How the Updated Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness Affects Your O Licence Compliance
How the Updated Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness Affects Your O Licence Compliance
The DVSA’s updated Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness (GTMRW) came into effect on April 1, 2025, introducing changes that significantly raise expectations for how operators manage vehicle maintenance.
Among the most impactful developments is a clearer emphasis on maintenance performance, which now plays a more direct role in Operator Licence compliance through structured monitoring and scoring.
At Total Compliance, we’re here to help operators understand how these changes affect their O Licence responsibilities — and what they need to do to stay fully compliant.
Maintenance Performance Now Under Greater Scrutiny
The maintenance performance assessment element of the GTMRW gives the DVSA a more structured way to evaluate how effectively operators are managing their vehicle maintenance obligations.
It’s no longer just about ticking boxes or passing your MOT — this new system looks deeper. It evaluates:
- The frequency and accuracy of your brake performance testing
- Whether you’re using an Electronic Brake Performance Monitoring System (EBPMS) properly
- The quality and completeness of your maintenance records
- The competency of those carrying out inspections
- Whether laden brake tests are being conducted
- How well risk assessments are handled when exemptions apply
This maintenance performance data now feeds into your Operator Compliance Risk Score (OCRS) — meaning poor maintenance practices can lead to increased scrutiny, roadside checks, or even formal regulatory action.
What Changed in April 2025?
The updates to the Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness came into force on April 1, 2025, with a sharp focus on brake testing and performance assessment for HGVs and trailers. The DVSA now expects operators to:
- Carry out a minimum of four laden roller brake tests per year, spaced evenly across the calendar (including the annual MOT), unless using an approved EBPMS
- Ensure every safety inspection includes a brake performance assessment
- Use only one of three methods:
- A Roller Brake Tester (RBT)
- A suitable EBPMS
- A decelerometer with temperature readings
- If a laden test isn’t carried out, provide a justified, documented risk assessment reviewed by a competent person
- Review and validate all EBPMS data at each inspection, with signed, dated records attached to the vehicle's maintenance file
What This Means for Your O Licence
The new system brings a fresh layer of transparency — and accountability. Even if you outsource inspections or use third-party workshops, you remain legally responsible for your vehicles’ compliance under the Road Vehicles (Construction & Use) Regulations 1986, Section 18.
Failing to meet the new maintenance standards could result in:
- A lower maintenance rating
- A worsened OCRS score
- Increased DVSA inspections or enforcement activity
- A call to Public Inquiry
- In serious cases, suspension or curtailment of your Operator’s Licence
The bottom line is this: your maintenance performance now plays a direct role in determining whether you’re meeting the standards required to hold an O Licence.
What You Should Be Doing Right Now
To ensure you’re not caught off guard, here’s what we recommend:
- Update Your Maintenance Schedule
Make sure it includes four evenly spaced laden brake tests per year unless an EBPMS is in place. - Train Your Team
Ensure your mechanics, drivers, and transport managers understand the new rules and how to document inspections properly. - Review Your Documentation
Whether you're using brake test printouts, risk assessments, or EBPMS data — ensure it’s complete, signed, dated, and easily accessible. - Audit Your Inspection Providers
If you outsource inspections, verify that your providers are competent and compliant with the new DVSA requirements.
How Total Compliance Can Help
We’ve been supporting operators across the UK to prepare for these changes — and now that the new rules are live, we’re here to make sure you stay fully compliant.
Our services include:
- Maintenance compliance audits
- Brake test planning and tracking
- Risk assessment templates and support
- Training for mechanics, drivers, and managers
- EBPMS review and documentation guidance
- Ongoing consultancy to protect your O Licence
Don’t Let Compliance Slip — Get Ahead Now
The DVSA’s updated guidance isn’t just about more paperwork — it’s about raising standards and holding operators to account.
By preparing now and ensuring your systems, records, and providers meet expectations, you can protect your Operator’s Licence and avoid costly enforcement action.
Contact us today or visit www.totalcompliance.co.uk to speak to one of our compliance experts.