The Guide to maintaining roadworthiness
DVSA's Guide to maintaining roadworthiness is the reference document for maintenance systems on goods and passenger vehicles. When you apply for an operator licence you undertake to keep vehicles and trailers roadworthy, and the guide sets out the systems examiners and Traffic Commissioners expect to see. It is written for all fleet sizes and applies whether you maintain vehicles in-house or use a contractor. On contracted work, the guide is direct: "Operators are responsible for the condition of vehicles and trailers that are inspected and/or maintained for them by agents, contractors or hire companies."
The publication page was last updated on 28 April 2025. Check it periodically, because DVSA revises the guide from time to time.
Setting the safety inspection interval
There is no single legal interval for safety inspections, sometimes called periodic maintenance inspections or PMIs. The operator decides. The guide says the frequency "should be determined by assessing the level of mechanical deterioration likely to be incurred over a period as a result of the vehicle's usage".
Factors that affect the interval
The guide lists factors including:
- the age and type of vehicle operated, and the manufacturer's guidance
- the nature of its load
- the type and range of operations
- the terrain and conditions it works in
- the distance and speeds at which it travels
For trailers that are not permanently coupled but are in regular use, the guide says they "need to be assessed on their conditions of work and anticipated mileage".
Typical ranges
The guide states that "An inspection frequency would normally range between 4 to 13 weeks" and gives these examples:
| Operating conditions (DVSA example) | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Lightly loaded vehicles, easy operating conditions | 10 to 13 weeks |
| General haulage, trunking | 6 to 10 weeks |
| Arduous work, constant heavy loads | 4 to 6 weeks |
| Off road, difficult conditions | 4 weeks |
| Vehicle or trailer 12 years or older | 6 weeks |
These are examples, not entitlements. A lightly used vehicle that keeps turning up at inspection with significant defects is telling you the interval is too long.
The stated frequency and VOL
Your chosen interval is recorded on the vehicle operator licensing service (VOL), and that becomes a commitment. The guide says operators "must ensure that safety inspections are carried out at the stated frequency as it is recorded on the vehicle operator licensing service (VOL)", that the frequency "should not be extended without updating" VOL, and that "Any changes by licensed operators to arrangements for safety inspections must be updated" on VOL.
Planning inspections in advance
The guide says: "A maintenance scheduling system, planner or wall chart should be used to identify inspection dates at least 6 months in advance." It recommends the ISO week numbering system to allow some flexibility, so an inspection counts as on time if it is completed within the ISO week in which it falls.
Good planning also means building in the annual test, tachograph and other periodic work, and knowing in advance which vehicles will be off the road and when.
Brake performance testing at every inspection
The guide states: "There is an expectation that every safety inspection will include a brake performance assessment using either a roller brake test (RBT), a suitable electronic braking performance monitoring system (EBPMS) or a decelerometer with temperature readings."
What counts as an assessment
- Roller brake test (RBT). The guide describes a laden brake test using a calibrated roller brake tester as "the most effective method of measuring individual and overall braking performances".
- EBPMS. If you use an electronic braking performance monitoring system, "there must be an evaluation of the performance report before every safety inspection by a competent person". Operators must make sure any system they use meets their own operational requirements and their licence undertakings.
- Decelerometer. The guide says it is acceptable to use an approved and calibrated decelerometer to measure overall brake performance for vehicles without trailers.
Laden testing
The current guide says: "Where EBPMS is not used, it is expected there will be a minimum of four laden brake tests spread evenly across the year, this can include the annual test."
Where a laden test cannot be achieved, the guide says unladen RBTs should be conducted unless the construction or weight of the vehicle prevents it. It also requires that "A risk assessment must be completed by a competent person who understands braking systems and components when a laden brake test is not conducted or EBPMS is not available." The Traffic Commissioners' audit guidance asks the same question: if there is not a laden RBT at every inspection, is that supported by a documented risk assessment by a competent person?
For trailers with EBPMS, the guide says a laden brake test would only be required if there was insufficient data to produce a report confirming correct operation of the system, or where work has been carried out on the braking system.
Recording the result
The guide says a signed printout of the brake performance test from the RBT, plate tester or decelerometer "should be attached to the safety inspection record". Inspection facilities should include access to brake test equipment such as a roller brake tester or decelerometer.
Inspection records and sign-off
An inspection record is only useful if it is complete. The guide lists contents including the operator's name, the date, the vehicle identity, the list of items inspected, details of any defects, and complete details of repair work and who carried it out. It must end with a named, signed and dated statement that all safety defects have been repaired satisfactorily and the vehicle is in a safe and roadworthy condition.
The guide adds that records "must be fully completed, and the vehicle declared roadworthy before it returns to service", and that the transport manager, responsible person or delegated individual must have access to the completed sheet.
How long to keep records
- Safety inspection records: at least 15 months for all vehicles, including vehicles removed from the licence, sold or otherwise disposed of.
- Driver defect reports used to record faults and rectification work: at least 15 months.
The transport manager's role
Statutory Document 3 on transport managers lists duties including ensuring "that an effective vehicle maintenance regime is in place", that "safety inspections and other statutory testing are carried out", and that vehicles and trailers that are not roadworthy are taken out of service. In practice that means reviewing inspection sheets as they come in, chasing open defects, checking brake test results against the policy, and acting on patterns such as repeat defects or low brake efficiencies.
A short checklist
- Justify each vehicle's and trailer's interval against the guide's factors, and write it down.
- Make sure the interval on VOL matches what you actually do.
- Keep a planner showing inspection dates at least 6 months ahead.
- Have a written brake performance assessment policy covering every inspection.
- Plan at least four laden brake tests a year per vehicle where EBPMS is not used, or document the risk assessment where that is not possible.
- Attach signed brake test printouts to inspection records.
- Do not return a vehicle to service until the record is complete and signed off.
- Keep inspection records and defect reports for at least 15 months.
Roadworthy Fleet Compliance provides an inspection and brake test calendar with advance notice of due dates, and tracks defects through to sign-off.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Always refer to the current version of the Guide to maintaining roadworthiness for your own operation.