The Single Vehicle Approval (SVA) 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)

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:

1. 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)

2. Showing that comparable non-European standards are met. (Comparable Standards)

3. A comparison check with a known type approved vehicle (Comparison Test)

4. Physically having a test conducted to the appropriate Directive standard (Directive Test)

5. 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)

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