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  • Breadcrumb

    1. Home
    2. Motoring
    3. MOT and vehicle testing

    Heavy goods vehicles and buses

    All heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) over 3,500kg must have their first annual test before the end of the month, one year after the date of first registration, and once a year afterwards

    Applying for a vehicle test online - HGVs and buses

    For information on how to book an appointment, go to:

    • Book MOT/ vehicle test online

    Applying by phone

    You can also make an appointment by telephone using the booking line:

    • Driver & Vehicle Agency - vehicle test booking

    You cannot make multiple bookings over the phone.

    Standing appointments

    If your business has a commercial fleet of more than 25 vehicles over 3,500kg, you can arrange standing vehicle test appointments for heavy goods vehicles (HGV) or buses.

    You can arrange standing appointments at the link below.

    • HGV/ bus tests for businesses with more than 25 vehicles

    Trailers due a first time test

    To book an appointment for trailers due a first time test, you can contact the booking line: 

    • Driver & Vehicle Agency - vehicle test booking

    You can also complete the webform below to allow online booking: 

    • DVA Questionnaire - Add Vehicle

    Vehicle test process

    You can find detailed information on what happens at each stage of a vehicle test (MOT) at the links below.

    • Vehicle test procedures
    • Heavy Vehicle Inspection Manual   

    Roadside enforcement

    The Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA) enforcement section is responsible for enforcing a wide range of legislation related to goods vehicles, buses and taxis. They also check private cars and agricultural vehicles.  

    Further information can be found at:

    • Roadside compliance

    Further information about drivers' hours and tachographs can be found at:

    • Tachographs

    Operator licensing

    If you drive goods vehicles weighing more than 3.5 tonnes, which carry goods as part of a trade or business, you need to have a goods vehicle operator’s licence.

    This also applies to light goods vehicles between 2.5 and 3.5 tonnes which are used to carry goods in the EU.

    You can find more information at the link below:

    • Goods vehicle operator licensing: licence applications

    If you’re  applying or renewing a bus operator licence (BOL) or making changes to an existing licence, you need to apply online at the link below.

    • Apply for a bus operator licence

    Rules for tyres aged 10 years and older

    You can no longer use tyres aged 10 years and older on the front axles of HGV’s, buses and coaches. Or on any axles of minibuses when fitted in single configuration.

    To prove the age of a tyre, you will need to make sure that the date it was made is legible on all tyres. This includes re-treaded tyres, where the date of re-treading will be used to decide the age of the tyre. The date can be displayed in any orientation.

    The rules apply to all drivers or operators on NI roads, regardless of the country they are registered.

    If you use tyres which do not meet these rules, they will fail the annual vehicle test. If this defect is identified elsewhere, for example at the roadside, enforcement action may be taken.

    There is an exception for two groups of vehicles:

    • agricultural tractors that travel at low speeds
    • historic vehicles as long as they are not used commercially

    Free Rolling Tyres 

    Free Rolling Tyres marked FRT are designed for use on the axles of trailers and motor vehicles, other than the front steering and drive axles.

    If you have vehicles that are fitted with FRTs on drive axles, they will fail the annual vehicle test. If you have HGVs and passenger carrying vehicles (PSVs) that are fitted with a FRT on the front steering axle they will also fail.     

    More useful links

    • Driver licensing
    • Advice for vehicle keepers
    • On the day of the MOT test
    • Vehicle test fees
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    MOT and vehicle testing

    • A guide to booking your MOT/ vehicle test
    • About the MOT scheme
    • Book your MOT/ vehicle test online
    • Change, cancel or view your MOT/ vehicle test appointment online
    • Heavy goods vehicles and buses
    • HGV/ bus tests for businesses with more than 25 vehicles
    • Specialist vehicle tests, approvals and certificates
    • Taxi vehicle test
    • Trailers

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