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Vehicles that need 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 European Community (EC) Type Approval standards (or certain other equivalents) for 10 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.

• 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)
• showing that comparable non-European standards are met. (Comparable Standards)
• a comparison check with a known type approved vehicle (Comparison Test)
• physically having a test conducted to the appropriate Directive standard (Directive Test)
• 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.

While Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (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.

• Model reports available to the public (opens new window)
• Find an SVA or MSVA test station
• Finding an approved ESVA testing laboratory (opens new window)