Vehicle approval
Motorcycle single vehicle approval
Your motorcycle, 3-wheeled or light 4-wheeled vehicle must have a provisional GB type approval in England, Scotland and Wales.
If your vehicle does not have a provisional GB type approval you must use the motorcycle single vehicle approval (MSVA) scheme to approve your vehicle.
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.
If your vehicle is damaged
If your vehicle is classed as ‘seriously damaged’ you cannot register or tax it with DVLA. You will not be refunded any money you spent on vehicle approval.
Serious damage means the vehicle cannot be repaired. For UK vehicles this means it’s a category A or B insurance write-off.
For imported vehicles, it might say something like ‘statutory write-off’, ‘scrapped’ or ‘non-repairable’ on the registration certificate.
Check with the registration authority for the country the vehicle is from to find out if the vehicle is ‘seriously damaged’.
If it is not ‘seriously damaged’, ask them to provide evidence of this.
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
Find out more about how Partial MSVA works.
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
DVSA will inspect your vehicle. You’ll need to choose an approved test station for the inspection.
How to apply
Download and fill in the:
Follow the instructions on the form to submit it to DVSA.
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.