Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994

Vehicle testing etc.

22 (1) A vehicle is an exempt vehicle when it is being used solely for the purpose of—

(a) submitting it (by previous arrangement for a specified time on a specified date) for a compulsory test, or

(b) bringing it away from a compulsory test.

(2) A vehicle is an exempt vehicle when it is being used by an authorised person in the course of a compulsory test solely for the purpose of—

(a) taking it to, or bringing it away from, a place where a part of the test is to be, or has been, carried out, or

(b) carrying out a part of the test.

(3) Where the relevant certificate is refused on a compulsory test of a vehicle the vehicle is an exempt vehicle when it is being used solely for the purpose of—

(a) delivering it (by previous arrangement for a specified time on a specified date) at a place where relevant work is to be done on it, or

(b) bringing it away from a place where relevant work has been done on it.

(4) In this paragraph“compulsory test” means, as respects England and Wales and Scotland—

(a) in the case of a vehicle for which by virtue of section 66(3) of the [1988 c. 52.] Road Traffic Act 1988 a vehicle licence cannot be granted unless certain requirements are satisfied, an examination such as is specified in sub-paragraph (5), and

(b) otherwise, an examination under section 45 of the [1988 c. 52.] Road Traffic Act 1988 with a view to obtaining a test certificate without which a vehicle licence cannot be granted for the vehicle.

(5) The examinations referred to in sub-paragraph (4)(a) are—

(a) an examination under regulations under section 49 of the [1988 c. 52.] Road Traffic Act 1988 (examination as to a goods vehicle’s compliance with construction and use requirements),

(b) an examination for the purposes of sections 54 to 58 of that Act (examination as to a goods vehicle’s compliance with type approval requirements),

(c) an examination for the purposes of section 60 of that Act (appeals in type approval cases), and

(d) an examination under regulations under section 61(2)(a) of that Act (examinations in connection with alterations to goods vehicles subject to type approval requirements).

(6) In this paragraph“compulsory test” means, as respects Northern Ireland—

(a) an examination to obtain a vehicle test certificate under Article 33 of the [S.I. 1981/154 (N.I.1).] Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 without which a vehicle licence cannot be obtained for the vehicle, or

(b) an examination to obtain a goods vehicle certificate, public service vehicle licence or certificate of inspection under Article 53, 60(1) or 67 of that Order.

(7) In this paragraph“authorised person” means—

(a) in the case of an examination within sub-paragraph (4)(b), a person who is, or is acting on behalf of, an examiner or inspector entitled to carry out such an examination or a person acting under the personal direction of such a person,

(b) in the case of an examination within sub-paragraph (5), an examiner appointed under section 66A of the Road Traffic Act 1988, a person carrying out the examination under the direction of such an examiner or a person driving the vehicle in accordance with a requirement to do so under the regulations under which the examination is carried out, and

(c) in the case of an examination within sub-paragraph (6), an inspector of vehicles within the meaning of Article 2(2) of the Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 1981.

(8) In this paragraph“the relevant certificate” means, as respects England and Wales and Scotland—

(a) a test certificate (as defined in section 45(2) of the Road Traffic Act 1988),

(b) a goods vehicle test certificate (as defined in section 49 of that Act), or

(c) a type approval certificate or Minister’s approval certificate (as defined in sections 54 to 58 of that Act).

(9) In this paragraph“the relevant certificate” means, as respects Northern Ireland—

(a) a vehicle test certificate, a goods vehicle certificate or a public service vehicle licence (within the meaning of the [S.I. 1981/154 (N.I.1).] Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 1981),

(b) a certificate of inspection (within the meaning of Article 67(2) of that Order), or

(c) a type approval certificate or Department’s approval certificate (within the meaning of Article 31A of that Order).

(10) In this paragraph“relevant work” means—

(a) where the relevant certificate which is refused is a test certificate (or, in Northern Ireland, a vehicle test certificate), work done or to be done to remedy for a further compulsory test the defects on the ground of which the relevant certificate was refused, and

(b) in any other case, work done or to be done to remedy the defects on the ground of which the relevant certificate was refused (including work to alter the vehicle in some aspect of design, construction, equipment or marking on account of which the relevant certificate was refused).