Guidance

Approved tachograph centre special notice 02-24

Published 16 April 2024

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

1. Annual fee renewal

In October 2023 the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) sent all approved tachograph centres the £148.00 fee renewal notice for 2024. A reminder was sent in January 2024. A further prompt was sent in approved tachograph centre special notice 01-24.

Approved tachograph centres are reminded that the deadline for fee payment for the continued authority to calibrate tachographs was 31 January 2024. If your centre has not yet paid, it is now overdue.

Any centres who have outstanding payments due will not receive workshop cards for their technicians for April 2024.

If your centre has not yet paid, email tachosection@dvsa.gov.uk to arrange payment.

2. Nominated technician training certificates

Whilst completing checks for the 2024 workshop cards, a number of technicians were found to have expired training certificates.

If this is the case, no workshop card can be issued with effect from 1 April 2024.

If technicians have received training during 2023 or 2024, please check your records to ensure tachosection@dvsa.gov.uk has been sent the updated training certificate.

3. Updated GV213

In order to assist centres in ensuring training records are kept up to date, future GV213s will also include the expiry date of training certificates for nominated technicians. This should assist centres to ensure DVSA records are kept up to date.

The updated GV213 will be issued as and when alterations are made.

Centres are reminded that they must not alter the GV213 themselves.

4. Stoneridge SE5000 Smart V2 tachographs

In January DVSA became aware of an issue with certain Smart Version 2 tachographs falsely displaying and/or recording faults or events.

DVSA has issued communications about the Stoneridge SE5000 transitional smart 2 tachograph error message to the industry to reassure them that they should continue to use these vehicles.

If you encounter a vehicle fitted with one of these tachographs then check the guidance issued by Stoneridge about the Stoneridge SE5000 transitional smart 2 tachograph error message (PDF, 220KB).

5. Removal of workshop cards from tachograph centre premises

DVSA has been made aware of occasions where workshop cards are being removed from tachograph centre premises. This appears to be in order to access Canbus settings on vehicles which are off site.

All tachograph staff are reminded that removing workshop cards from tachograph centre premises is strictly prohibited.

Under no circumstances should this occur.

Any incidences may result in disciplinary action being taken against any involved parties. This may include action up to and including prosecution and disqualification from the scheme.

6. Generation 2 version 2 tachograph replacement

DVSA is aware of queries and issues surrounding the replacement of tachograph units and is currently seeking legal advice. Once this is complete, a special notice will be issued detailing the correct procedure.

Until then, please continue to follow the instructions in approved tachograph centre special notice 01-23.

7. Additional equipment approvals

Additional equipment has now been approved for use within the scheme:

• Phoenix Solos Plaque Printing Software (30-6000)
• Phoenix Ribbon (40-3006)
• Phoenix Calibration Plaques (40-4000)
• Skillray Tachograph Calibration add on for Vamag C&CP Series (9600-100STVM)

View a full list of approved equipment for the testing of tachographs.