Argent HCV Testing Advice - The Speed Limiter Explained

Apr 5

At Argent Equipment, we offer a wide range of vehicle testing services from our Dublin-based workshops. From ADR testing to LCV testing, our commercial vehicle testing team has the expertise and experience needed to meet all of your needs.

Today, we're here to talk about the humble speed limiter, the important role it plays for commercial vehicle drivers and its associated testing requirements.

What is a Speed Limiter?

As the name suggests, a speed limiter's job is to prevent a vehicle from exceeding a certain speed. Included on many vehicles as standard, it works by selecting a maximum travel speed and using Global Positioning Satellites (GPS) to detect speed.

You can have either standard or SMART speed limiters, with both restricting you to a certain speed. That said, both can be overridden by pressing down hard on the accelerator - ideal for moments when more speed is the safest option.

Regular testing of your speed limiter is needed for certain vehicles by law in Ireland, but it's a good idea to have it done anyway. That's because if it's not calibrated properly, you risk speeding fines and points on your licence - even though you wrongly believe you're driving within the speed limit.

Which Vehicles Need Speed Limiter Testing?

If you're not sure which vehicles require testing of this kind, the following describes requirements as laid out in the HCV testers manual version 5.

For vehicles first registered on 1st January 1988 or after, speed limiter inspections apply to:

Goods vehicles with a Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) of over 12,000kg
Passenger vehicles over 10,000kg GVW with 8+ passenger seats

For vehicles registered on or after 1st October 2001 & before 1st January 2005, speed limiter inspections apply to:

Diesel goods vehicles with a GVW of over 3,500kg but not more than 12,000kg
Diesel passenger vehicles not exceeding 10,000kg GVW with more than 8 passenger seats

For vehicles first registered on or after 1st January 2005, a speed limiter inspection is required in the following circumstances:

Goods vehicles with a GVW exceeding 3,500kg
Passenger vehicles not exceeding 10,000kg GVW with 8+ passenger seats

After passing your speed limiter inspection, you'll be given a speed limiter sticker to display on your windscreen.

Dublin's Trusted Name in HCV Testing

Speed limiter testing is just one of many aspects of the commercial vehicle testing expertise we offer from our Dublin workshops. As such, we're the trusted name in HCV testing, ambulance testing, LCV testing and more - something you can find out about by visiting us online today at www.argent.ie.

There you can find details of our workshop locations, as well as our phone number 01 572 6500 where our expert team is waiting to help answer any questions you might have. Thanks for reading and we'll be back again next time.