Motorhome MOT Cost 2026: £54.85 Class 4, Any Weight

For vans, the MOT class is decided by weight: up to 3,000kg is Class 4, and 3,000-3,500kg is Class 7. Motorhome owners often assume the same rule applies to them and worry that a heavy coachbuilt will attract a higher Class 7 or HGV fee. It does not, as long as the vehicle is registered as a motor caravan.

The DVSA MOT testing guide is explicit: motor caravans are not classed as goods vehicles for MOT purposes and are therefore in Class 4 or Class 5 depending on their seating capacity but regardless of their size or weight. Because almost every motorhome has fewer than 13 seats, that means Class 4 and the £54.85 cap, whether the vehicle is a 2,800kg panel-van conversion or a 5,000kg A-class.

The distinction that matters is the body type on your V5C, not the weight. A vehicle reclassified to motor caravan is Class 4 for life. A conversion still recorded as a goods van (N1 type approval) is tested by weight, exactly like any other van, and can be pulled into Class 7 or, above 3,500kg, out of the MOT system into the HGV annual test.

The single biggest misconception about a motorhome MOT is that it checks the habitation part. It does not. The MOT is a roadworthiness test of the base vehicle only, covering the same mechanical areas as any car MOT:

• Brakes, steering and suspension. Heavier than a car and often lightly used between trips, so seized calipers and perished bushes are common on motorhomes that sit for months.
• Tyres. Motorhome tyres frequently fail on age and sidewall cracking rather than tread, because low annual mileage means they perish before they wear out.
• Lights, structure and corrosion. The base vehicle chassis and cab, not the habitation body, are inspected for structural rust.
• Emissions. Tested to the limits for the base vehicle's engine and registration date.

The living area (gas appliances, the 12V and 240V electrics, water system, damp and body sealing) is checked by a separate habitation service, which is voluntary rather than a legal requirement. It is widely recommended annually to keep insurance and warranty cover valid, and typically costs £150 or more depending on the checks included. It is a service, not a pass-or-fail test, and it has nothing to do with the £54.85 MOT.

The fee is fixed at £54.85, but the practical challenge for a big coachbuilt or A-class is physical: not every Class 4 station has a ramp and roller brake tester rated for a 4-tonne to 5-tonne vehicle, nor the headroom for a tall body. Phone ahead and confirm the station can take your vehicle's plated weight and height before booking. Motorhome dealers and larger independent garages are more likely to be equipped; some drivers travel further for a station that routinely tests motorhomes.

Whatever the vehicle's size, the garage cannot charge above the £54.85 statutory maximum for a Class 4 test. A higher quote usually means the vehicle has been booked in as the wrong class, or that a habitation check or servicing has been bundled in; ask for the line-by-line breakdown.