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If you own a motor caravan, you'll need a commercial vehicle roadworthiness test (CVRT) to renew your certificate of roadworthiness (CRW).
Even if you don't use your motor caravan commercially, or if it's taxed privately, your motor caravan still needs a CVRT, not an NCT.
Remember! - The person presenting the vehicle for its test is now required to produce Presenter I.D. in the form of a valid Driving Licence, Passport or Public Services Card at the test centre.
Depending on how old your motor caravan is, this is when you’ll need to get it tested:
| Age of motor caravan | How often it must be tested |
|---|---|
| 0 - 3 years | No test required |
| 4-9 years | Every 2 years |
| 10-29 years | Annually |
| 30-39 years | Every 2 years provided it is declared for non-commercial use, otherwise annually |
| 40 years + | Exempt provided it is used solely for non-commercial purposes, otherwise annually |
| Vehicle Type | Fee Ex VAT | Fee Inc VAT @ 23% |
|---|---|---|
| Motor caravans with two axles | Full Test fee €76.86 Retest fee €35.43 | Full test fee €94.54 Retest fee €43.58 |
| Motor caravans with three or more axles | Full Test fee €94.58 Retest fee €44.29 | Full test fee €116.33 Retest fee €54.48 |
The facility to “Check my CRW Expiry date” on this website is designed for commercial vehicles which are required to be tested annually. Motor caravan owners should ignore the information from the online checker and instead present the motor caravan for test on its fourth anniversary of its first registration.
Vehicles aged four years old and above which have been converted to a motor caravan are required to be tested in line with the date of conversion.
A suitably qualified individual (SQI) is a certified professional who by definition meets a minimum standard of competency to carry out a robust technical assessment of a vehicle modification or conversion. To meet the minimum standard of competency an SQI must have:
An engineering or technical qualification (Level 7 or higher accredited course), or appropriate accreditation with Engineers Ireland or the Institute of Automotive Engineer Assessors.
A minimum of five year’s experience working in a suitable technical environment (preferably an automotive or engineering environment) and
Appropriate professional indemnity insurance
It is defined in (EU) 2018/858 as ‘a vehicle of category M with living accommodation space which contains the following equipment as a minimum:
seats and table.
sleeping accommodation which may be converted from the seats.
cooking facilities.
storage facilities.
This equipment shall be rigidly fixed to the living compartment. However, the table may be designed to be easily removable'.
In order to re-classify a vehicle or amend its vehicle registration certificate, you will need to contact Revenue to see if there are any VRT implications. If there are no VRT implications, you will need to contact your local motor tax office. To note, a vehicle’s DGVW (Design Gross Vehicle Weight) should not be changed without the Original Manufacturer’s approval.
Once a vehicle aged four years and over has been converted to a motor caravan, it is required to be tested immediately in line with the date of conversion at a CVR test centre in its new test category.
You can find more information on conversions on the RSA website:
From 20 May 2018, where a vehicle is converted from an N1 goods vehicle to an M1 vehicle for example a motor caravan, the test due date for the vehicle is aligned to the 'date of conversion' as recorded by the motor tax office (MTO) on the National Vehicle and Driver File. The CRW expiry date is calculated based on that date rather than on the date the test was passed. You will not benefit from delaying having your converted vehicle tested.
Once a vehicle aged four years and over has been converted to a motor caravan, it is required to be tested immediately at a CVR test centre under its new test category.
Please contact cvrtadmin@rsa.ie for assistance with this query and include your vehicle registration number.
If your motor caravan is aged 30 years or over (in line with the date of registration) and used for non-commercial purposes, then you are eligible to sign a declaration of non-commercial use at your CVR testing centre when you are having your vehicle tested. Once you sign this declaration and your vehicle has passed its test, you will receive a CRW which is valid for two years in line with the vehicle’s test history.
Please note that you will only receive a CRW valid for two years provided the vehicle has been tested in line with the test anniversary date. If the vehicle has presented late for test this will be reflected in the certificate of roadworthiness. The certificate of roadworthiness will align to the most recent CRW expiry date of the vehicle.
If your motor caravan is over 40 years old and not being used for commercial purposes, you don’t need to apply for an exemption, as your vehicle does not have to be tested.
No. The CRW will always align to the test history. CRW’s valid for a 12-month period (or 24-month period in the case of motor caravans under 10 years old) are only issued where the vehicle is tested on time.
Yes, you can have your motor caravan tested up to 1 month early without changing the test anniversary date.
You can also have your vehicle tested more than 1 month early, however this will change your test due date to a date 12 months in line with the date the motor caravan passes the test (or 24 months in the case of motor caravans under 10 years old).
There is no facility within current legislation to declare a vehicle off the road for testing purposes. Every vehicle is required to be tested in line with their test anniversary dates and where this does not happen it will be reflected in the certificate of roadworthiness.
If you use a vehicle without a valid CRW, it may result in a court appearance whereby on conviction a fine not exceeding €5,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months, or both, may be imposed. Five penalty points would also apply on conviction.
A vehicle must be retested at the same Commercial Vehicle Test Centre where the original test was completed. If you choose to use an alternative testing centre, for any reason, a full test will be carried out at the second testing centre.
Also, the vehicle owner must get the vehicle repaired and re-present it for a CVR retest at the same testing centre within 21 days and the vehicle must have travelled less than 4,000 km.
If your vehicle has a valid roadworthiness certificate issued by another EU Member State, you can have it recognised in Ireland. You must complete the roadworthiness certificate recognition application form and send it to us. Once the out-of-state certificate is validated and the application is in order, we will update the National Vehicle Driver Files to reflect the new expiry date. The expiry date will be aligned to the expiry date on the out-of-state certificate of roadworthiness. Visit our mutual recognition of EU roadworthiness certificates page for further information.
If you import a second-hand motor caravan that is more than four years old, the test due date will be aligned to the date of first registration of the vehicle in Ireland. The CRW expiry date is calculated based on that date rather than on the date the test was passed.
If you import a second-hand motor caravan that is less than four years old, then the test due date will be aligned to the date of first registration in the country of origin.
| Date of registration (in country of origin) | Date of first registration in Ireland | Test due date | CRW expiry date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10/05/2017 (vehicle is over four years old) | 25/01/2023 | 25/01/2023 | 25/01/2025 |
| 10/05/2021 (vehicle is under four years old) | 25/01/2023 | 10/05/2025 | 10/05/2027 |
No, vehicles must be tested in the country they are registered in so a vehicle registered in Ireland must be tested in Ireland. It is the owner’s responsibility to ensure that a valid CRW is displayed at all times on the vehicle. It is possible to test the vehicle early, (see ‘Can I test my motor caravan early?’ above for more information).
For information on down-rating, up-rating or modifying your motor caravan in any way, please visit this link on the RSA website.
Tests take between 45 and 120 minutes depending on the type of vehicle being tested and the number of axles. Only components that are visible and accessible are assessed when a vehicle is undergoing the CVRT.
To ensure you don't miss your appointment, we recommend that you plan to arrive and ‘check in’ at your chosen CVR test centre 10 minutes before your allotted test time.
You can follow the guidance on this link for purchasing a used vehicle.
If you have any queries on the above, please contact CVRT Admin by email: cvrtadmin@rsa.ie or phone 091 872600 for assistance.