Commercial Vehicle Testing Defect Categories Explained
When a commercial vehicle goes in for its HCV CVRT, the outcome isn’t always as simple as “pass” or “fail.” Inspectors look for faults, and if they find any, they put them into categories that explain how serious the issues are. Needless to say, understanding what's covered in them is important.
Knowing what those categories mean helps you understand whether the vehicle can go straight back to work, needs a quick repair, or has to come off the road immediately. That’s what we covered in this blog.
The Defect Categories You Need to Know
When you’re looking at the way defects are assessed in commercial vehicle testing, you’ll find there are four main categories on a typical CVR test report. Here’s how they break down:
Dangerous: Serious faults that pose an immediate risk. The vehicle must not be used until it is fixed.
Major: Problems that could affect safety or emissions. They cause an outright fail and require repair plus a full retest.
Minor: Smaller issues that don’t prevent the vehicle from being used but do need attention. A re-check is usually required before the certificate is released.
Advisory / Observation. Not a fail, but a note to say something may become a problem later.
The upshot is simple: dangerous and major defects take a vehicle off the road; minor and advisory issues give you some breathing space, but they still need to be dealt with in a given time period.
How Results Are Issued
After your test, you’ll be given the results in a set way each time. The exact way the certificate is handled, however, depends very much on the defects that show up and how severe they are.
If there are no defects or only advisories, you get a straight pass, and your Certificate of Roadworthiness (CRW) is issued.
If there are only minor defects, you’ll need to return for a re-check at the same test centre. Once repairs are confirmed, the CRW is released.
If major or dangerous defects are found, the vehicle fails. Repairs must be made and the vehicle retested within 21 days, or before it has covered 4,000 km - whichever comes first.
Essentially, this system is designed to keep unsafe vehicles off the road without punishing operators for small faults that can be quickly resolved. That said, it’s imperative to sort out any minor issues on time.
Why Staying Compliant Matters
For drivers and fleet managers, the defect categories aren’t just technical jargon. They dictate how fast you need to act, whether you can legally use the vehicle, and how you schedule repairs.
A dangerous fault takes the vehicle off the road straight away. There’s no choice about it. Minor defects are different. They often just mean heading back to the centre once repairs are made so the paperwork can be signed off.
Knowing the difference helps you plan repairs without guesswork.
Commercial Vehicle Testing in Dublin You Can Trust
Dealing with CVR test results can feel stressful, especially if a failure comes at the wrong time. At Argent, we guide operators through the process, from explaining what the defect report really means, to arranging repairs, re-checks or full retests.
Get in touch with Argent today and let us help you turn your CVR result into a simple, workable plan to get you back on the road.