A 3.5-tonne van needs a Class 7 MOT. That covers most long-wheelbase Transits, Sprinters, Crafters and Lutons plated at a 3,500 kg gross vehicle weight. The test is annual, the same inspection items as a car MOT, and your first one is due three years after the van was first registered.
Wheelbase Garage runs Class 7 MOTs from our Burgess Hill workshop. This guide covers what gets tested, what fails 3.5-tonne vans most often, and how to prepare.
Does my 3.5-tonne van need a Class 7 MOT?
Pull out the V5C. Check the revenue weight field. If it’s 3,001 kg to 3,500 kg, that’s a Class 7 MOT. If it’s 3,000 kg or under, it’s a Class 4. If it’s over 3,500 kg, your van isn’t taking an MOT at all – it goes through the DVSA goods vehicle annual test at a designated HGV testing station.
The plate on the door pillar or chassis tells you the same number. A 3.5-tonne van plated at exactly 3,500 kg sits in Class 7.
How is a Class 7 MOT different from a Class 4?
The inspection items are almost identical. The differences are in equipment (a Class 7 brake tester handles heavier axle loads), tyre load ratings, and how the brake and suspension thresholds scale with vehicle weight. Class 7 carries a slightly higher maximum DVSA fee.
For the full breakdown, see our Class 4 vs Class 7 comparison.
Class 7 MOTs are annual. There’s no 6-monthly requirement for a standard 3.5-tonne van.
What fails 3.5-tonne vans most often?
The recurring failure points on 3.5-tonne vans we see at Wheelbase:
- Brake imbalance and worn discs. Loaded vans wear front pads faster. If the pad sensor isn’t reset after a swap, you’ll fail on the warning light.
- Suspension wear. Rear leaf springs, broken leaves, sagging coils, dropped lower control arms.
- Headlamp aim. Especially after replacement bulbs – aim is checked with the van empty.
- Corrosion on the chassis. Look around the rear cross-member and within 30 cm of suspension and seatbelt mounting points.
- Tyre load index. Replacement tyres fitted with the wrong load rating fail the test even if they’re new.
- Wiring and reverse cameras. Plug-in dashcams and reverse cameras drawing through dodgy fuses can trigger ABS or lighting fault codes.
How do I prepare a 3.5-tonne van for its MOT?
Run a quick check the day before:
- Lights: dipped, main, side, indicator, brake, fog, reverse, plate light. Walk round and check every one.
- Tyres: tread depth (1.6 mm minimum, but plan for replacement well before that), no cuts or bulges, pressures to the chassis plate.
- Wipers and washers: front and rear blades unsplit, washer fluid topped up, jets aimed.
- Number plate: clean, legible, in the right font.
- Mirrors: both wing mirrors present and adjustable, no cracks.
- Empty the load bay. The tester needs clear access.
- Seatbelts: all of them retract and click.
- Horn: works.
- Warning lights: nothing on the dash that shouldn’t be on.
If you’d like a pre-MOT check before the test itself, get in touch and we’ll book one in.
Booking a 3.5-tonne van MOT in Burgess Hill
Wheelbase Garage tests Class 4 and Class 7 vehicles from our Burgess Hill workshop, serving Mid Sussex – Hassocks, Hurstpierpoint, Haywards Heath and the surrounding villages. To book your 3.5-tonne van MOT, get in touch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a 3.5-tonne van Class 7 or HGV?
If the revenue weight on the V5C is 3,500 kg or under, it’s Class 7. Over 3,500 kg and it’s an HGV, which goes through DVSA’s goods vehicle annual test at a separate testing station, not a normal MOT bay.
Can I drive my van to its MOT if it is expired?
Only if you’re driving directly to a pre-booked MOT appointment, and even then your insurance and roadworthiness obligations still apply. Driving an expired-MOT vehicle anywhere else risks a £1,000 fine and invalid insurance. If the van isn’t roadworthy, recover it – don’t drive it.