Which MOT class is a motorhome or campervan?
Sources checked 4 October 2026. They are listed at the end of this page.
Class 4, the same class as a car. GOV.UK's MOT fees table lists motor caravans in class 4, with the first MOT due when the vehicle is 3 years old and a maximum fee of £54.85. A touring caravan is a trailer, and the table has no class for one.
What GOV.UK's table says
| Vehicle | Class | First MOT | Maximum fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motor caravans | Class: 4 | First MOT: 3 years | Maximum fee: £54.85 |
| Goods vehicles up to 3,000kg design gross weight | Class: 4 | First MOT: 3 years | Maximum fee: £54.85 |
| Petrol, diesel and hybrid goods vehicles over 3,000kg and up to 3,500kg design gross weight | Class: 7 | First MOT: 3 years | Maximum fee: £58.60 |
Fees are the maximum a test station can charge, read from GOV.UK on 4 October 2026. GOV.UK says no VAT is paid on the fee.
The motor caravan row carries no weight band, unlike the goods vehicle rows. The MOT inspection manual agrees: it puts motor caravans with up to 12 passenger seats in class 4, and only those with 13 or more passenger seats in class 5.
Where class 7 comes in
Class 7 is for goods vehicles with a design gross weight over 3,000kg and up to 3,500kg. The manual defines design gross weight as the maximum the manufacturer designed the vehicle to operate at, normally found on the manufacturer's plate. The question comes up for a van that has been converted, or half converted. The manual tests a motor caravan as class 4 and a goods vehicle of that weight as class 7, so ask the test station which it will test yours as before you book. What DVLA records as the body type is a separate matter, covered in re-registering a converted van.
When the MOT is due
- By the third anniversary of its registration, then by the anniversary of its last MOT.
- You can get an MOT up to a month, minus a day, before it runs out and keep the same renewal date.
- GOV.UK says you can be fined up to £1,000 for driving a vehicle without a valid MOT.
- There are different rules for vehicles registered in Northern Ireland.
Touring caravans
GOV.UK's MOT fees table has no class for a caravan or any other trailer. The separate annual test it describes for lorries, buses and trailers applies to trailers with an unladen weight of more than 1,020kg that have powered braking systems instead of standard overrun brakes. The Caravan and Motorhome Club puts the owner's side of it this way: it is not a legal requirement to have a caravan or motorhome serviced, but it is a legal requirement that it is roadworthy.
The Approved Workshop Scheme says a touring caravan should be serviced every year, even one used only a couple of times. What that service looks at is in the habitation check guide.
If you are selling
Say in the advert when the MOT runs out. The paperwork guide lists what else a buyer expects, and the motorhome and campervan pages set out the ways to sell.