DVSA – Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency

The Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) provides a range of licensing, testing and enforcement services with the aim of improving the roadworthiness standards of vehicles ensuring the compliance of operators and drivers, and supporting the independent Traffic Commissioners.

About DVSA

We carry out driving tests, approve people to be driving instructors and MOT testers, carry out tests to make sure lorries and buses are safe to drive, carry out roadside checks on drivers and vehicles, and monitor vehicle recalls.

Responsibilities

We’re responsible for:

carrying out theory tests and driving tests for people who want to drive cars, motorcycles, lorries, buses and coaches, and specialist vehicles
approving people to be driving instructors and motorcycle trainers, and making sure they provide good-quality training
approving people to be MOT testers, approving the centres they work in, and testing lorries, buses and coaches ourselves
carrying out roadside checks on commercial drivers to make sure they follow safety rules and keep their vehicles safe to drive
monitoring recalls of vehicles, parts and accessories to make sure that manufacturers fix problems quickly
approving training courses for qualified drivers, such as Driver Certificate of Professional Competence courses for lorry, bus and coach drivers, and drink-drive rehabilitation courses
supporting the Traffic Commissioners for Great Britain and the Northern Ireland transport regulator to license and monitor companies who operate lorries, buses and coaches, and to register local bus services

Priorities

In 2017 to 2018, our main priorities are to:

create plans, including success measures, for our 3 strategic themes of helping you through a lifetime of safe driving, helping you keep your vehicle safe to drive, and protecting you from unsafe drivers and vehicles
offer 80% of candidates a car driving test appointment within 6 weeks of their preferred date
increase the number of MOT cases where we act on serious fraud, dishonesty or negligence by 15%
improve the availability of online data about vehicle recalls
increase the number of serious roadworthiness defects and traffic offences detected by 15% compared to our 2016 to 2017 target
make efficiency savings of £8.6 million