Exemptions from vehicle approval

You do not need vehicle approval for: heavy goods vehicles (more than 3,500kg maximum weight) over 25 years old light goods vehicles (3,500kg maximum weight or less) over 10 years old cars and minibuses with 8 passenger seats or less (not including the driver) over 10 years old buses, coaches and minibuses with more than 8 passenger seats (not including the driver) built by a single manufacturer before 29 July 2010 buses, coaches and minibuses with more than 8 passenger seats (not including the driver) with different body and chassis manufacturers, made before 29 July 2011 tracked vehicles, for example a vehicle that runs on tracks rather than wheels vehicles designed and constructed for use on construction sites, quarries, ports and airports vehicles designed and constructed for and used by the armed services, fire and rescue forces, or used in maintaining public order If your vehicle needs approval, you must send proof of this in when you apply to register it . The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency ( DVLA ) will not register your vehicle if you do not.

Individual Vehicle Approval

You can use the Individual Vehicle Approval ( IVA ) scheme if you’re making or importing a single vehicle or a very small number of vehicles in the following categories: passenger cars goods vehicles buses and coaches trailers special purpose vehicles, such as vehicles specially designed to hold a wheelchair You cannot use the Statutory IVA scheme if your vehicle has been registered before in the UK - you’ll need to use Voluntary IVA instead. Vehicle identification number Your vehicle needs a vehicle identification number ( VIN ) before having an IVA inspection. Apply to DVLA if it does not have one. K and R DVLA Swansea SA99 1ZZ Basic and normal IVA There are 2 levels of IVA inspection: basic and normal. Basic IVA Basic IVA involves a visual inspection and other tests to make sure the vehicle meets the necessary standards. You will not normally need to provide any documentary evidence. You can apply if you have a passenger car or light goods vehicle in one of these categories: left-hand drive vehicles personal imports amateur built vehicles (kit cars) rebuilt vehicles very low volume production vehicles ambulances motor caravans hearses armoured passenger vehicles a vehicle manufactured using parts of a registered vehicle Read the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency ( DVSA ) guide on the IVA scheme for more on these categories. Normal IVA You’ll have to apply for normal IVA if you do not meet the criteria for basic IVA . This involves a more detailed inspection. Vehicles have to meet extra standards and you’ll have to provide documentary evidence. Modified goods vehicles You can use the IVA scheme to get approval for goods vehicles that have been modified. Read the DVSA guide on IVA for modified goods vehicles to find out how changes are approved. How to show your vehicle meets IVA standards There are several ways to prove your vehicle meets IVA standards. Read part 5 of the DVSA guide on the IVA scheme for more details. Model reports One way of proving your vehicle is compliant is by showing it’s the same specification as another vehicle (a ‘master vehicle’) that’s been proved compliant. You do this using a model report. If a model report has already been produced for your exact model of vehicle, you may be able to use it for a fee. Look for it on the DVSA list of model reports and their owners . Otherwise, you’ll need to pay for your own tests to be carried out. These must be done by an authorised provider of ‘designated technical services’ . For more information on model reports, see part 11 of the DVSA guide on the IVA scheme . How to apply You need to choose the correct application form depending on your type of vehicle. Send it to the address on the form. DVSA should offer you an inspection within 20 working days of receiving your completed application. Choosing a test station Your vehicle will be inspected at either one of DVSA ’s approved test stations or a privately owned test facility . You should say which one you want to use on your application form. Cost of the scheme You have to pay a fee for DVSA to inspect your vehicle. What happens next Wherever possible, DVSA will inspect your vehicle at the test location you’ve chosen and issue an Individual Approval Certificate ( IAC ) if it passes. You’ll need this certificate when you register your vehicle. Appeal against a refusal You can appeal and have a re-examination carried out by an independent inspector if your vehicle does not pass its inspection and you’re not satisfied with the decision. You must make your appeal within 14 days of the decision and you’ll have to pay a fee. This will be refunded, either partially or fully, if your appeal is successful. You must not modify the vehicle before the appeal inspection. You can appeal by downloading and filling in the IVA notice of appeal . Read part 8 of the DVSA guide on the IVA scheme for more information about appeals.

Individual Vehicle Approval manuals

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency ( DVSA ) published a series of manuals listing all the technical requirements for Individual Vehicle Approval ( IVA ). There are different manuals for different types of vehicle: M1 vehicles - passenger cars M2 and M3 vehicles - buses and coaches N1 vehicles - light goods vehicles (up to 3,500kgs) N2 and N3 vehicles - heavy goods vehicles (over 3,500kgs) O1, O2, O3 and O4 vehicles - light and heavy trailers

Individual Vehicle Approval application forms

You need an Individual Vehicle Approval ( IVA ) application form to apply for an inspection. Find out how to: apply for IVA : cars apply for IVA : vans and light goods vehicles apply for IVA : buses or coaches apply for IVA : lorries and goods vehicles apply for IVA : trailers prove that a bus or coach does not need a new tilt test apply for a vehicle approval test at a non- DVSA site All passenger vehicles Download the form for seat belt anchorage compliance . Amateur built vehicles If your vehicle is amateur built (for example a kit car), you must send an amateur built declaration along with your IVA application.

Voluntary Individual Vehicle Approval ( IVA ) is similar to Statutory IVA but: you can use it if your vehicle has already been registered in the UK you will not have the same rights as with Statutory IVA You’ll need to choose whether to use the basic or normal level of Voluntary IVA . If you drive a taxi, your licensing authority will tell you what level you need to apply for. Use Statutory IVA instead if your vehicle: has not been registered in the UK before has been registered in the UK, but has been modified significantly since then Cost of the schemes You have to pay a fee for Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency ( DVSA ) to inspect your vehicle. How to apply Download and fill in the application form for your vehicle: cars vans and light goods vehicles buses or coaches lorries and goods vehicles trailers Send it to the address given on the form. What happens next DVSA will carry out an inspection of the vehicle. If it passes, you’ll get a ‘Confirmation of Compliance’ notification (not an approval certificate). Find out more Read the DVSA guide on the IVA scheme .

Motorcycle Single Vehicle Approval

Your motorcycle, 3-wheeled or light 4-wheeled vehicle must have: European Community Whole Vehicle Type Approval ( ECWVTA ) a Certificate of Conformity ( CoC ) to prove this If you do not have a Certificate of Conformity you must use the Motorcycle Single Vehicle Approval ( MSVA ) scheme to approve your vehicle. From 1 January 2021, you will also be able to approve your motorcycle using the provisional UK vehicle type approval scheme . You must also use the MSVA scheme if your vehicle has been radically altered or built using a mixture of parts from previously registered vehicles. For example: amateur built vehicles rebuilt vehicles vehicles converted to a different wheelplan Eligibility for MSVA You can use the MSVA scheme for vehicles that: are under 10 years old have not been registered before in the UK do not have ECWVTA or provisional UK vehicle type approval The following types of vehicle are eligible: 2-wheeled mopeds 3-wheeled mopeds light quadricycles solo motorcycles motorcycle combinations motor tricycles heavy quadricycles These vehicle types are defined in the foreword of the MSVA inspection manual . Partial MSVA If you have a Certificate of Conformity ( CoC ), it will say which side of the road and which speedometer units your vehicle is equipped for. You must modify your vehicle if it is not equipped for use in Great Britain. It will then need a Partial MSVA to check the following items: headlamp dipped beam pattern - this checks the headlamp is suitable for driving on the left speedometer - the speed must be shown in miles per hour (mph) or dual mph and kilometres per hour mirror location - on mopeds fitted with a single mirror, the mirror must be fitted to offside (right) of the vehicle Read more in Partial MSVA frequently asked questions . Vehicle identification number Your vehicle needs a vehicle identification number before having an MSVA inspection. Write to the following address if it does not have one. VC15A/MASET DVLA Swansea SA99 1ZZ Cost of the scheme You have to pay a fee for DVSA to inspect your vehicle. Choose a test station Your vehicle will be inspected by DVSA at one of its approved test stations. You can choose which one as long as it inspects the category of vehicle you want to be tested. Category Description B 2-wheeled vehicles T 3-wheeled vehicles Q 4-wheeled vehicles Station Address Categories Aberdeen Cloverhill Road, Bridge of Don Industrial Estate, Aberdeen, AB23 8FE B, T, Q Beverley Oldbeck Road, Off Grovehill Road, Beverley, East Yorkshire, HU17 0JW B, T, Q Bristol Merebank Road, Avonmouth, Bristol, BS11 8AQ B, T, Q Cardiff (Llantrisant) School Road, Miskin, Pontyclun, Mid Glamorgan, CF72 8YR B, T, Q Carlisle Brunthill Road, Kingstown Industrial Estate, Carlisle, CA3 0EH B, T, Q Chelmsford Widford Industrial Estate, Chelmsford, CM1 3DR B, Q Derby Belmore Way, Alvaston, Derby, DE21 7AY B, T, Q Edinburgh (Livingston) Grange Road, Houston Industrial Estate, Livingston, Edinburgh, West Lothian, EH54 5DE B, T, Q Exeter Grace Road West, Marsh Barton Trading Estate, Exeter, Devon, EX2 8PU B, T, Q Gillingham Ambley Road, Gillingham, ME8 0SJ B, T, Q Kidderminster Worcester Road, Kidderminster, DY11 7RD B, T, Q Leighton Buzzard Stanbridge Road, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, LU7 4QG B, T, Q London West (Yeading) Cygnet Way, Willow Tree Lane, Yeading, Hayes, Middlesex, UB4 9BS T, Q Manchester (Chadderton) Broadway Business Park, Broadgate, Manchester (Chadderton), Oldham, OL9 9XA B, T, Q Newcastle-upon-Tyne Sandy Lane, Gosforth, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE3 5HB B, T, Q Norwich Jupiter Road, Hellesden, Norwich, NR6 6SS B, T, Q Southampton (Northam) Unit R Centurion Industrial Estate, Bitterne Road West, Southampton, SO18 1UB B, T, Q Application form Print off and fill in the MSVA application form . Print off and fill in the Partial MSVA application form . What happens next DVSA will inspect your vehicle at the test station you’ve chosen and issue a Minister’s Approval Certificate ( MAC ) if it passes. You’ll need this certificate when you register your vehicle. Appeals You can appeal for a re-test if your vehicle fails MSVA . You must appeal within 14 days of the original decision by completing form MSVA17 and returning it to the station used for the original test. You’ll have to pay the test fee again, which will be refunded if the appeal is successful. Contact DVSA to find out how to do this. More information Read the MSVA inspection manual .

Certificate of Initial Fitness

Who can use the scheme If you use a vehicle with more than 8 passenger seats to transport people for profit, also known as a Public Service Vehicle ( PSV ), it must have been approved or have a Certificate of Initial Fitness ( COIF ) to register it. What vehicles need a COIF You’ll need a COIF for your vehicle if it has more than 8 passenger seats, will be used for profit and either: is not registered in the UK and was built before the type approval scheme was introduced is registered in the UK but does not have a type approval as a passenger vehicle with more than 8 passenger seats The start dates for this scheme vary depending on the type of vehicle. See page 10 of the Individual Vehicle Approval scheme guide for details. Application form Send your completed application to the address on the form along with any relevant documents. Cost of the scheme You have to pay a fee for the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency ( DVSA ) to inspect your vehicle. What happens next Once you’ve submitted your application, it’ll be sent to your nearest certifying officer who’ll arrange for your PSV ’s COIF examination to be carried out at one of DVSA ’s approved test stations. Notifiable Alterations You must send details to DVSA of any alterations or modifications you make to your PSV . Send your completed application to the address on the form along with any relevant documents. You do not need to notify DVSA of like-for-like replacement parts.

Accessibility Certificate Test

Some buses and coaches must have accessibility features for wheelchair users, like boarding lifts and ramps, wheelchair spaces and wheelchair restraints. This affects buses and coaches, which: are authorised to carry more than 22 passengers carry passengers at separate fares on local or scheduled services were first used on or after 31 December 2000 Manufacturers of buses and coaches usually apply for these Accessibility Certificates at the same time as the Certificate of Initial Fitness ( COIF ) when the vehicles are first built. If you have a COIF , but no Accessibility Certificate You can apply for an Accessibility Certificate separately. You can also apply for an Accessibility Certificate yourself if you convert a vehicle to be used as a bus or coach. Accessibility Certificates last the lifetime of the vehicle as long as you do not make any further alterations to it. Once you have an Accessibility Certificate, accessibility is then checked as part of the vehicle’s annual test. Fill in form PSVA1 to apply for an Accessibility Certificate. Send it to the following address. Approvals Section DVSA Ellipse Padley Road Swansea SA1 8AN Fees for the Accessibility Certificate test You’ll need to check both wheelchair accessibility and general accessibility. Each of these sets of regulations is called a schedule. Test type Fee 1 schedule £51 Retest for 1 schedule £17 2 schedules £104 Retest for 2 schedules £36 Duplicate certificate £13 Type approval Alternatively, vehicle manufacturers can apply for type approval, which means an Accessibility Certificate is not needed. Print off and fill in form PSVA6 to apply for type approval. When an operator gets a vehicle that’s been type approved they’ll get a Declaration of Conformity from the manufacturer. Operators then need to send this to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency ( DVSA ) to get a Certification of Conformity. Approvals Section DVSA Ellipse Padley Road Swansea SA1 8AN Fees for type approval are included on the IVA inspection fees document .

You have to pay a fee for the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency ( DVSA ) to inspect your vehicle. The cost depends on: whether you’re using the standard or voluntary version of the scheme the type of inspection (basic or normal) the category of vehicle the class of vehicle To find out which category and class your vehicle is in, see annexes 1 and 2 of the DVSA guide to the IVA scheme . Where to find inspection fees The DVSA list of inspection fees includes the fees for: Individual Vehicle Approval ( IVA ) Motorcycle Single Vehicle Approval ( MSVA ) Certificate of Initial Fitness ( COIF )

Replacement approval certificate

You can apply for a replacement approval certificate . Send your application to the test station where your vehicle was first inspected.

Vehicle approval

Overview

You must apply for vehicle approval if you’ve:

built a vehicle
rebuilt a vehicle
radically altered a vehicle
reconstructed a classic vehicle
imported a vehicle

Get a vehicle approved

You can get a single vehicle or small number of vehicles approved through:

Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA)
Motorcycle Single Vehicle Approval (MSVA) if you’re making or importing a single 2, 3 or smaller 4-wheeled vehicle
Mutual Recognition scheme if you’re importing a vehicle that’s been approved and registered in the EU

You can no longer apply for a Pre-Registration Inspection (PRI). You must get your vehicle approved instead.

Vehicle type approval

It’s also possible to get approval for a type of vehicle, rather than each individual vehicle.

Only the vehicle manufacturer or their authorised representative can apply for this.

European Community Whole Vehicle Type Approvals (ECWVTA) issued by the Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) are still valid for sale and registration in the UK and the EU.

From 1 January 2021, manufacturers or their representatives will need to apply for provisional UK vehicle type approval to sell or register vehicles in the UK.

Get help

Contact the Driving and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) if you need help with IVA or MSVA.

DVSA
enquiries@dvsa.gov.uk

Contact the VCA if you need help or information about:

provisional approval
European Community Whole Vehicle Type Approval (ECWVTA)
European Community Small Series Type Approval (ECSSTA)
Mutual Recognition scheme

VCA
enquiries@vca.gov.uk
Telephone: 0300 330 5797
Find out about call charges

Print entire guide

Vehicle approval

Overview

Get a vehicle approved

Vehicle type approval

Get help

Is this page useful?

Help us improve GOV.UK

Help us improve GOV.UK

Tell us whether you accept cookies

Vehicle approval

Overview

Get a vehicle approved

Vehicle type approval

Get help

Related content

Is this page useful?

Help us improve GOV.UK

Help us improve GOV.UK