Certificate of Initial Fitness (COIF) for passenger-carrying vehicles

Introduction

Anyone operating a bus or limousine service must be aware of the procedure - known as obtaining a Certificate of Initial Fitness (COIF) - which their vehicles must go through to carry passengers for hire and reward. The COIF regulations apply to all vehicles with more than eight passenger seats that are used for hire or reward.

The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency will also inspect private buses and limousines before they can be registered with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).

There is a new pre-registration inspection which now applies to all applications to register a private bus or limousine. It also applies to vehicles already registered with DVLA which have been converted or modified from their original specification.

This guide will give you all the information you need to understand the COIF testing procedure.

Subjects covered in this guide

• Introduction
• When is a Certificate of Initial Fitness needed?
• Limousines: Individual Vehicle Approval and Certificates of Initial Fitness
• Applying for a Certificate of Initial Fitness
• Fees for Certificate of Initial Fitness inspections and Certificates of Conformity

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