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What is the Single Vehicle Approval scheme?

The Single Vehicle Approval (SVA) scheme is a pre-registration inspection for cars and light goods vehicles that have not been type approved to British or European standards. The main purpose of the scheme is to ensure that these vehicles have been designed and constructed to suitable safety standards before they can be used on public roads.

Which vehicles require an SVA test?

Your vehicle will be subject to the SVA scheme if it is one of the following:

  • Commercial Import
  • Personal Import
  • Amateur Built Vehicle
  • Very Low Volume (VLV) Vehicles
  • A vehicle manufactured using parts from a previously registered vehicle
  • Hearse
  • Armoured Vehicle
  • Rebuilt Vehicle
  • Left Hand Drive Vehicle (imported)

SVA is also available for motor caravans and ambulances.

Enhanced Single Vehicle Approval Scheme (ESVA)

Enhanced SVA requires additional evidence of compliance with EC Type Approval standards (or certain other equivalents) for ten key areas of the vehicle. All apply to passenger vehicles and only some apply to goods vehicles. Vehicles built from the date stated are subject to the Enhanced requirement.

Key Areas

  • Seat Belt Anchorage's (1/7/1991) (Passenger)
  • Protective Steering (1/7/1991) (Passenger)
  • Noise and Silencers (1/7/1991) (Passenger and Goods)
  • Exhaust Emissions (1/1/1993) (Passenger and Goods)
  • Brakes (1/4/1995) (Passenger and Goods)
  • Seat Belt Installations (1/7/1997) (Passenger)
  • CO2/Fuel Consumption (1/1/1997) (Passenger)
  • Anti-Theft Device (1/10/1998) (Passenger)
  • Frontal Impact Protection (1/10/2003) (Passenger)
  • Side Impact Protection (1/10/2003) (Passenger)

Demonstrating Compliance

There are five basic ways of demonstrating compliance:

Showing that European Approval Standards are met - by, for example, a Type Approval number on the VIN plate or documentary evidence from the manufacturer (Directive Compliance)

  1. Showing that comparable non-European standards are met. (Comparable Standards)
  2. A comparison check with a known type approved vehicle (Comparison Test)
  3. Physically having a test conducted to the appropriate Directive standard (Directive Test)
  4. The use of a Model Report which is used to check that vehicle is of the same specification as one that is known to meet the standards. (Model Report)

Model Reports and the SVA Scheme

A Model Report is used for Enhanced SVA when an applicant wishes to demonstrate compliance on a subsequent vehicle on the basis of a single, or number of, Directive or Comparison Tests originally conducted on a "master" vehicle.

Whilst VOSA produce the Model Report, it uses data produced by a Test laboratory which has been paid for by the owner of the Model Report, who also supplied the "master" vehicle to the laboratory. Most owners of Model Reports will rent the use of them to applicants not wishing to go to the expense of having their own laboratory tests carried out.

Motorcycle Single Vehicle Approval Scheme (MSVA)

From 17th June 2003 motorcycles, three-wheeled and light four-wheeled vehicles had to comply with European Community Whole Vehicle Type Approval (ECWVTA). Without this approval, vehicles cannot be registered for use in Great Britain. If a Certificate of Conformity to ECWVTA cannot be produced then the vehicle will be subject to an MSVA examination before the first licence can be issued. If MSVA were not available the only route to registration in Britain would be full Type Approval which is an expensive and time consuming process and would effectively bring a halt to the registration of non-ECWVTA vehicles (e.g. custom / bespoke vehicles, amateur builds, non-EEA imports).

For more information on SVA and MSVA such as scheme news, FAQs and test guides, please go to the VOSA website:

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