MOT Classes 4, 5 and 7: Which Class Is Your Vehicle?

Design gross weight: the figure that matters

Weight-based classes use design gross weight, often shortened to DGW. This is the maximum weight the manufacturer says the vehicle can be when fully loaded, including the vehicle itself, passengers and cargo. It is not the weight of the empty vehicle, and it is not the same as how much you actually have on board.

You can usually find the figure on the vehicle plate, often under the bonnet or on a door pillar, and in the handbook. The V5C registration certificate may also show the maximum authorised mass. If the figures do not agree or you cannot find them, ask us before booking.

Class 4: cars and smaller vans

Class 4 is the one most people need. It covers ordinary cars with up to eight passenger seats, and goods vehicles up to 3,000kg DGW, which takes in a large share of small vans and car-derived vans. Other vehicle types, such as motor caravans, also fall within it.

A van that is just under the 3,000kg line is still Class 4, while one that is over it moves up a class. Because many popular panel vans are sold in several weight variants, two vans that look identical can end up in different classes.

Converted vehicles are where confusion most often creeps in. A van that has been fitted out as a camper, or a car-derived vehicle that has had seats added or removed, may be recorded differently from how it started life. Look at how it is currently registered on the V5C, since that is what the test centre will go by, and mention any conversion when you book.

If you run a small fleet, it is worth listing the class of each vehicle once and keeping the note somewhere handy. That way, booking a batch of tests becomes a quick job, and nobody turns up with a vehicle that needs a different class of test.

• Cars with up to eight passenger seats
• Goods vehicles up to 3,000kg DGW
• Motor caravans and some other special types
• Check the plate if your van is a larger variant

Class 5: larger passenger vehicles

Class 5 is for passenger-carrying vehicles with 13 or more passenger seats, not counting the driver. That means minibuses and coaches above the car size threshold, rather than the people carriers many families run.

Seven-seat and eight-seat MPVs are still Class 4. Anyone running a minibus for a business, club or community group should check which class applies, as well as whether any other rules for passenger vehicles affect them.

Class 7: heavier goods vehicles

Class 7 covers goods vehicles over 3,000kg and up to 3,500kg DGW. This is the territory of larger panel vans, Luton vans and some pick-ups and chassis cabs used by builders, couriers and delivery businesses.

Vehicles above 3,500kg DGW fall outside these three classes and are tested elsewhere, so a heavily converted or uprated vehicle may need special consideration. Moving between classes by adding equipment or changing plated weights is something to check carefully, because the plate and the V5C should match reality.

Pick-ups deserve a mention here. Some are plated under 3,000kg and some above, depending on the model and the year, so two pick-ups from the same maker can fall on opposite sides of the line. Never assume from the badge alone.

Not sure? Check before you book

The simplest route is to look at the vehicle plate and the V5C, note the DGW and the number of seats, and compare them against the three classes above. If it is still unclear, tell us the make, model and variant when you ring and we can help you work it out.

At Banks of the Tyne in Hebburn we handle MOT testing for Class 4, 5 and 7, plus MOT preparation and MOT repairs. A short chat before booking costs nothing, and it avoids turning up with a vehicle that is in the wrong class.

Frequently asked questions