MOT Classes Explained

What an MOT class is

Not every vehicle goes through the same MOT test. The MOT system divides vehicles into classes based on their type, size, and purpose, and each class has its own set of inspection criteria, approved test stations, and (in some cases) a different maximum fee.

Understanding which class your vehicle falls into matters for two practical reasons: it tells you where you can legally have your test carried out, and it tells you what the tester is actually looking for when your vehicle goes up on the ramp.

There are seven MOT classes in total, though most drivers will only ever encounter Class 1, 2, 4, or 7.

The seven MOT classes

Class 1: motorcycles up to 200cc

Class 1 covers motorcycles and mopeds with an engine capacity of up to 200cc. This includes most 50cc mopeds, learner-legal 125cc bikes, and some smaller motorcycles.

The test checks lights, steering, brakes, tyres, frame condition, and emissions, though the inspection points are adapted for two-wheeled vehicles with no bodywork enclosing the mechanicals. Because everything is exposed, testers can often complete a Class 1 inspection faster than a car test.

Class 2: motorcycles over 200cc

Class 2 covers motorcycles with an engine above 200cc, including three-wheelers with a kerbweight under 410kg such as certain Reliant-style vehicles and some Morgan models.

The inspection criteria are very similar to Class 1, with the same core checks on lights, brakes, tyres, and structure. The distinction exists primarily because larger motorcycles were historically subject to different standards, and the split has been retained for administrative and fee purposes.

Sidecars are tested as part of the motorcycle they are attached to, rather than as a separate vehicle.

Class 3: three-wheeled vehicles (up to 450kg)

Class 3 is a relatively uncommon category covering three-wheeled vehicles with an unladen weight up to 450kg. Very few modern production vehicles fall into this class. Historically it applied to certain light tricycles, but in practice you are unlikely to encounter it unless you own something unusual.

Class 4: cars, taxis, and light vehicles (up to 8 passenger seats)

Class 4 is by far the most common MOT class and the one the vast majority of drivers interact with. It covers:

• Private cars with up to eight passenger seats
• Three-wheeled vehicles over 450kg not covered by Class 3
• Motor caravans
• Taxis and private hire vehicles (which must meet additional licensing requirements on top of the standard MOT)
• Quadricycles above a certain power threshold

The maximum MOT fee for a Class 4 vehicle is £54.85. This is the government-set ceiling: test stations can and frequently do charge less, but they cannot legally charge more.

Class 4 test stations are the most widely available. When people refer generically to “getting an MOT”, they almost always mean a Class 4 test.

Class 5: vehicles with more than 8 passenger seats

Class 5 covers larger passenger-carrying vehicles: minibuses and larger private coaches with more than eight passenger seats, excluding the driver.

These vehicles face a more detailed inspection in certain areas compared to Class 4, particularly around passenger safety systems, emergency exits, and the structural integrity of areas that carry passengers. Ambulances also fall into Class 5.

Not all MOT stations are approved for Class 5 testing. If you operate a minibus, you need to confirm the station holds the appropriate authorisation before booking.

Class 6: public service vehicles (PSVs)

Class 6 applies to large public service vehicles such as full-size buses and coaches used for hire or reward. These vehicles are subject to the most rigorous inspection in the MOT framework given the number of passengers they carry and the distances they typically cover.

Class 6 testing is carried out at specialist DVSA-authorised stations and is relatively separate from the system most private vehicle owners encounter. Operators of PSVs are typically also subject to operator licensing requirements and regular DVSA compliance checks that go well beyond the annual MOT.

Class 7: goods vehicles (3,000kg to 3,500kg)

Class 7 covers light commercial vehicles with a design gross weight between 3,000kg and 3,500kg. In practice this means most full-size panel vans, which sit just below the threshold that triggers the separate Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) testing regime.

Common Class 7 vehicles include the Ford Transit, Mercedes Sprinter, Volkswagen Crafter, and equivalent large vans in that weight range. If you run a van for work, it is almost certainly Class 7.

The maximum fee for a Class 7 test is £58.60, slightly above Class 4, reflecting the additional inspection work involved.

Note that Class 7 does not extend to vehicles over 3,500kg gross weight. Above that threshold, vehicles leave the MOT system entirely and enter the annual HGV test, which is a separate regime with its own rules, stations, and documentation.

What about electric vehicles?

Electric vehicles are tested within the same class structure as their petrol and diesel equivalents. An electric car falls under Class 4, an electric van under Class 7, and so on.

The test is adapted in two ways. First, there is no emissions test in the exhaust sense, since EVs have no tailpipe. Instead, testers check that the high-voltage system is intact, that there are no obvious signs of damage to battery enclosures or high-voltage cabling, and that the vehicle does not present an electrical hazard.

Second, the brake test requires care with regenerative braking systems. Testers account for the fact that regen can affect how brake balance reads on a roller tester and are trained to handle this correctly.

Everything else (lights, tyres, steering, suspension, structure, seatbelts) is tested the same way as any other vehicle in that class.

What about historic vehicles?

Vehicles manufactured before 1 January 1980 are exempt from the MOT requirement entirely, regardless of their class. This was a policy decision made in 2018 when the exemption threshold was extended to cover any vehicle built more than 40 years before the current year, and then settled at the 1980 cut-off.

Owners of exempt historic vehicles can choose to have a voluntary MOT carried out. Many do, either for their own peace of mind, to satisfy a specialist insurer, or because they use the vehicle regularly and want independent confirmation it is safe. A voluntary MOT produces the same documentation as a standard one and is recorded on the DVSA database in the same way.

Exempt vehicles that are modified significantly (engine swaps, major chassis alterations, different axles) may lose their exemption status. DVSA guidance is that if a vehicle has been substantially changed from its original specification, it should be treated as a new vehicle for MOT purposes.

Maximum MOT fees by class

• Class 1Motorcycles up to 200cc£29.65
• Class 2Motorcycles over 200cc£29.65
• Class 3Three-wheelers up to 450kg£37.80
• Class 4Cars, taxis, light vehicles (up to 8 seats)£54.85
• Class 5Minibuses and ambulances (over 8 seats)£57.30
• Class 6Public service vehiclesBy arrangement
• Class 7Light goods vehicles (3,000kg to 3,500kg)£58.60

These are the maximum fees set by the government. Many stations charge less than the ceiling, and some offer discounted rates for online bookings or combined MOT and service packages.

How to check which class your vehicle is

For most people this is straightforward. If you drive a standard car, you need a Class 4 test. If you ride a motorcycle, you need Class 1 or 2 depending on engine size. If you drive a large van for work, you almost certainly need Class 7.

If your vehicle is unusual (a motorhome, a large people carrier, a kit car, a quadricycle, or something modified from original specification), it is worth confirming the class before booking. You can check by:

• Searching the DVSA’s MOT testing guide by vehicle type
• Calling a DVSA-approved test station and describing the vehicle
• Checking the vehicle’s V5C logbook, which lists the body type and gross weight that determine the class

Booking the wrong class is a practical problem. A station approved only for Class 4 cannot legally test a Class 7 van, and if you arrive with a vehicle outside their authorisation, they will turn you away.

Class 4 vs Class 7: the van question

The most common point of confusion is the boundary between Class 4 and Class 7 for vans and larger people carriers.

The determining factor is the vehicle’s design gross weight, the maximum weight it is designed to carry, including its own kerb weight and any load or passengers. This figure appears on the vehicle’s plate (usually located inside the driver’s door frame or in the engine bay) and on the V5C.

• Under 3,000kg gross: Class 4
• 3,000kg to 3,500kg gross: Class 7
• Over 3,500kg gross: HGV test (not MOT)

A Ford Transit Custom, which typically has a gross weight around 2,800kg to 3,100kg depending on the variant, may be Class 4 or Class 7. The same model line covers both sides of the threshold depending on configuration. Always check the plate, not just the model name.

Does the class affect what gets inspected?

The core inspection areas (lights, brakes, steering, tyres, structure, emissions, seatbelts) apply across all classes. What changes between classes is the scope and depth of certain checks.

Class 5 and 6 vehicles, for instance, face additional checks on passenger safety equipment, emergency exit signage, and floor integrity because of the number of people they carry. Class 7 vans are checked for load security points and relevant load-area lighting where applicable.

For the majority of drivers in Class 4 or Class 1 and 2 vehicles, the class designation is primarily a logistical matter (it tells you where to go and what you will pay) rather than something that meaningfully changes the experience of the test itself.

MOT classes apply to vehicles registered and tested in Great Britain. Northern Ireland operates a separate testing scheme through the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA) with equivalent but distinct categorisation.