diff --git a/tests/adler/utilities/test_plotting_utilities.py b/tests/adler/utilities/test_plotting_utilities.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4293565
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/adler/utilities/test_plotting_utilities.py
@@ -0,0 +1,98 @@
+import pytest
+import matplotlib
+import os
+from numpy.testing import assert_array_almost_equal
+
+from adler.objectdata.AdlerPlanetoid import AdlerPlanetoid
+from adler.utilities.tests_utilities import get_test_data_filepath
+from adler.utilities.plotting_utilities import plot_errorbar
+
+# set up test planetoid object
+ssoid = 8268570668335894776
+test_db_path = get_test_data_filepath("testing_database.db")
+test_planetoid = AdlerPlanetoid.construct_from_SQL(
+    ssoid, test_db_path, filter_list=["u", "g", "r", "i", "z", "y"]
+)
+
+
+def test_plot_errorbar_return():
+
+    # make the fig object
+    fig = plot_errorbar(test_planetoid, filt_list=["r"])
+    print(isinstance(fig, matplotlib.figure.Figure))
+
+    # check that fig is of the correct type
+    assert isinstance(fig, matplotlib.figure.Figure)
+
+
+def test_plot_errorbar_file(tmp_path):
+
+    # define a pytest tmp_path
+    filename = "{}/test_file.png".format(tmp_path)
+
+    # make the fig object
+    fig = plot_errorbar(test_planetoid, filt_list=["r"], filename=filename)
+    print(os.path.isfile(filename))
+
+    # check that the file exists
+    assert os.path.isfile(filename)
+
+
+def test_plot_errorbar_xy_label():
+
+    # make the fig object
+    x_plot = "midPointMjdTai"
+    y_plot = "mag"
+    fig = plot_errorbar(test_planetoid, filt_list=["r"], y_plot=y_plot, x_plot=x_plot)
+
+    # check the labels have been set
+    assert fig.gca().get_xlabel() == x_plot
+    assert fig.gca().get_ylabel() == y_plot
+
+    # get the object data
+    obs_filt = test_planetoid.observations_in_filter("r")
+    x = getattr(obs_filt, x_plot)
+    y = getattr(obs_filt, y_plot)
+
+    # check the correct data has been plotted
+    x_fig = fig.gca().lines[0].get_xdata()
+    y_fig = fig.gca().lines[0].get_ydata()
+    assert_array_almost_equal(x_fig, x)
+    assert_array_almost_equal(y_fig, y)
+
+
+def test_plot_errorbar_fig():
+
+    # make the fig object
+    fig = plot_errorbar(test_planetoid, filt_list=["r"])
+    # add to the first fig object
+    fig = plot_errorbar(test_planetoid, filt_list=["g"], fig=fig)
+    print(fig.gca().lines)
+    # check that there are two sets of data plotted
+    assert len(fig.gca().lines) == 2
+
+
+def test_plot_errorbar_legend():
+
+    # make the fig object
+    fig = plot_errorbar(test_planetoid, filt_list=["r", "g"], label_list=["r", "g"])
+
+    # make the legend
+    ax1 = fig.gca()
+    ax1.legend()
+
+    # check the legend labels
+    assert ax1.get_legend_handles_labels()[1] == ["r", "g"]
+
+
+# TODO: test no xerr_plot
+# TODO: test col_list
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    print(test_planetoid.__dict__)
+
+    # test_plot_errorbar_return()
+    # test_plot_errorbar_file(".")
+    # test_plot_errorbar_xy_label()
+    # test_plot_errorbar_fig()
+    test_plot_errorbar_legend()