Approximately 4 million commercial vans are plying across the UK. Vans that fall under the light goods vehicles make up about 10% of road traffic in the UK. The steady rise in the number of vans has been attributed to a growing demand for internet shopping, as these vehicles are mostly used for home deliveries by online shopping vendors. If you are a van owner, here are a few important tips about getting an annual van MOT test.
Must be done annually
Like cars, vans also need their annual MOT test after they complete three years from the date of registration. MOT tests need to be carried out annually and a van must be categorised correctly as per the guidelines of the DVLA. The DVLA states that any light goods vehicle/ van should have an unladen weight of up to 3,000 kgs. If the vehicle/van is heavier than the limit it will come under the classification of a goods vehicle with different guidelines. Most of the popular vans sold in the UK fall within the prescribed 3-tons (3,000 kg) weight limit.
Getting an MOT
Generally, it is the owner of the van that has the responsibility of getting a booking done for the van’s annual MOT test and paying any extra costs if there is work to be done. Since most van drivers are self-employed and operate their vans for commercial purposes, it is the driver cum owner’s duty to get the vehicle booked for its MOT. If you want to ensure you do not lose any income by minimising time on the road it is best to plan when you will get a booking. Since Mondays to Fridays are work days, it would be best to try and book the van on the weekends to go in for its test. Since there are plenty of other drivers that will also choose the weekends, it is recommended to book well in advance to grab a spot.
MOT test
Most of the items listed for checking are like that of a car. The main purpose is to ensure the van is roadworthy and safe on the road. For this, there is a checklist that the garage doing the test will use as a reference to ensure the van meets all the DVLA guidelines. There is no leeway provided as the rules are stringent and should be clear beyond any doubt. The MOT will include every aspect ranging from checking the windscreen to brakes and is exhaustive.
Pass or Fail
Unsurprisingly around half of the vans in for their test do not pass the first attempt. The most probable cause is that they clock higher mileage than cars. For those vans that clear the test, their owners can pay the charges and pick up their vans. The pass result will be automatically uploaded to the DVLA database, so you can relax until the next MOT that will be due after 12 months. One of the easiest ways to ensure the van clears the test is to preferably get the van checked up for any kind of defects in a pre-MOT service test. This will ensure that all the necessary parameters are met and make it more likely to clear the test on the first attempt.