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Minimum test vehicle requirements for a car and car and trailer test

The minimum test vehicle standards for a car also apply to a car and trailer test, with additional requirements for the trailer. Vehicles that do not meet the minimum test vehicle requirements are not suitable for the purpose of taking a test, and your test may be cancelled with loss of fee.

Test vehicle requirements for a car test and car and trailer test

Category B - car (See notes 1+2)

Cars or vans presented for test must be:

  • a four wheeled vehicle
  • capable of a speed of at least 100 km/h (62.5 mph)

and be fitted with:

  • a passenger seatbelt
  • passenger head restraint
  • an interior mirror for the examiner's use

Category B1

A motor powered tricycle or quadricycle must have an unladen weight of not more than 550 kg and be capable of at least 60 km/h (37.25 mph).

Category B + E - car and trailer (See notes 3+ 4)

Cars/vans presented for test must be a category B vehicle towing a suitably braked trailer of at least 1 tonne maximum authorised mass (MAM) . The examiner may ask for evidence of the trailer MAM, eg manufacturers plate.

B + E in the case of a vehicle first used on or after the 1 October 2003 the following additional standards will apply:

the cargo compartment of the trailer must consist of a closed box body which is at least as wide and as high as the tractor vehicle; the closed box body may also be slightly less wide than the tractor vehicle provided that the view to the rear is only possible by use of the external rear-view mirrors of the tractor vehicle.

Notes:

  1. it is not a legal requirement that the head restraint be adjustable, but the passenger seat head restraint must be fitted as an integral part of the seat
  2. 'Slip-on' type head restraints are not allowed
  3. all vehicles and trailers presented for test must be unladen
  4. all vehicle combinations must operate on appropriate brakes and utilise a coupling arrangement suitable for the weight