GOV.UK
Vehicle approval
1. Overview
The manufacturer or importer will usually take care of vehicle approval. 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 get approval for a type of vehicle (rather than each individual vehicle) through:
- European Community Whole Vehicle Type Approval (ECWVTA) - used by manufacturers or importers of large numbers of vehicles or those selling in Europe
- European Community Small Series Type Approval (ECSSTA) - used by manufacturers or importers of very low numbers of specific cars
- National Small Series Type Approval (NSSTA) scheme - used by manufacturers or importers of modest numbers of vehicles
Get help
Contact the Driving Standards Agency if you need help about IVA or MSVA.
Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
enquiries@vosa.gov.uk
Telephone: 0300 123 9000
Find out about call charges
Contact the Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) if you need help or information about:
- ECWVTA
- ECSSTA
- NSSTA
- Mutual Recognition scheme
VCA
enquiries@vca.gov.uk
Telephone: 0300 330 5797
Find out about call charges