The MOT test for cars in Mauritius, commonly known as fitness, can be daunting, even for people who've had a car for decades. That's probably because it's one of those things that you do once in a while then forget about it. My aim for this article is to clarify what the process looks like for cars.
Glossary
Horsepower - Vehicle registration book
Fitness - MOT test
When?
Avoid going for fitness at the end of the month to avoid long queues.
Anyone can bring the car for fitness. No identification is required.
First fitness
You can bring your car to the fitness centre as from exactly 1 month prior to the expiry date*. E.g. If the expiry date is 22 May 2026, you can choose any date as from 22 April 2026 until 22 May 2026. I'm not sure how it would work if the expiry date is 30 March 2026.
Your car is required to have its first fitness 7 years after the expiry date. E.g. If the date on the horsepower is 22 May 2019, your car can have its first fitness as from 22 April 2026 until 22 May 2026. 7 days prior to the expiry date is a good rule of thumb for the first fitness. It's less stressful than waiting until the expiry date in case anything is reported during the inspection that needs fixing.
*Expiry date: Check the Date (not the Date registered in Mts) on your car's horsepower.
The expiry date on the new fitness certificate you will receive depends on the date your car has its first fitness, i.e. if your car goes for fitness on 22 April 2026, the expiry date on the new fitness certificate will be 21 April 2028; if your car goes for fitness on 22 May 2026, the expiry date on the new fitness certificate will be 21 May 2028.
Not the first fitness
You can bring your car to the fitness centre as from exactly 1 month prior to the expiry date*. E.g. If the expiry date is 22 May 2026, you can choose any date as from 22 April 2026 until 22 May 2026. I'm not sure how it would work if the expiry date is 30 March 2026. 20 days prior to the expiry date is a good rule of thumb for the second fitness and onwards. It's less stressful than waiting until the expiry date in case anything is reported during the inspection that needs fixing.
*Expiry date: Check the expiry date on your car's current fitness certificate. It's stuck on your car's windshield. Alternatively, you can use the non-sticky fitness certificate you received for the previous fitness.
The new fitness certificate you will receive will expire on the same date regardless of the date of your car's inspection, i.e. whether your car goes for fitness on 22 April or 22 May, you get the same expiry date on the new fitness certificate.
Pre-inspection
Before going for fitness, check the following.
all lights, blinkers, wipers are operational
sufficient tyre thread remaining
the car's insurance cover is still valid on the date it goes for fitness
Make sure the car is regularly serviced to avoid bad surprises.
Documents required
You'll need to present the following documents at the fitness centre.
Insurance certificate
Current fitness certificate (only if not the first fitness) - you received a sticker which is stuck on your car's windshield and a non-sticker after the previous fitness test; use the non-sticker one
Horsepower
Rs 600 (bring the exact amount) - not sure if they support alternative payment methods
Fitness test centres
I haven't been able to find out whether the fitness centres are open on bank holidays. I think it's safer to assume they are not.
Autocheck, Plaine Lauzun
Monday - Friday: 07:00 - 17:00
Saturday: 07:00 - 13:00
Sunday: Closed
Eastern, Petite Retraite, Laventure
Monday - Friday: 07:00 - 17:00
Saturday: 07:00 - 12:30
Sunday: Closed
Eastern's website hasn't been up for a while. I've copied over the opening hours from SGS.
SGS, Forest Side
Monday - Friday: 07:00 - 17:00
Saturday: 07:00 - 12:30
Sunday: Closed
Online booking is futile. It works on a first-come, first-served basis.
You can find more info on NLTA's website.
Process
Payment
First, drive the car to the fitness centre's payment counter. Different fitness centres have different payment procedures.
Present the horsepower, insurance certificate and current fitness certificate (if not the car's first fitness) at the counter.
Pay Rs 600 and get a receipt back.
Drive your car to the inspection area.
Inspection
You might be asked for the documents you presented before by the inspector.
Wait for the inspection to complete. You'll be notified when the test is over.
Collect
You'll receive 2 fitness certificates; non-sticky and sticky.
Verify the details on the new fitness certificates.
At this point, you can leave the fitness centre with your car.
In case anything needs fixing on the car, you'll be asked to come back after you've fixed it. Make sure to keep your receipt as you might not have to pay the test fee when you're back.
After fitness
Plastic wrap the area of the sticky fitness certificate with text to prevent condensation from ruining it.
Stick it to the windshield as soon as possible (Don't forget this).