Motor Caravan Private HGV which class MOT required?

Amazing how many times this is asked, there must be thousands and thousands of the exact same question and hundreds of thousands of usually the exact same answers cluttering up servers (especially Facebook servers) all over t’internet!

So here’s something different for the mix.

My local Mot tester has recently been away on a DVSA training exercise of some form, and he mentioned something that seems blooming obvious when you come to think of it.

Without a C1 licences a tester can’t take a vehicle >3500kg for a test drive if for example he needs to do a decelerarometer test etc. however he came back under the impression that DVSA may change the process so that without the correct license he cannot test period, irrespective of whether it needs to be roadtested or not.

Time will tell.
 
Nesting Zombie said:
Hi ya,
My last Motorhome (The Nest) was 5000kg Tag axle & on a PHGV Tax class, it always went through on a class 4 MOT,
But in fairness just book it into the garage, send them the details & they will tell you what the correct class will be required 👍
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I wouldn’t be so sure of that. Salisbury bus testing place didn’t believe a 7.5t converted horse box should be a class 4 and the tester was telling dvla/DVSA whoever it is they were wrong over the phone. In the end they had to test as a class 4 but charged my mate for HGV test fee. He was just so glad to have the mot sorted he wouldn’t go back and demand the difference in the fee lol
 
FWIW, my van is 3,850kg MAM and it's subject to class 4 MOT. As @wildebus stated: Class 7 is for goods vehicles between 3 and 3.5 tonnes gross weight (MAM). Your motorhome is heavier than that and so couldn't be tested as class 7 unless both downplated and used as a living van rather than a motor caravan. If you're not using the van for commercial purposes (which includes accommodation while working on site), it's class 4 no matter how heavy. The fee you noted in the OP is for DVSA to both test and plate a commercial vehicle heavier than 3.5 tonnes that was previously exempt.
As an aside, even 10-tonne American class A RVs are subject to class 4 MOTs -- although the number of garages that can carry out the test are limited. (clicky link)
 
Only had one over 3.5t and wasn't not sure where to take it so I rang the garage and they could do both.
 
GeoffL said:
FWIW, my van is 3,850kg MAM and it's subject to class 4 MOT. As @wildebus stated: Class 7 is for goods vehicles between 3 and 3.5 tonnes gross weight (MAM). Your motorhome is heavier than that and so couldn't be tested as class 7 unless both downplated and used as a living van rather than a motor caravan. If you're not using the van for commercial purposes (which includes accommodation while working on site), it's class 4 no matter how heavy. The fee you noted in the OP is for DVSA to both test and plate a commercial vehicle heavier than 3.5 tonnes that was previously exempt.
As an aside, even 10-tonne American class A RVs are subject to class 4 MOTs -- although the number of garages that can carry out the test are limited. (clicky link)
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Interesting link.

Now having read the link what do they mean by “does not carry a load”?

Is this to mean a commercial load or a private load for personal use?

Whilst nothing is stored in the “under bed storage area” that is not deemed to be for anything other than camping, what if there is an external cycle or a motorbike carrier fitted to the rear, all be it empty at the time of the mot test, all wired up with rear lights and additional rear numberplate as originals would be obscured when carrier is loaded?

Is the MOT tester going to stand back and draw in breath shaking their head, or will they continue on their merry way testing?
 
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Moped said:
Interesting link.

Now having read the link what do they mean by “does not carry a load”?

Is this to mean a commercial load or a private load for personal use?

Whilst nothing is stored in the “under bed storage area” that is not deemed to be for anything other than camping, what if there is an external cycle or a motorbike carrier fitted to the rear, all be it empty at the time of the mot test, all wired up with rear lights and additional rear numberplate as originals would be obscured when carrier is loaded?

Is the MOT tester going to stand back and draw in breath shaking their head, or will they continue on their merry way testing?
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As @Pudsey Bear wrote, they'll test it as presented. By "carry a load" they mean goods carried for hire or reward (i.e. commercial).
  • 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".
  • 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".
Basically, anything that you carry for purely recreational purposes is a personal effect and "reasonably necessary for enabling the vehicle to provide mobile living" and so doesn't prevent the van from being subject to a class 4 test.
 
End of the day, if a van is deemed to be a "living van", it makes very difference to the MOT process and the use UNLESS the van is >3.5t.
Under 3t and it will be class 4 regardless;
3.0 to 3.5t and a "living van" will need a Class 7; I knew someone with a VW LT that he also used to travel around for work and he could not get agreement about it not being a "living van", but as it was 3.5t, he just got the Class 7.
but over 3.5t and can be big complications if the vehicle was an ex-Bus and is now determined to be a "living van" as would need a HGV test but has no HGV plate to record against.

I had this potential problem when I needed a new MOT for my 4.6t Minibus which I reclassified as a Van/Windows (as no seats anymore) and was not 'looking' like a Motor Caravan at this time - and no HGV plate as it was never an HGV before I made it one (which was not a good move in hindsight). I actually sorted it by quickly fitting the sink and cooking hob the day before MOT expired so it looked right and got it tested as a Motor Caravan with a Class 4.
 
Helens son has been converting a 7.5 ton MAN ,he booked it in with a garage that has the capability of fitting it in,
This morning he turned up with it and they refused to test it as they insisted it needed to be tested as a truck.
 
RichardHelen262 said:
Helens son has been converting a 7.5 ton MAN ,he booked it in with a garage that has the capability of fitting it in,
This morning he turned up with it and they refused to test it as they insisted it needed to be tested as a truck.
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IF its far enough through the conversion process to be used as a campervan/motorhome ...
And the test garage has equipment (ramp/rollers etc)that can cope with the weight

Then it should've been tested as one (class 4)

IF its not (and it's down to the testers discretion )

Then it won't be tested at class 4 .
 
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My interpretation is,

The MOT station will test the vehicle-
- ‘As Presented’ (Within reason)
So if I took my -
‘- ‘4000kg Van with Windows’ (Traditionally a Class 5) In for an MOT, & said it was a ‘Motorhome’ they would test it as a ‘Class 4 Motorhome’ if there ramp could take it.
If there ramp couldn’t take it, then I would have to go to a ‘Class 5’ facility for it to be tested as a ‘Class 4’.
 
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Nesting Zombie said:
My interpretation is,

The MOT station will test the vehicle-
- ‘As Presented’ (Within reason)
So if I took my -
‘- ‘4000kg Van with Windows’ (Traditionally a Class 5) In for an MOT, & said it was a ‘Motorhome’ they would test it as a ‘Class 4 Motorhome’ if there ramp could take it.
If there ramp couldn’t take it, then I would have to go to a ‘Class 5’ facility for it to be tested as a ‘Class 4’.
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I think this is a key point... not all MOT stations have the facilities to test all vehicles.
When I had a Renault Master 3.3t van, the local garage couldn't test as they were limited to 3t with their ramp. My 4.4t VW LT couldn't get tested by the garage I used to use for repairs as their lift was 3500Kg SWL. The same garage couldn't test my 3500Kg Motorhome as although the lift was ok, the problem was with headroom.
Just the way it goes. But .... the direction given to Helens son seems wrong.

I was not fully aware of the various MOT things at the time I tried to get my 4.4t LT tested the first time and initially I went to a VOSA Station as I thought that is what I had to do because of the weight. They couldn't test it of course as there was no HGV plate, but while I was there working out what to do, I was talking to one of the VOSA Testers there who was very helpful. In a past life he was actually a SVA/IVA inspector for Motor Caravans (when it was common to have those inspected on conversions) and I asked him to look at my van and get his opinion about the situation. He looked at the interior and said as far as he was concerned it ticked all the boxes to be tested as a class 4 vehicle.
On the way home I stopped off at a commercial vehicle tester (they had a pit rather than lift so weight and height would not be an issue) and asked the MOT tester to come out and look at my van and confirm if I brought it in how they would test it. Opened the sliding door and immediately said it was a Class 4 Motorhome in his opinion. The guy also said that they didn't care or even look what the V5C said ref the vehicle description, they only test according to how a vehicle is presented.
 
Maybe the same outlook 🤔should apply to Our vehicles so as to not infringe on our rights.
Today This 4000kg Box van conversion identifies itself as a mini !.
 
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