Manufacturing & Engineering UK-wide

Vehicle and transport equipment manufacturer: compliance checklist

A verification checklist that pulls the vehicle and transport-equipment package together (SIC divisions 29 and 30). Use it to confirm type-approval and conformity are done and documented, emissions and CO2 met, replacement parts safe, end-of-life producer responsibility set up, UK REACH substances assessed, and export-control licensing checked before you export.

Guide summary

Use this checklist to confirm your vehicle or transport equipment business meets all legal duties before you sell or export. You must check type-approval, emissions, product safety, chemicals, end-of-life rules, and export controls. Work through each point and keep evidence that you can answer 'yes'.

  • Get GB type-approval for vehicles, trailers, and components before selling
  • Meet emissions and CO2 limits as part of type-approval
  • Show every product matches the approved type (conformity of production)
  • Ensure replacement and accessory parts are safe across the whole UK
  • Set up end-of-life vehicle producer responsibility (UK-wide)
  • Assess chemicals under UK REACH if you make or import substances
  • Check export-control licensing before you export any items
  • Use a separate checklist if you sell in Northern Ireland
  • Boat, aircraft, and bicycle makers must follow their own approval rules
  • Keep technical files ready for inspectors to see
On this page

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Use this checklist to verify that your vehicle or transport-equipment business meets its obligations before you place product on the market or export. It spans SIC divisions 29 and 30 and pulls together the type-approval, emissions, product-safety, lifecycle, chemical and export-control duties. Some items apply Great Britain only (type-approval, emissions and UK REACH); the replacement-part safety duty and end-of-life vehicle producer responsibility apply UK-wide. In Northern Ireland, REACH and product-safety duties follow the EU rules under the Windsor Framework, so check the Northern Ireland position separately. Work through each item and confirm you can answer "yes" with evidence.

Type-approval and conformity

Confirm your complete vehicles, trailers, bodywork, components and STUs hold the right GB approvals, with conformity of production and documentation in place.

  1. 1

    Whole-vehicle or multi-stage type-approval held

    Each complete vehicle, trailer, semi-trailer or caravan you place on the GB market has whole-vehicle or multi-stage type-approval, with a certificate of conformity issued per vehicle.

  2. 2

    Component and STU approvals held and marked

    Components and separate technical units carry the required type-approval and the prescribed approval markings before they go on the market.

  3. 3

    Conformity of production demonstrated

    You can show that every unit built matches the approved type, not just the test sample, and the technical file is available for the VCA on request.

Other transport equipment (SIC division 30)

If you make boats or ships, railway vehicles, aircraft, spacecraft or pedal bicycles rather than road vehicles, your core approval runs under a mode-specific regime instead of road type-approval. Confirm you hold the right one.

  1. 1

    Mode-specific approval or conformity held

    For other transport equipment, the correct regime is held and documented — recreational craft (MCA), merchant shipping construction and survey (MCA), railway vehicle authorisation and interoperability (ORR), aircraft design and production approval (CAA), spaceflight or spaceport licensing (CAA), or pedal bicycle supply safety (OPSS). Identify yours using the approval-regime router guide.

Emissions and CO2

Confirm your vehicles meet the emissions and CO2 type-approval requirements.

  1. 1

    Emissions and CO2 type-approval met

    Vehicles satisfy the applicable pollutant emission limits and the CO2 and fuel-economy requirements, with the consumer information provided.

Replacement-part safety (UK-wide)

Confirm any replacement or accessory parts you supply are safe across the whole UK.

  1. 1

    Replacement and accessory parts safe and documented

    Parts you place on the market are safe under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005, safety-critical parts meet the construction and approval standards, fitting information is provided, and records are kept.

End-of-life vehicles (UK-wide)

Confirm your producer-responsibility arrangements are set up and running.

  1. 1

    End-of-life vehicle producer responsibility set up

    You are registered as a producer, free take-back through an authorised treatment facility network is in place, the heavy-metal and recyclability requirements are met, and you supply dismantling and material-coding information.

Restricted substances under UK REACH (Great Britain)

Confirm the substances in your materials and components are assessed and compliant.

  1. 1

    UK REACH substances assessed

    Substances you place on the market are registered as required, restrictions and authorisation requirements are observed, heavy-metal limits are met, and safety information passes down the supply chain.

Export control (before you export)

If you make military or dual-use goods — including military vehicles and related equipment and technology — check export-control licensing before you ship anything abroad.

  1. 1

    Strategic and military export controls checked

    You have determined whether your goods, software or technology are controlled, obtained the appropriate export or trade licence, and screened end-users and destinations before exporting.

If you answered "no" to any item

Any "no" is a gap to close before you place product on the market or export. For type-approval, emissions, components and replacement parts, follow the task guide on type-approving and placing motor vehicles on the GB market. For end-of-life vehicles and UK REACH, follow the ongoing material duties guide. For export control, contact the Export Control Joint Unit before you ship — exporting controlled goods without a licence is a serious criminal offence.

Official sources

Regulators and statutory sources for vehicle and transport-equipment compliance