Operator licence compliance, explained.
Written for UK transport managers and operators. Every fact checked against GOV.UK and legislation.gov.uk, with the sources listed on each page.
Daily walkaround checks explained
The daily walkaround check is the first line of an operator's maintenance system and one of the first things an examiner or Traffic Commissioner will look at. This guide sets out what DVSA's guidance requires, who is responsible, and how defects should be recorded and kept.
7 minute readGuideWhat happens at a public inquiry
A call-up letter to a public inquiry puts an operator's licence, and often its transport manager's repute, before a Traffic Commissioner. This guide explains how the process works, what the Commissioner can decide and how to prepare.
8 minute readGuideStatutory Document No. 3 and the transport manager's duties
Every standard operator licence depends on a transport manager who effectively and continuously manages the transport activities of the business. This guide explains what the Senior Traffic Commissioner's Statutory Document 3 says that means, and the evidence a transport manager should be able to produce.
8 minute readGuideO-licence continuation deadlines
A goods vehicle operator's licence has no expiry date, but it must be continued every five years. Miss the continuation fee deadline and the licence ends automatically. This guide explains the timing, the process in the Vehicle Operator Licensing system, and what to check beforehand.
7 minute readGuideDVLA licence checks for goods vehicle operators
Every operator licence holder has to be sure that the people driving its vehicles are entitled to do so. This guide explains the DVLA routes for checking, what the Traffic Commissioners expect, and what to look for on the record.
7 minute readGuideSafety inspection intervals and brake testing
DVSA's Guide to maintaining roadworthiness leaves the safety inspection interval to the operator, but expects it to be justified, planned, kept and backed by a brake performance assessment every time. This guide sets out what the guide actually says.
8 minute readGuideTachograph download rules for goods vehicle operators
Downloading tachograph data is a legal duty with fixed maximum intervals, and downloading alone is not enough: the data has to be kept, checked and acted on. This guide sets out the rules as DVSA publishes them.
8 minute readGuideDrivers' hours rules for goods vehicles in Great Britain
Drivers' hours rules limit how long a goods vehicle driver can drive and how much rest they must take. Which set of rules applies depends on the vehicle and the work. This guide sets out the limits as DVSA publishes them and what operators are expected to do.
8 minute readGuideDVSA roadside checks, prohibitions and OCRS
A roadside check lasts minutes, but its outcome can stay on an operator's record for three years. This guide explains what DVSA examiners check, what the different prohibitions mean, how fixed penalties work, and how the Operator Compliance Risk Score turns roadside results into a risk band.
8 minute readGuideDVSA earned recognition explained
Earned recognition is DVSA's voluntary scheme for operators who can prove, continuously, that they meet vehicle and driver standards. This guide explains the entry criteria, the performance indicators, the audit cycle and what members get in return.
7 minute readGuideOperator licence undertakings and conditions
Every goods vehicle operator licence is granted on the strength of promises the operator makes to the Traffic Commissioner. This guide explains what those undertakings are, how they differ from conditions, what a breach can lead to and how to show you are keeping them day to day.
8 minute readGuideWhat a DVSA maintenance investigation looks at
A DVSA maintenance investigation tests whether your systems actually keep vehicles roadworthy, and its report can go straight to the Traffic Commissioner. This guide explains what triggers one, what the examiner checks, how the outcomes work and how an independent operator audit differs.
8 minute read