Foreign registered vehicle inspections
Due to the increase of international traffic within the UK, the following information is made available to the operators and drivers of these vehicles to help them remain compliant with the laws here. They should note that:
- The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency’s (VOSA) powers to inspect Foreign Goods Vehicles and Public Service Vehicles are the same as those for UK based vehicles.
- A “Foreign Goods Vehicle” is a vehicle or combination not registered within the United Kingdom, which has been brought into Great Britain. The status of any trailer or semi trailer is defined by the place of registration of the motor vehicle.
- A “Foreign Public Service Vehicle” is a public service vehicle which has been brought into Great Britain and is not registered in the United Kingdom.
Generally the standards that would justify the immediate or delayed prohibition of a foreign goods vehicle are identical to those of a UK registered vehicle. This rule can be followed for all items fitted to the vehicle being examined. The only area in which Examiners exercise caution is where it appears that the vehicle has never had certain components fitted that one would expect to find on a domestic vehicle. There are certain instances when the non-fitment of a component would not warrant the issue of a prohibition e.g. the conventions do not require the fitment of brake vacuum/pressure warning devices. Spray suppression and trailer parking brakes are other, more visible, examples.
Details of foreign registered vehicles are being collected by Examiners on a Mobile compliance device and will form an ever growing database to be used in calculating the Operator compliance risk score for them.
Page last updated: 23/01/2007