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Guidance

Keeping commercial vehicles safe to drive (roadworthy)

How to keep heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and public service vehicles (PSVs) safe to drive, including daily checks, inspections, maintenance and record keeping.

Updates to this page

From:
Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
Published:
22 April 2014
Last updated:
28 April 2025
Show all updates

  1. Updated to the latest version of the guide to maintaining roadworthiness. Updates include: - section 1.1. Best practice, added information on legal duties for operators to the section on maintaining compliance - section 3. Daily walkaround checks, added information on additional checks for vehicles used in arduous conditions - section 5. Maintenance Provision Rating Scheme (MPRS), added information on scheme objectives - section 5.3. Braking performance assessment, clarified requirements - section 5.4. EBPMS parking brake assessment, updated guidance in this section

  2. Updated telephone number for Logistics UK in Annex 8.

  3. Updated to the latest version of the guide to maintaining roadworthiness. Updates include: - added HTML version of the guide - added advice on outsourcing maintenance work to section '5. Safety inspections and repair facilities' - added guidance on using a decelerometer to section '5.3 Braking performance assessment' - added new section '5.3a Braking performance assessment from April 2025'. - added more guidance on how to use EBPMS to section '5.4 electronic braking performance monitoring system (EBPMS)' - update to section '6.2 What happens at the end of the test' to show that test certificates are no longer printed out when a vehicle passes a test. - added example risk assessment to 'Annex 7 performance risk assessment'

  4. Updated to the latest version of the ‘Guide to maintaining roadworthiness: commercial goods and passenger carrying vehicles.

  5. Updated contact details for Logistics UK - the new name for the Freight Transport Association (FTA).

  6. Updated section 5.2 (tyre management system) in preparation for the ban on tyres 10 years or older being used on the front wheels of lorries, buses and coaches, and all wheels of minibuses.

  7. Updated the guidance to include advice on the monitoring of tyre age, and updated the daily walkaround check diagrams.

  8. First published.

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

Documents

Guide to maintaining roadworthiness: commercial goods and passenger carrying vehicles

HTML

Guide to maintaining roadworthiness: commercial goods and passenger carrying vehicles

PDF, 21.4 MB, 106 pages

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Annex 3a: Example of a driver's vehicle defect report (goods vehicles)

PDF, 36.9 KB, 1 page

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Annex 3b: Example of a driver's vehicle defect report (PSV)

PDF, 38 KB, 1 page

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Annex 3c: Example of a driver's vehicle defect report (light goods vehicles)

PDF, 34.2 KB, 1 page

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Annex 4a: Example of a safety inspection record (HGV and trailer)

PDF, 86.1 KB, 4 pages

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Annex 4b: Example of a safety inspection record (PSV)

PDF, 84.3 KB, 4 pages

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Annex 4c: Example of a safety inspection record (LGV)

PDF, 81.3 KB, 4 pages

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Annex 4d: Example of a safety inspection record (small trailer)

PDF, 64.4 KB, 3 pages

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Annex 5: Example of a maintenance contract

PDF, 40.5 KB, 3 pages

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Annex 6: Specimen maintenance planner

PDF, 48 KB, 1 page

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Annex 7: Example of a brake assessment risk assessment template

PDF, 102 KB, 1 page

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Details

This guide explains the responsibilities and systems involved in keeping vehicles in a roadworthy condition, regardless of operating conditions, fleet size or vehicle type. This includes HGVs, vans, buses and coaches.

It includes guidance on:

  • daily checks and inspections
  • inspection and repair facilities
  • regular safety inspections
  • responsibilities for roadworthiness
  • monitoring

You cannot buy printed copies of the guide, but you’re allowed to print your own copies.

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