6. Monitoring and maintaining equipment
The equipment you need, how often to check and calibrate it, and which evidence and documents DVSA can ask to see.
The equipment you need depends on the categories and types of vehicles tested at your centre.
This section lists the common pieces of equipment you might need, but you may need other equipment depending on the types of vehicles you want to test.
You must have English operating instructions for all equipment. You must be able to provide the operating instructions to DVSA examiners if requested.
All vehicles
You might need the following equipment for all vehicle categories:
- 1 litre measuring jug
- 165mm half-sphere with intrusion measurement
- builder’s line-level with cord
- decelerometer
- driver eyeline and seatbelt anchorage location device
- European specification number plate blanks
- exhaust gas analyser (EGA) or diesel smoke metre (DSM)
- flags for poles (4 green, 3 blue, 1 red)
- floor line setting tool
- glass opacity meter
- handheld inspection light (hand lamp)
- head impact area measuring tool
- low voltage examination hand lamp
- microphone positioning guide
- noise meter (class 1) and tripod stand
- poles for small mirror check area
- roller brake tester (RBT)
- secure storage for small tools
- wheel chocks
- wheel guard measuring gauge
Car (M1) testing equipment
You might need a tachometer.
Bus and coach (M2 and M3) testing equipment
Specialist equipment to test doors, ramps and steps
You might need:
- 150mm high block
- 5kg test weights
- door tools (tapered and non-tapered)
- emergency door access panel form
- service door access panel forms
- step area gauge
Specialised equipment to test gangway, windows and seats
You might need:
- additional panel
- cylinders
- emergency window panels
- flat panels
- handhold panel
- inclinometer
- measuring poles
- seat area panels
Light goods vehicles (N1) testing equipment
You might need a tachometer.
Heavy goods vehicle (HGV) (N2 and N3) testing equipment
You might need a spray suppression measuring gauge.
Trailer (O1, O2, O3 and O4) testing equipment
You might need non-metallic 30 metre tape measure (O3 and O4 only)
Motorcycle (L) testing equipment
You might need:
- headlamp aiming screen
- tachometer
Emissions testers
You must:
- carry out daily checks on hoses, cables, probes, and other parts
- calibrate diesel smoke testers at least once a year
- calibrate gas analysers every 12 months
Headlamp aim testing equipment
You must:
- carry out visual checks on any headlamp aim testing equipment at least one day before a test
- calibrate headlamp aim testing equipment every 6 months
Roller brake testers (RBTs)
You must carry out regular checks on the:
- keyboard
- monitor
- rollers
- sensors
Brake pressometer
You must:
- carry out regular checks for damage or wear to the brake pressometer
- calibrate the brake pressometer every 12 months
Vehicle weighing equipment
You must carry out regular checks on your vehicle weighing equipment’s:
- condition
- display
- connections
You must calibrate the vehicle weighing equipment every 12 months.
A qualified engineer or contractor should carry out equipment maintenance at your centre.
You should have a maintenance contract in place that covers all your testing equipment.
You must have evidence that your equipment is being calibrated to the correct standard.
Your calibration certificates must contain:
- a title (such as ‘Calibration Certificate’)
- a unique certificate ID (serial number)
- page ID
- the name and address of the calibration laboratory (and location of the calibration test if this is different)
- the name and address of your centre
- details of which calibration methods were used
- a description of the item being calibrated and its condition
- the date of the calibration
- calibration results (including units of measurement if appropriate)
- the name, role and signature of the person or people authorising the calibration
- details of the measurement of uncertainty
- evidence that the measurements are traceable (UKAS/SI)
- the results before and after any adjustment or repair
All calibration certificates must be fully compliant with ISO17025.
You must make sure that copies of calibration documents are available to DVSA at each testing event.