins Road | Car inspection station | 4.8 (138) | 023 9281 5377 |
| Ackworth Road MOT Centre | Ackworth Road | Auto repair shop | 4.7 (109) | 023 9266 6608 |
| M and H MOT Station | Rodney Road / Alverstone Road (ambiguous) | Car inspection station | 5.0 (65) | 023 9355 2802 |
A high rating is not a test-specific guarantee, and review totals may cover a garage’s wider work. No current local MOT fee was available for a like-for-like price comparison.
Before the test: fees, expiry dates and retests
Compare the same thing. Ask whether the quote is for the MOT test only, which vehicle class it covers, and whether any repair work or retest would be charged separately. The maximum fee for a car with up to eight passenger seats is £54.85; that is a legal ceiling, not a Portsmouth price list, and a centre may charge less. Check the current GOV.UK MOT fee table if your vehicle is not a standard car.
Check the expiry date before picking a slot. You can test up to one month minus one day before expiry and keep the same renewal date. Use the GOV.UK MOT history checker rather than relying on an old reminder. An earlier test can move the next expiry date forward.
Confirm the station and vehicle class. GOV.UK says an MOT must be carried out at an approved test centre. The listing category and name in a directory are useful starting points, but ask the centre to confirm it handles your vehicle type. Also check whether it offers a viewing area if watching the test matters to you.
Understand the retest before authorising repairs. If the vehicle is left at the test station for repair and is retested within 10 working days, a partial retest can be free. If you take it away, a partial retest fee may apply within that period. Ask the centre to explain its process and costs before you agree to work; see the official GOV.UK retest rules.
The MOT is not a substitute for servicing. GOV.UK states that the test does not assess the condition of the engine, clutch or gearbox. If you have a noise, warning light or performance concern, describe it separately and ask whether diagnosis is included or quoted as additional work.
Questions Portsmouth drivers ask about MOT tests
What is the maximum fee for a standard car MOT?
The maximum is £54.85 for a car with up to eight passenger seats. A test centre can charge less. None of the local prices in this guide was published in the captured details, so ask for a current quote.
Can I book an MOT before it expires?
Yes. A test up to one month minus one day before expiry keeps the same renewal date. Check the expiry first, because testing earlier can change next year’s date.
Are all these centres confirmed for my vehicle type?
The captured information does not state the vehicle classes for each business. Call before booking, especially for a van, motorcycle, taxi or other non-standard vehicle.
Does an MOT include repairs or a full service?
No. It is a test against required standards, not a full service, and it does not assess the engine, clutch or gearbox. Ask for separate diagnosis and repair prices if you have another problem.
What happens if my vehicle fails?
The retest fee depends on the repair and retest arrangement. A partial retest can be free when the vehicle stays at the test centre for repair and returns within 10 working days; if taken away, a fee may apply. Confirm the centre’s terms before authorising work.
Which Portsmouth centre has the best availability?
No live appointment slots were available for comparison. Call the centre directly and ask for the earliest slot that suits your vehicle class. A displayed “opens at” time is not a booking guarantee.
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