DVSA enforcement sanctions policy
Action Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) traffic examiners take to deal with offences, including warnings, prohibition notices, and fixed penalties.
Updates to this page
- From:
- Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
- Published:
- 30 August 2012
- Last updated:
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1 May 2026
Show all updates
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Updated 'DVSA enforcement sanctions policy'. Updates include: - clarification that all investigations start as criminal and may result in prosecution - clarification on penalties relating to private use - removed the requirement to report offences 2-16 and 2-17 to the traffic commissioner - correction to the legislation cited for offences 2-17 and 2-18 - corrected a summary offence number in offence 6-11 - updated the guidance for offence 11-2 - added offence 12-9, which applies to ECMT permits - updated offence 14-6 to include kerosene
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Updated enforcement sanctions policy. Updated section 11, PSV miscellaneous offences. Updates include updated regulations for: - offence 11-11 - offence 11-11A - offence 11-13
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Updated enforcement sanctions policy. Updated section 1 defects and dimensions, updates include: - updated further guidance for offence 1-47 - updated further guidance for offence 1-48 - updated further guidance for offence 1-48A - updated further guidance for offence 1-50 Updated section 2 driving licence, updated PLS codes for some offences. Updated section 14 carriage of dangerous goods, updates include: - updated further guidance and action for offence 11-2 - updated action for offence 14-26
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Updated enforcement sanctions policy. Updates include: - section 9 was previously called 'Certificate of Initial Fitness' and has been renamed to 'PSV testing and certification' - section 11 - Kent traffic order offences have been removed
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Updated enforcement sanctions policy. Updates include: - section 12 (goods vehicle miscellaneous offences) - new offence for posting - description of offence 4-26a changed
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Updated enforcement sanctions policy. Updates include offence notes added to section 14 (carriage of dangerous goods).
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Updated enforcement sanctions policy. Removed any reference to the load security matrix in line with the categorisation of vehicle defects document, and added two new offences for seat belts.
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Updated enforcement sanctions policy. Updated Section 3 (vehicle Excise, registration number and trade plates), added new number plate offences.
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Updated enforcement sanctions policy. General instructions updated and MOT offences have been added.
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Updated enforcement sanctions policy. Updates include adding offences for tyres aged over 10 years old and a new offence for the Kent traffic order.
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Updated to latest version of DVSA enforcement sanctions policy. Updates include changes to Kent traffic order offences and PSV documentation.
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The 'DVSA enforcement sanctions policy' has been updated to include a temporary change to the weighing enforcement policy in regard to overweight vehicles of 30% or more on page 2 of the document.
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Updated the enforcement sanctions policy with extra offence numbers for annex 1C / smart tachograph. Kent traffic order offences have also been added. The tachograph section has been split between EU and International Road Transport (AETR) rules.
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Updated the enforcement sanctions policy following the introduction of offences for trailer registration.
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Updated enforcement sanctions policy following changes being introduced as part of EU Directive 2014/45, which came into force on 20 May 2018.
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Updated the guidance as DVSA traffic examiners can now issue on-the-spot fines for any drivers’ hours offences committed in the last 28 days, and a new offence (1-48B) has been added for exceeding 16.65m in length.
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Updated the document with a new 'false instrument' offence and increased enforcement powers for the offence of 'conditions of regular weekly rest not met’.
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A new version of the Enforcement Sanctions Policy has now been published. The option of cabotage has been added to 'Drives a vehicle in contravention of a prohibition (GV170 or GV171)'.
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New EC legislation has been introduced which replaces the previous legislation. The Enforcement Sanctions Policy has been updated to remove the references to the old legislation and replace it with the new legislative references. There are no practical implications for drivers and operators resulting from the change of regulation.
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A new version of the Enforcement Sanctions Policy has now been published. A new offence - 12-10 FAIL TO COMPLY WITH A LONDON TRAFFIC ORDER - appears on page 292.
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An updated version of the guide containing new driving licence offences has been added.
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The latest version of the Enforcement Sanctions Policy contains new offences.
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The new version of the PDF contains an amendment to one of the thresholds VOSA apply when dealing with insecure loads.It also has details of a new offence code to be used in relation to brake offences.
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Minor, but important, changes to the advice on insecure loads which might affect the action taken by examiners.
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Document updated with new Fixed Penalty Notice figures.
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Overwrote the PDF file with the latest version.
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First published.
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Applies to England, Scotland and Wales
Documents
DVSA enforcement sanctions policy
PDF, 3.31 MB, 404 pages
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Details
The policy sets out what action DVSA traffic examiners will take when dealing with most offences that they find when they carry out roadside checks.
It’s used to make sure that DVSA takes consistent action when carrying out checks.
You cannot buy printed copies of this document from DVSA, but you’re allowed to print your own copies.