Vehicle test and certificate costs: HGVs and trailers (at DVSA test centres)
Updated 1 April 2022
Applies to England, Scotland and Wales
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This guide sets out the fees and average test times for having heavy goods vehicle (HGV) and trailer tests done at Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) test centres.
There are different fees for HGV and trailer tests done at authorised testing facilities, HGV approval tests and bus and coach tests.
Check which type of fee applies
The fee will depend on:
- test type
- how many axles your vehicle has
MOT tests (also known as an ‘annual test’)
Lorries, buses and coaches, and trailers must be tested each year. The first test should be 12 months after the vehicle was first registered with DVLA.
Find out how the MOT for lorries, buses and trailers works.
In this section:
HGV MOT tests
In this section:
2-axle vehicle
| Test type | Cost | Average test length | |
|---|---|---|---|
| MOT | £112 | 40 minutes | |
| Retests within 14 days | £49 | 10 minutes | |
| Retests after 14 days | £112 | £129 | 40 minutes |
| Part-paid retests | £13 | Test length varies |
3-axle vehicle
| Test type | Cost | Average test length |
|---|---|---|
| MOT | £144 | 45 minutes |
| Retests within 14 days | £69 | 10 minutes |
| Retests after 14 days | £144 | 45 minutes |
| Part-paid retests | £13 | Test length varies |
4 or more axle vehicle
| Test type | Cost | Average test length |
|---|---|---|
| MOT | £177 | 55 minutes |
| Retests within 14 days | £91 | 15 minutes |
| Retests after 14 days | £177 | 55 minutes |
| Part-paid retests | £13 | Test length varies |
Trailer MOT tests
In this section:
1-axle trailer
| Test type | Cost | Average test length |
|---|---|---|
| MOT | £51 | 20 minutes |
| Retests within 14 days | £25 | 10 minutes |
| Retests after 14 days | £51 | 20 minutes |
| Part-paid retests | £7 | Test length varies |
2-axle trailer
| Test type | Cost | Average test length |
|---|---|---|
| MOT | £70 | 25 minutes |
| Retests within 14 days | £35 | 10 minutes |
| Retests after 14 days | £70 | 25 minutes |
| Part-paid retests | £7 | Test length varies |
3-axle trailer
| Test type | Cost | Average test length |
|---|---|---|
| MOT | £84 | 30 minutes |
| Retests within 14 days | £46 | 10 minutes |
| Retests after 14 days | £84 | 30 minutes |
| Part-paid retests | £7 | Test length varies |
4 or more axle trailer
| Test type | Cost | Average test length |
|---|---|---|
| MOT | £84 | 35 minutes |
| Retests within 14 days | £46 | 15 minutes |
| Retests after 14 days | £84 | 35 minutes |
| Part-paid retests | £7 | Test length varies |
5-axle trailer
| Test type | Cost | Average test length |
|---|---|---|
| MOT | £84 | 40 minutes |
| Retests within 14 days | £46 | 15 minutes |
| Retests after 14 days | £84 | 40 minutes |
| Part-paid retests | £7 | Test length varies |
Prohibition removal
The police and DVSA have the power to carry out spot checks on your vehicle and issue prohibitions if necessary. A prohibition prevents you from driving until you get a problem with your vehicle fixed.
You have to have your vehicle inspected to remove the prohibitions. Depending on how serious the faults are, your vehicle might need a:
- full inspection - this is the same as a full MOT test
- partial inspection - only the items that were prohibited are tested, as well as some safety-critical items such as brakes and steering
If your vehicle doesn’t pass the inspection you should add 5 minutes to the average test length to allow for completion of paperwork.
In this section:
HGV prohibition removals
In this section:
2-axle vehicle
| Test type | Cost | Average test length |
|---|---|---|
| Full inspection | £112 | 40 minutes |
| Partial inspection | £49 | 20 minutes |
3-axle vehicle
| Test type | Cost | Average test length |
|---|---|---|
| Full inspection | £144 | 45 minutes |
| Partial inspection | £69 | 20 minutes |
4 or more axle vehicle
| Test type | Cost | Average test length |
|---|---|---|
| Full inspection | £177 | 55 minutes |
| Partial inspection | £91 | 25 minutes |
Trailer prohibition removals
In this section:
1-axle trailer
| Test type | Cost | Average test length |
|---|---|---|
| Full inspection | £51 | 20 minutes |
| Partial inspection | £25 | 15 minutes |
2-axle trailer
| Test type | Cost | Average test length |
|---|---|---|
| Full inspection | £70 | 25 minutes |
| Partial inspection | £35 | 15 minutes |
3-axle trailer
| Test type | Cost | Average test length |
|---|---|---|
| Full inspection | £84 | 30 minutes |
| Partial inspection | £46 | 15 minutes |
4 or more axle trailer
| Test type | Cost | Average test length |
|---|---|---|
| Full inspection | £84 | 35 minutes |
| Partial inspection | £46 | 15 minutes |
Appeals
You can appeal an HGV or trailer MOT result if you think it’s wrong.
| Fee type | Cost |
|---|---|
| Appeal | £39 |
Replacement certificates
You can apply to get replacement HGV or trailer plating and testing documents if the originals have been lost, stolen or defaced.
| Document type | Cost |
|---|---|
| Test certificate | £13 |
| Plating certificate | £13 |
ADR test for vehicles carrying dangerous or hazardous goods
The ADR is a specialist test for vehicles carrying dangerous or hazardous goods in bulk by road. Find out how the ADR test works.
| Test type | Cost | Average test length |
|---|---|---|
| Initial application and full retest | £116 | 35 minutes added to MOT time |
| Re-test within 14 days | £63 | 30 minutes |
| New type approved artic tractor certificate | £28 | N/A |
| Duplicate certificate | £14 | N/A |
Notifiable alterations
You must tell DVSA if you make changes to either vehicle specification or plating details.
| Test type | Cost | Average length |
|---|---|---|
| Notifiable alterations | £27 | 25 minutes |
Low emissions certificate
You can get your vehicle tested for a low emissions certificate (LEC). This lets you drive in the Low Emission Zone (LEZ) without paying.
| When the test is done | Cost | Average test length |
|---|---|---|
| With an MOT | £25 | 10 minutes added to MOT time |
| Separately from an MOT | £42 | 10 minutes |
Refrigerated or heated trucks and trailers
There are separate fees for the tests you need to get a refrigerated or heated truck or trailer approved to transport perishable in or out of the UK.