MOT testing guide for test stations

The purpose of the MOT test, what it includes, which vehicles are tested and which are exempt, who carries out the test.

This document is intended to help new and existing authorised examiners, testers and other interested parties comply with the requirements for authorisation by the Secretary of State to conduct statutory tests on certain motor vehicles.

The statutory requirements are contained in the Motor Vehicles (Tests) Regulations 1981 as amended. The guide does not cover the requirements for annual testing of heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) or public service vehicles (PSVs). Neither does the guide cover the requirements for type approval nor individual vehicle approval of certain vehicles before they are first registered in Great Britain.

This guide is divided into a series of sections covering specific subject areas.

Detailed information on the technical standards and procedures of the statutory test is given in the appropriate MOT inspection manual.

Additional instruction and information is also issued to vehicle testing stations about testing and procedures, in the form of special notices (SNs). DVSA reserves the right to modify the content of this guide to reflect changes in the law or in light of experience.

The definitive document is held electronically. The electronic documents will be periodically updated and changes will be advised by special notice.

Additional information is available at DVSA and the MOT service.

This guide should be used in conjunction with:

The purpose of the MOT test is to ensure that cars, other light vehicles (including some light goods vehicles), private buses and motor bicycles over a prescribed age are checked at least once a year to see that they comply with roadworthiness and environmental standards – and to that end contributes to the government’s road safety strategy.

For every test conducted an electronic record is created. This record is checked when a vehicle is taxed. The police and certain enforcement agencies can also access this information directly from the electronic record and may use it for on-road enforcement that a vehicle has an MOT or as part of other investigations.

The electronic test records are made available publicly online and can be used for a variety of road safety related purposes, such as helping motorists to make informed decisions when considering a car purchase, to help look after their vehicle and to ensure they get their vehicle tested on time.

Third parties may also access these records and use it for things such as checking validity of vehicle mileages or for part of car insurance considerations. The recorded accuracy of that test result and it being matched to the correct vehicle is therefore important.

Paper documentation (such as the receipt style test certificate and the failure document) may be issued on completion of a test, but these should only be considered as a view of the definitive electronic record.

The creation of that electronic record relates only to the condition of testable items at the time of the test and should not be regarded as:

The test is a visual inspection and does not require the dismantling of parts of the vehicle although doors, boot lids and other means of access will normally need to be opened. In the case of motor bicycles, cover panels may also need to be removed or raised to examine the vehicle structure.

The vehicles subject to test under the regulations are divided into the following classes.

Class 1 vehicles are motorcycles and motorcycle combinations up to 200cc and electrically powered solo motorcycles with not more than 4kW maximum continuous rated power and a maximum design speed up to 45km/h (28mph).

They can be category L1, L3 or L4.

Their first test will be required after 3 years.

Class 2 vehicles are all motorcycles and motorcycle combinations, including electrically powered variants, other than those in category L1.

They can be category L3 or L4.

Their first test will be required after 3 years.

Class 3 vehicles are 3 wheeled vehicles not more than 450 kg unladen weight (excluding motor bicycles with side cars).

3 wheeled vehicles more than 450 kg unladen are in class 4.

They can be category L2 or L5.

Their first test will be required after 3 years.

Class 4 vehicles can be:

They can be category L5, L6, L7, or M1.

Their first test will be required after 3 years.

They will be category N1.

Their first test will be required after 3 years.

They will be category M1.

Their first test will be required after 1 year.

They must either:

They will be category M2 or M3.

Their first test will be required after 1 year.

For the purpose of calculating the seating capacity on a passenger carrying vehicle fitted with bench type seats, allow a length of 400 mm measured horizontally for each seated passenger.

Taxis included in this table are those which are not exempt from MOT testing – see Section C. Designated councils, taxis and private hire vehicles.

Please refer to the appropriate MOT inspection manual to find out the minimum number of seat belts required on a particular age and type of vehicle.

If the vehicle is electrically powered, their unladen weight must not include the weight of the batteries.

If there is doubt about the power output or the weight of the vehicle, the presenter must provide documentary evidence.

Taxis and private hire vehicles may be subject to additional local requirements.

4 x 4 pickup vehicles with a DGW over 3000kg up to and including 3500kg are to be considered dual purpose vehicles for test purposes where no unladen weight data is available.

American pickup means a motor vehicle with a manufacturer’s declaration (on a plate on the vehicle) that it meets the motor vehicle safety standards applicable under the law in the United States of America or Canada(c) and is capable of carrying a driver and at least one passenger; or is capable of carrying goods in an open load bed separate from the driver/passenger compartment, with or without a removable cover; and has a gross design weight over 3,000kg but does not exceed 6,500kg.

The class 4A test is the normal class 4 test with the addition of a check on the installation of certain seat belts.

It’s for passenger vehicles, ambulances, motor caravans and dual purpose vehicles in all cases with nine to twelve passenger seats that are fitted with more seat belts than the minimum required because of their construction and either:

They will be category M2 or M3.

Their first test will be required after 1 year.

For the purpose of calculating the seating capacity on a passenger carrying vehicle fitted with bench type seats, allow a length of 400 mm measured horizontally for each seated passenger.

Please refer to the appropriate MOT inspection manual to find out the minimum number of seat belts required on a particular age and type of vehicle.

Class 4A tests may only be carried out at class 5 test stations.

Class 5 vehicles are private passenger vehicles, ambulances and motor caravans, in all cases with thirteen or more passenger seats (including community and play buses, etc.) that are either:

They will be category M2 or M3.

Their first test will be required after 1 year.

Taxis included in this table are those which are not exempt from MOT testing – see Section C. Designated councils, taxis and private hire vehicles.

Class 4A tests may only be carried out at class 5 test stations.

This guide does not cover the testing of class 6 and 6a vehicles. These vehicles are tested by DVSA testers and are carried out at DVSA Testing Stations and other designated premises.

Taxis and private hire vehicles may be subject to additional local requirements.

The class 5A test is the normal class 5 test with the addition of a check on the installation of certain seat belts.

It’s for passenger vehicles, ambulances and motor caravans all cases with thirteen or more passenger seats (including community buses, etc.) that are fitted with more seat belts than the minimum required because of their construction and either:

They will be category M2 or M3.

Their first test will be required after 1 year.

Taxis included in this table are those which are not exempt from MOT testing – see Section C. Designated councils, taxis and private hire vehicles.

Class 4A tests may only be carried out at class 5 test stations.

This guide does not cover the testing of class 6 and 6a vehicles. These vehicles are tested by DVSA testers and are carried out at DVSA Testing Stations and other designated premises.

Class 6 and 6A vehicles are public service vehicles (PSVs).

They will be category M2 or M3.

Their first test will be required after 1 year.

If the vehicle is electrically powered, their unladen weight must not include the weight of the batteries.

Class 7 vehicles are goods vehicles over 3,000 kg up to and including 3,500 kg DGW.

They will be category N1.

Their first test will be required after 3 years.

This guide does not cover the testing of class 6 and 6a vehicles. These vehicles are tested by DVSA testers and are carried out at DVSA Testing Stations and other designated premises.

Taxis and private hire vehicles may be subject to additional local requirements.

4 x 4 pickup vehicles with a DGW over 3000kg up to and including 3500kg are to be considered dual purpose vehicles for test purposes where no unladen weight data is available.

Detailed legislation on vehicles exempt from the MOT is set out in the Motor Vehicles Test Regulations 1981 regulation 6 (as amended), and in the Road Traffic Act 1988 Section 189.

Examples of vehicles exempted from MOT testing include:

Pick up vehicles with a fifth wheel should not be considered an articulated vehicle and should be tested as normal.

Legislation also exempts vehicles used in particular ways, for example travelling to and from test, or particular places, such as on some islands, from the need to have a valid MOT test certificate.

Trailers constructed or adapted for the carriage of goods or burden with an unladen weight of more than 1,020kg and vehicles forming part of an articulated combination are subject to HGV plating and testing.

Even when a vehicle is not required to have a test certificate it must still be maintained in a roadworthy condition.

A dual purpose vehicle is one that:

The vehicle is so constructed or adapted so that the driving power of the engine, is, or by the use of the appropriate controls can be, transmitted to all the wheels of the vehicle.

The vehicle is permanently fitted with a rigid roof, with or without a sliding panel.

The area to the rear of the driver’s seat must be:

The distance between the rearmost part of the steering wheel and the backrests of the row of transverse seats satisfying the requirements specified above, (or, if there is more than one such row of seats, the distance between the rearmost part of the steering wheel and the backrests of the rearmost such row) must, when the seats are ready for use, be not less than one third of the distance between the rearmost part of the steering wheel and the rearmost part of the floor of the vehicle.

A motor caravan is “a motor vehicle (not being a living van) which is constructed or adapted for the carriage of passengers and their effects and which contains, as permanently installed equipment, the facilities which are reasonably necessary for enabling the vehicle to provide mobile living accommodation for its users”.

Motor caravans are not classed as goods vehicles for MOT test purposes and are therefore in class 4 or 5 depending on their seating capacity but regardless of their size or weight.

A living van is “a vehicle, whether mechanically propelled or not, which is used for living accommodation by one or more persons and which is also used for the carriage of goods or burden which are not needed by such one or more persons for the purpose of their residence in the vehicle”.

Living vans may be type approved as either:

Living vans approved as passenger vehicles must be tested as class 4 or class 5 depending on their seating capacity.

Living vans approved as N1 goods vehicles, are in either class 4 or 7 depending on their design gross weight (DGW).

Living vans approved as N2 or N3 goods vehicles (DGW over 3500kg) are subject to HGV plating and testing.

A play bus is a motor vehicle which was originally constructed to carry more than 12 passengers but which has been adapted primarily for the carriage of playthings for children.

An ambulance is a motor vehicle which is specially designed and constructed (and not merely adapted) for carrying, as equipment permanently fixed to the vehicle, equipment used for medical, dental, or other health purposes and is used primarily for the carriage of persons suffering from illness, injury or disability.

A motor tricycle is a three wheeled vehicle with wheels symmetrically arranged, a maximum speed over 45km/h, or engine size over 50cc.

If the motor tricycle has an unladen weight not more than 450kg it is a class 3 test.

If the unladen weight is more than 450kg it is a class 4 test.

A light quadricycle is a four wheeled vehicle with:

A quadricycle is a four wheeled vehicle with a maximum unladen weight of 400kg (550kg for a goods vehicle) with a max net power of 15kW.

A moped is a vehicle with:

The testing of vehicles is conducted principally at commercial garages (authorised examiners) and by some local authorities (designated councils). These are authorised, or designated as appropriate, by DVSA, and known as vehicle testing stations (VTSs).

VTSs and their staff are subject to inspections by DVSA to ensure that testing is properly carried out. Test equipment used must be approved by DVSA.

MOT tests are carried out by testers who are specifically trained and approved. They record test results on the MOT database and sign official test documents.

VTSs may only test those classes and types of vehicle that they are authorised to test and which are of a size and weight that can be accommodated on the authorised test equipment.

DVSA staff may also carry out tests.