VOSA standards of service
- Standards of Service for the MOT Scheme
- Standards of Service for Vehicle Testing
- Standards of Service for Enforcement
- Standards of service for Licensing
The Government is committed to delivering good quality, convenient and responsive services that are co-ordinated, use modern methods and new technology. Services that focus on the customer and give help to those most in need of it fairly and effectively.
VOSA endeavours to meet these aims and exceed any expectations.
Standards of Service for the MOT Scheme
In our administration of the MOT Scheme we aim to:
- apply enforcement standards correctly and fairly and provide timely and reliable advice wherever it is sought;
- notify appointments to visit proposed testing premises within 5 working days of receipt of a fully completed and correct application;
- provide a nominated tester training course, or assessment exam within 20 working days of receipt of a fully completed and correct application;
- determine 95% of appeals within 5 weeks of receipt of full written representations by the due date against the withdrawal of authorised examiner, nominated tester, designated council or designated council inspector status and against intentions to refuse applications for the above
- see our latest MOT service level agreement
and MOT Memorandum of agreement
Standards of Service for Vehicle Testing
Vehicle Test Stations (which undertake lorry, bus and coach tests) aim to:
- offer an annual test appointment within 15 working days of the request (where the test is required within that period) at least 95% of the time at all full time stations throughout the year
- complete 90% of all tests within 90 minutes of the test appointment time this will not apply if a vehicle is late for its test appointment
- provide all drivers with relevant documentation at the end of the test (e.g.: roller brake test printout, smoke meter printout written details of failure items) and offer an explanation about the information contained in the documentation
- conduct prohibition clearance inspections within 3 working days of a requested date;
- conduct tests to our published standards.
Please also see our latest Service Level Agreement
Standards of Service for Enforcement
Our Enforcement Officers aim to:
- apply enforcement standards correctly and fairly
- avoid delaying vehicles by more than one hour at road checks;
- keep delays at road checks to buses and coaches carrying passengers to a minimum by beginning inspections within 15 minutes and releasing vehicles within 30 minutes of being stopped Note: where prohibitions of further movement of the vehicle are issued or drivers cautioned for offences, longer delays may be necessary but these will be kept to a minimum;
- remove prohibitions immediately if the cause has been put right whilst a VOSA examiner is still on site, provided the examiner has no reason to think that the vehicle is unfit for service;
- carry out all overloading prohibition clearance examinations within 24 hours of the request being received; A copy of any prohibition will be sent to the vehicle operator within 5 working days
- issue an exemption to a prohibition (where appropriate) to allow limited safe use of the vehicle subject to specified conditions; and,
- advise as soon as possible following any investigation whether any further action will be taken and if so what that action is likely to be.
Please also see our latest Service Level Agreement (Enforcement)
Standards of service for Licensing
Licensing and compliance staff aim to:
- determine 85% of goods and PSV applications unopposed and not requiring a public inquiry within 9 weeks of the date of receipt of the application and the required fee in the Traffic Area Office
- Determine 85% of goods and PSV licence applications opposed or requiring a public inquiry within 26 weeks of the date of receipt of the application and the required fee in the Traffic Area Office
- Determine 85 % of applications for a major change to a goods or PSV operator’s licence - opposed or requiring a public inquiry within 26 weeks of the date of receipt of the application and the required fee.
- Send licence documentation and vehicle discs to 95% of goods and PSV operators who apply to continue their operators licence within 5 working days of receipt of the correct fee
- Determine 95% of complete applications to register, vary or cancel local bus service registrations within 5 working days of receipt of the application and any required fee
Additional Information
For additional information, please go to our Corporate policies and standardssection, or alternatively download our leaflet The Service We Give You
Service Level Agreement
Copy of the vehicle testing SLA's revised and agreed in February 2008.
Service Level Agreement (Enforcement)
Copy of the Enforcement SLA's revised and agreed in February 2008.
Service Level Agreement (Traffic Commissioners)
Copy of the Traffic Commissioners SLA's agreed in August 2008.
