Bus & PSV MOT Cost 2026: £80.65 to £124.50 (Classes 5 + 5a)

The DVSA test scope for a passenger-carrying vehicle grows with the number of seats. Every seat that requires inspection (frame integrity, belt anchorage, occupant restraint compatibility) adds time to the test. A 13-seat minibus and a 50+ seat coach run the same statutory framework but the per-seat inspection time, the lift requirements and the brake-test loading differ materially. The fee bands within Class 5 and Class 5a accommodate that gradient.

The Class 5 vs Class 5a split is binary: it depends on whether the vehicle is fitted with passenger seatbelts and therefore requires the additional seatbelt installation check. Class 5a includes that check, which adds time and tooling to the inspection and raises the statutory cap accordingly.

Class 5 and Class 5a tests are not run at every high-street MOT garage. The lift, the inspection-pit length, the brake-tester capacity and the testing licence for large passenger vehicles all gate the testing-station eligibility. Tests are typically run at:

• DVSA-authorised PSV testing stations. Designated facilities licensed for the heavier class with appropriate equipment.
• Operator-owned facilities (ATFs). Authorised Testing Facilities operated by larger bus and coach operators under DVSA supervision, used both for own-fleet testing and for third-party testing in some cases.
• Specialist commercial-vehicle MOT centres. Some larger commercial-vehicle MOT centres hold Class 5 and 5a licences alongside Class 7 capability.

Practical implication: PSV operators do not generally have the option of shopping around for a budget MOT in the way a Class 4 car driver can. The number of eligible test sites in a given area is limited, and fees tend to sit closer to the statutory cap than the deep discounts seen on Class 4.

The PSV inspection extends the standard MOT scope with passenger-vehicle-specific items:

• Seat anchorage. Every passenger seat must be securely mounted to the floor; loose or corroded mounting is a fail.
• Seatbelt installation (Class 5a). Where seatbelts are fitted, the installation, anchorage and webbing condition are checked per seat.
• Emergency exits. Operation, signage, accessibility and minimum clear-area dimensions.
• Passenger access. Step heights, handrail integrity, door operation, accessibility provisions where mandated.
• Floor and bodywork. Structural floor pan integrity around seat mountings, particularly on older vehicles with rear-axle corrosion risk.
• Brake performance under load. Brake-test thresholds checked against the vehicle's loaded weight, not just kerb weight.
• Tyre load and speed rating. Specification must meet or exceed the manufacturer rating for the loaded vehicle.

PSVs follow the same anniversary-based annual test cadence as other vehicles: first test 3 years after first registration, annual thereafter. Vehicles operated under an Operator Licence (PSV O-licence) are also subject to additional roadworthiness inspection regimes set by the Traffic Commissioner, separate from the annual MOT.