Mandatory laden brake testing at annual test - one month to go.

DVSA has previously confirmed that most goods vehicles and trailers will have to be appropriately laden for their annual test from 1 January 2023 onwards.

Any goods vehicles and trailers which are not laden (unless exempt, such as tri-axle semi-trailers or refuse collection vehicles) will be refused a test by our Vehicle Standards Assessors (VSAs). This will mean the loss of the test booking and fee and another booking will have to be made and paid for.

Over the last few months, we’ve explained why laden brake testing is so important.

Prepare for upcoming tests

We want to ensure that vehicle operators and Authorised Testing Facilities (ATFs) have enough time to prepare for the change, especially those who have goods vehicles and trailers with a test coming up.

You can find more information on how to prepare for a brake test in our best practice guide.

Exempt vehicles

The heavy vehicle testing best practice guidance (section 2.1) contains a list of some of the exempted vehicles. It is not an exhaustive list as each vehicle/trailer type should be dealt with on a case by case basis.