Set up a vehicle approval test centre

You must get approval from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) to set up a vehicle approval test centre (sometimes called a vehicle examination facility or VEF). 

A vehicle approval test centre can carry out individual vehicle approval (IVA) or motorcycle single vehicle approval (MSVA) tests to check that vehicles meet safety, technical, environmental, and legal standards before they can be used on the road.

You’ll provide the premises and DVSA will provide you with examiners to carry out the tests.

Once your test centre has been approved by DVSA, you can:

• test your own vehicles 
• test vehicles for other customers

Eligibility

When you apply you’ll need to show DVSA that you have:

• suitable premises
• approved testing equipment
• a health and safety policy in place

What you need

Premises

Your site must:

• have planning permission to be used as a test centre
• have an insurance policy with a suitable excess
• have unobstructed access from its entrance to the entrance of the building which contains the test bay
• have access from a suitable road
• be weatherproof
• have communication equipment and office space that DVSA staff can use
• have wifi – you need a stable wifi internet connection for DVSA staff to use at your site, it needs a speed of at least 10Mbps and should be WPA2 password protected
• comply with current health and safety provisions

Testing area

Your testing area must have:

• a flat and level floor
• space suitable to test the category, size and class of vehicles you wish to test
• a minimum of at least 1.5m between any vehicle entrance and exit door and the pit or any fixed equipment
• adequate ventilation or a system to stop the build-up of exhaust fumes
• an effective microphone and speaker system - so DVSA staff can communicate with customers during the test
• wifi – you need a stable wifi connection for DVSA staff to use throughout the testing area

Testing equipment

You need to have approved testing equipment.

You will need a pit, hoist, or lift

Depending on what vehicles you test you might also need:

• computer controlled roller brake tester
• exhaust gas analyser
• diesel smoke meter
• headlamp tester
• turn plates
• an area to perform vehicle manoeuvres

Health and safety policy

You need a health and safety policy in place. It should explains how you will manage health and safety at your site. It should clearly say who does what, when and how.

It should cover:

• risk assessments
• staff training
• emergency procedures - for example, how to deal with fires, accidents, and equipment failures
• accident reporting

Costs

When you’re deciding whether to set up a test centre there are a number of costs that you should consider.

Up-front investment

You’ll need to consider costs for:

• land
• a permanent weatherproof building
• building a test lane to meet the requirements
• testing equipment

Annual operating costs

You need to consider costs for upkeep of the:

• equipment
• test lane
• buildings

You also need to consider costs for:

• the use of test lanes
• staff (non DVSA)
• required return on investment

This is not an exhaustive list and you need to consider your own benefits and costs.

Apply to set up a vehicle approval test centre

You cannot currently apply.

Site inspection and approval

DVSA will carry out a site inspection before you can be approved to open.

Site inspections

You’ll get a report once DVSA has visited your site – usually within a week.

You’ll be told what needs to be done if it fails the inspection and given a deadline of when you need to do it by.

When your application has been approved

When DVSA has given final approval they’ll send you a contract you need to sign and return to DVSA.

Once you have signed the contract, you will get a certificate of approval.