Useful Links

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has produced this guide in collaboration with key industry stakeholders to explain the responsibilities and systems involved in maintaining vehicles in a roadworthy condition, regardless of operating conditions, fleet size or vehicle type.

The procedures and systems explained in this guide are useful for operators, drivers and all those who are responsible for operating, maintaining or providing commercial goods and passenger carrying vehicles. The general principles could equally apply to light goods and passenger vehicles below the operator licensing thresholds and for vehicles that are otherwise exempt.

The driver is always legally responsible for the condition of the vehicle while in use. Therefore, conducting a daily walkaround check is a vital part of a driver's core role.

Operators can delegate the walkaround check to a responsible person, who may not be the driver. Under these circumstances the driver needs to see evidence the check has been completed and the vehicle is free from safety defects.

A minimum of one walkaround check must be carried out every day or at least once in a 24-hour period that the vehicle is used. Vehicles engaged in arduous or off-road operations may require multiple checks during the 24-hour period.

Attention should be focused on vehicle systems and components which may be subject to damage or wear before returning to the road. Where more than one driver will use the vehicle during the day's running, the driver taking charge of a vehicle needs to make sure it is roadworthy and safe to drive by carrying out their own walkaround check. Due to health and safety implications this may not be practical on all occasions.

Managing drivers' hours is a critical responsibility because it serves as the primary safeguard against fatigue, which is a leading cause of HGV accidents. For both drivers and operators, failure to follow these rules carries severe legal, financial, and safety consequences.

Why It Matters for Safety

• Preventing fatigue-related accidents: tiredness significantly increases reaction times and reduces a driver's ability to process information. According to RoSPA, fatigue was linked to over 1,200 collisions in 2023.
• Protecting public confidence: ensuring that vehicles weighing up to 44 tonnes are operated by alert drivers is essential for maintaining the industry's reputation and general road safety.

Why It Matters for Drivers

• Individual liability: drivers can be fined up to £300 per offence for historical breaches up to 28 days. Consistent non-compliance can lead to a total fine of £1,500 in a single roadside check.
• Licence protection: serious or repeated infringements can lead to the Traffic Commissioner suspending or revoking a driver's HGV entitlement.
• Criminal charges: if a driver is involved in a fatal crash while in breach of their hours, they could face charges of death by dangerous driving, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 14 years.

Why It Matters for Operators

• Operator licence risk: the DVSA uses the Operator Compliance Risk Score (OCRS) to target inspections. Frequent hours violations increase an operator's risk score, leading to more roadside stops and potential Public Inquiries.
• Business viability: if an operator fails to monitor their drivers properly, their licence can be revoked, effectively shutting down the business.
• Corporate manslaughter: under the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007, companies can be prosecuted if gross failure in managing driver safety leads to a death.
• Insurance and costs: non-compliance leads to higher insurance premiums and costly vehicle downtime.

Additional references from the document

• European Union (EU) rules on drivers' hours and working time - simplified guidance.
• Drivers' hours: GB domestic rules.
• New 56 day tacho rules - an FAQ.
• Logistics-UK-Manual-Entry-Fact-Sheet92.pdf.
• The digital tachograph simulator: download - Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility.

This guide is intended primarily for the use of examiners within DVSA and authorised constables. However, it is made available more widely so that vehicle owners, operators and drivers can become more aware of DVSA's standards.

Its purpose is to provide guidance on the action to take when roadworthiness defects are found during vehicle inspections and to promote consistency among examiners.

When you transport goods in a heavy goods vehicle (HGV), trailer, van or car, you need to make sure they are loaded, transported and unloaded safely.

This code of practice gives you guidance to help you with your responsibilities to:

• Decide the right way to transport goods safely.
• Load and unload vehicles safely.

This document outlines the course of action to be taken when dealing with the majority of offences encountered by DVSA examiners. All road traffic and construction and use offences are laid down in the appropriate legislation and these form the basic standard for all DVSA enforcement activities.

All infringements, regardless of severity, identified by examiners should be brought to the attention of the driver or operator. This document provides the policy framework within which DVSA examiners will work, ensuring a consistent and best-practice approach.

This is not a legal document and must not be treated as an interpretation of the relevant legislation, which only the courts can provide. It lists the most common offences enforced by DVSA, however it is not exhaustive.

The HSE website is essentially the "official rulebook" for workplace safety in the UK. It is a useful link for an employee because it allows them to:

• Verify rights: quickly check if their employer is legally providing the correct safety gear, training and environment.
• Access guidance: get free, expert instructions on how to handle specific risks like chemicals (COSHH), heavy lifting or workplace stress.
• Report concerns: find the direct path to report dangerous working conditions or serious accidents if internal channels fail.
• Clarify duties: understand their own legal responsibility to look after themselves and their colleagues.

Checking Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (DCPC) hours online is essential for HGV drivers to remain legally compliant and eligible for work. Professional drivers must complete 35 hours of periodic training every five years to keep their Driver Qualification Card (DQC) valid.

• Track training progress: verify exactly how many hours have been officially recorded by training providers and confirm which specific courses have been attended.
• Prevent fines and suspension: avoid the £1,000 fine for driving professionally without a valid DCPC. Missing the five-year deadline results in an immediate loss of professional driving eligibility.
• Monitor card renewal: check when the current DQC expires and when the next one will be issued. A new card is only triggered once all 35 hours are completed and logged.
• Manage training flexibility: check whether training counts toward a National Driver CPC for UK-only driving or International Driver CPC for UK and EU driving.
• E-learning limits: ensure drivers do not exceed the 12-hour limit for e-learning allowed within a five-year cycle.
• Employer verification: create a temporary password to allow a current or prospective employer to view the training record, which is often a condition of employment.

To check an HGV driver's licence as an employer or fleet manager, you must verify their specific vehicle entitlements and professional qualifications directly with the DVLA.

What you need from the driver

• The last eight characters of their driving licence number.
• A check code generated by the driver.
• The check code is valid for 21 days and can only be used once.

Specific HGV requirements to verify

• Entitlements: confirm they have the correct category for the vehicle, such as Category C for rigid trucks or Category C+E for articulated vehicles.
• CPC status: professional HGV drivers must hold a DCPC. You can check their training hours separately if they provide a temporary password.
• Expiry dates: HGV vocational entitlements typically expire at age 45, then require renewal every five years until age 65, and annually thereafter.
• Endorsements: note any penalty points or active bans that might affect your insurance coverage.

Recommended check frequency

• Every three months for standard HGV operations.
• More frequently, such as monthly, for high-risk drivers with six or more penalty points.
• Mandatory prior to their first journey with the company.

The Senior Traffic Commissioner for Great Britain issues this guidance under section 4C(1) of the Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981 and by reference to section 1(2) of the Goods Vehicles (Licensing of Operators) Act 1995 to provide information as to the way in which the Senior Traffic Commissioner believes that traffic commissioners should interpret the law in relation to the requirements for and on transport managers.

A transport manager must be of good repute. The Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) must be appropriate for the type of licence being applied for.

Only those persons who can fulfil the statutory requirements for having continuous and effective responsibility for the management of the transport operations of the business, in so far as they relate to the carriage of goods or passengers, can act as a transport manager. The transport manager retains legal responsibility regardless of whether their individual activities are delegated.

The document references this as an existing HGV and trailer brake test resource. It explains how to understand an HGV or trailer brake test report.

HGV vehicle recalls are mandatory safety actions issued when a serious defect is identified, often by the DVSA, requiring immediate, free repairs. Operators must check for outstanding recalls, as driving with known safety faults is illegal.

Key HGV recall information

• Checking recalls: you can check for HGV, trailer and part recalls using the online GOV.UK service.
• Responsibilities: manufacturers are responsible for issuing recalls, while operators must ensure vehicles are repaired. Selling a vehicle with an outstanding safety recall is illegal.
• DVSA involvement: the DVSA can force a manufacturer to recall vehicles if they do not comply voluntarily.
• Action required: if a recall is announced, the manufacturer will typically write to you and the repairs are usually carried out at no cost.
• Reporting: if a serious, potentially injurious defect is found on an HGV, it should be reported directly to the manufacturer or the DVSA.

For HGV drivers and operators, the DVLA medical conditions A-Z is a critical compliance tool because the safety standards for Group 2 lorry and bus licences are significantly stricter than for standard cars.

For HGV drivers

• Stricter standards: many conditions that do not affect a car licence, such as certain levels of high blood pressure or insulin-treated diabetes, can lead to the immediate suspension of an HGV entitlement.
• Mandatory D4 assessments: HGV drivers must pass a D4 medical examination when first applying, then every five years from age 45, and annually from age 65.
• Career protection: by checking the link, drivers can learn if a condition requires a specialist report or specific monitoring, such as blood glucose logs for diabetes, to prevent their licence from being revoked.

For HGV operators

• Legal liability: if an operator allows an unfit driver to work and a fatal accident occurs, the company could face charges of corporate manslaughter or gross negligence.
• Continuous monitoring: operators use the list to build internal policies, such as requiring medical declarations from staff every six months to ensure no notifiable conditions have developed between official DVLA renewals.
• Operational planning: the link helps transport managers identify when a driver may need to be moved to non-driving light duties temporarily while the DVLA assesses their fitness, avoiding total loss of staff.

Failure to report a notifiable condition can result in a £1,000 fine for the driver and severe regulatory action from the Traffic Commissioner for the operator.

Checking an HGV driver's eyesight using a simulator, rather than a traditional 20-metre vehicle number plate test, provides a more robust, consistent and comprehensive assessment of a driver's fitness, particularly for the higher standards required in professional driving.

While the 20-metre number plate test is the legal minimum, it is often seen as an archaic, blunt tool that is difficult to standardise.

A reference copy of The Highway Code for drivers and road users, covering road rules, signs, markings, signals, road safety guidance and legal responsibilities.

A Department for Transport traffic signs reference covering road signs, signals, markings, motorway signs, direction signs, temporary signs and updated guidance for UK road users.

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