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What is the Single Vehicle Approval 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 modern safety and environmental standards before they can be used on public roads.

Why do we need SVA?

SVA checks that vehicles constructed for non-European Economic Area markets comply with British law. Even vehicles outwardly similar to European-specification models, but intended for other markets, can often be unsuitable for use in Britain without at least some modification. (For further information on importing a vehicle see the Department's leaflet PI5 'How to Import your Vehicle into Great Britain'). SVA recognises certain non-European technical standards as acceptable alternatives to the SVA requirements.

SVA also checks that the construction of amateur-built vehicles, rebuilt vehicles and vehicles using parts from a previously registered vehicle meet modern safety and environmental standards. It also provides an alternative to type approval for vehicles manufactured in very low volume; vehicles converted for the disabled prior to registration, as well as hearses and armoured vehicles for civilian use.

These categories are explained in Appendix 1.

Since 1 August 2001 there have been two levels of SVA: Standard and Enhanced . Standard SVA will be applied in cases where the number of affected vehicles is expected to be low and we can accept that the very demanding safety and environmental standards of type approval will not be undermined. The enhanced inspection (ESVA) will be applied in other cases - i.e. where the number of vehicles entering service warrants type approval or comparable standards for key environmental and safety items.

What vehicles are within the scope of SVA ?

(a) cars or light passenger vehicles with:

  • four or more wheels and not more than 8 seats (either actual or declared) in addition to the driver's seat; or
  • three wheels and not more than 8 seats in addition to the driver's seat and a maximum gross weight of more than 1000kg; or
  • three wheels and a maximum gross weight of not more than 1000kg and an unladen weight of more than 410kg (i.e. not a motorcycle) and either having a design speed of more than 50kph (31mph) or an engine capacity more than 50cc.

or

(b) light goods vehicles with:

  • three or more wheels; and

a maximum gross weight not more than 3500kg. In certain circumstances, goods vehicles up to 5500kg can also use SVA. Please refer to Appendix 2 for further information. For information about motorcycles, tricycles, quadricycles etc please refer to the separate publication available from TTS 6 - address under "Further Information", immediately preceding the Appendices.

Will SVA affect you?

Generally, your vehicle will need to be approved under the SVA scheme and issued with a Minister's Approval Certificate (MAC) if it is up to 10 years old from the date of manufacture and is not covered by either an EC or national type approval (British or similar national approval from another European Economic Area Member State).

Standard SVA only will be applied to the following:

  • a left hand drive vehicle
  • a personally imported vehicle
  • an amateur built vehicle
  • a vehicle manufactured in very low volume
  • a vehicle manufactured using parts of a registered vehicle (for manufacturers only)
  • a rebuilt vehicle (mandatory if first licensing and registration required)
  • a motor caravan (optional)
  • an ambulance (optional)
  • a hearse
  • an armoured vehicle

The above categories are defined in Appendix 1.

Enhanced SVAwill be required in addition to the Standard SVA in all other cases.

NOTE If you purchase a vehicle that has no identity, or have a vehicle that's identity has been removed by the DVLA and in either case another identification number issued, the vehicle is likely to require an Enhanced SVA.

Recognition of Foreign Single Approvals

If your vehicle has been singly approved by another EEA Member State to standards equivalent to those of British SVA, it is eligible for a Ministers Approval Certificate on that basis.

  • You must provide evidence of the actual standards to which the vehicle was tested by or on behalf of the authorities in question.
  • In some cases the enhanced test includes CO2 emissions data that can be used if applying for variable Vehicle Excise Duty under the scheme for less polluting vehicles that was introduced on 1 March 2001
  • includes dual-purpose vehicles as defined in the Motor Vehicles (Type Approval) (Great Britain) Regulations 1984
  • where the number of seats has been declared then the vehicle will be tested as if it was fitted with that number of seats.
  • includes tractor units of articulated vehicles and bi-purpose vehicles
  • see definition in appendix 1;

 

Dvla website about the SVA test click here

Scotland

Aberdeen:
Cloverhill Road
Bridge of Don Industrial Estate
Aberdeen
AB23 8EE
01224 702357

Glasgow:
Crosshill Road
Bishopbriggs
Glasgow
G64 1OA
0141 7726321

Northern England

Beverley
Oldbeck
Off Grovehill Road
Beverley
East Yorkshire
HU17 0JG
01482 881522

Carlisle:
Brunthill Road
Kingstown Industrial Estate
Cumbria
CA3 0EH
01228 528106

Liverpool (Speke):
C/O South Liverpool Commercials
Woodend Avenue
Speke
Liverpool
L24 9NB
01514860050 or 0151 5474445

Manchester (Chadderton):
Broadway Business Park
Broad Gate
Chadderton
Oldham
OL9 9XA
0161 947 1000

Newcastle-Upon-Tyne:
Sandy Lane
Gosforth
Newcastle-upon-Tyne
NE3 5HB
0191 2365011

Midlands

Birmingham:
Garretts Green Industrial Estate
Birmingham
B33 0SS
0121 783 6560

Derby:
Curzon Lane
Alvaston
Derby
DE21 7AY
01332 571961

Nottingham:
Main Road
Watnall
Nottingham
NG16
0115 938 2591

Shrewsbury:
SVA Site
Unit 6, Levens Drive
Harlescott
Shrewsbury
SY1 3EG
01743 462261

London

Edmonton:
Anthony Wharf
Lea Valley Trading Estate
Edmonton
London
N18 3JR
020 8803 7733

Mitcham:
Redhouse Road
Croydon
Surrey
CR0 3AQ
020 8684 1499

Yeading:
Cygnet Way
Willow Tree Lane
Yeading
Hayes
Middlesex
UB4 9BS
020 8841 9205

Eastern England

Chelmsford:
Widford Industrial Estate
Chelmsford
Essex
CM1 3DR
01245 259341

Norwich:
Jupiter Road
Hellesdon
Norwich
NR6 6SS
01603 408128

Leighton Buzzard:
Stanbridge Road
Leighton Buzzard
Bedfordshire
LU7 4QG
01525 373074

Southern England

Gillingham:
Ambley Road
Gillingham
Kent
ME8 0SJ
01634 232541

Southampton (Northam):
Unit R, Centurian Industrial Estate
Bitterne Road West
Southampton
SO18 1UB
02380 837397

South West England

Bristol:
Unit 10
I.O. Centre
Poplar Way West
Avonmouth
Bristol
BS11 0QL
01179 381157

Exeter
Grace Road
Marsh Barton Trading Estate
Devon
EX2 8PU
01392 278267

Taunton:
Taunton Trading Estate
Norton Fitzwarren
Taunton
Somerset
TA2 6RX
01823 282525

Wales

Cardiff:
School Road
Miskin
Pontyclun
Mid Glamorgan
CF72 8YR
01443 224701