By Vadym Starynets, editor and publisher · Checked against gov.uk guidance on 25 September 2026 · How we work
Lorries over 3.5 tonnes, most trailers and buses must pass an annual test, the HGV equivalent of the car MOT. Tests are done at authorised testing facilities (ATFs), private sites where a DVSA examiner carries out the test.
Petrol, diesel and hybrid goods vehicles with a gross weight over 3,500 kg.
Vehicles built or adapted to form part of an articulated vehicle, and semi-trailers.
Horseboxes with a gross weight over 3,500 kg.
A-frame trailers and converter dollies made on or after 1 January 1979.
Trailers with an unladen weight over 1,020 kg with powered braking systems.
Buses and coaches with more than 8 passenger seats.
Zero-emission goods vehicles with a design gross weight between 3,501 kg and 4,250 kg take a class 7 MOT instead. Form V112/G lists vehicles exempt from the HGV test.
When it is due
The first test is due 12 months after the vehicle was first registered with DVLA, then every year. Trailers are first tested one year after they were first sold or supplied.
Booking
Book directly with an authorised testing facility. In Scotland, if there is no ATF near you, DVSA can book a test at one of its own stations, up to 93 days ahead; cancel at least 3 working days before or the fee is lost. Fees depend on the size and type of vehicle and are published by DVSA.
On the day
Bring the appointment letter if you have one, the vehicle's plating certificate and, if the vehicle is exempt from tachographs, the exemption form.
Arrive 10 minutes early. You usually drive the vehicle during the test.
Clean the cab first: clear the dashboard, footwells, door pockets and seats and wipe down the controls. A test can be cancelled, and the fee lost, if the vehicle is not clean.
Load horseboxes with heavy items such as feed bags or straw bales so the brakes can be tested properly.
Questions
When is the first HGV MOT due?
12 months after the vehicle was first registered with DVLA, and every year after that. Trailers: one year after they were first sold or supplied.
Where are HGV MOTs done?
At authorised testing facilities (ATFs), private sites where DVSA examiners test the vehicle. In Scotland DVSA can test at its own stations where there is no ATF nearby.
What documents do I need for an HGV MOT?
The plating certificate, your appointment letter if you have one, and a tachograph exemption form if the vehicle is exempt.
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