Overview

You must apply for vehicle approval if you have:

  • built a vehicle
  • rebuilt a vehicle
  • radically altered a vehicle
  • reconstructed a classic vehicle
  • imported a vehicle
  • modified a goods vehicle

How to get vehicle approval

You can get a single vehicle or small number of vehicles approved through:

You can no longer apply for a Pre-Registration Inspection (PRI). You must get your vehicle approved instead.

Some vehicles do not need approval. Check the list of exemptions from vehicle approval.

Get approval for a type of vehicle

Vehicle manufacturers or their authorised representative can also get vehicle type approval. This is approval for a type of vehicle, rather than each individual vehicle.

There are several different vehicle type approval schemes. Manufacturers or their representatives must apply for provisional GB type approval to sell or register vehicles in England, Scotland and Wales.

Get help

Contact the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) if you need help with IVA or MSVA.

Contact the Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) if you need help or information about:

  • vehicle type approval for passenger vehicles
  • the provisional GB type approval scheme
  • European Community whole vehicle type approval (ECWVTA)
  • European Community small series type approval (ECSSTA)
  • personal imports from the EU
  • guidance about importing a vehicle from the EU

VCA 
enquiries@vca.gov.uk 
Telephone: 0300 330 5797 
Find out about call charges