As the owner or user of a commercial vehicle, you must always make sure that your vehicles are roadworthy and safe. Aside from the road safety benefits and it being your legal obligation, well maintained vehicles reduce the likelihood of your vehicles encountering delays from unscheduled downtime, unsafe vehicles being impounded and additional delays at roadside inspections. Here you will find summary information as regards your obligations in relation to vehicle maintenance & repairs, the benefits and the legislation.

Your vehicle maintenance & repair requirements 

Benefits of maintaining your vehicles

For your Business 

• reduced overall maintenance and operating costs;
• reduced operating costs due to fewer vehicle breakdowns;
• improved vehicle fuel consumption;
• increased customer satisfaction due to consistent on- time deliveries;
• enhanced vehicle residual value and protects your assets;
• lower insurance costs;
• reduced risk of vehicle downtime at roadside checks;

For Road Safety

• increased driver safety and improves their working environment;
• increased passenger safety;
• increased road safety for other road users; and
• ensures your vehicles meet the minimum standards defined by law.​

Private use of Heavy Commercial Vehicles

The legal maintenance requirements of a vehicle are based on the vehicle type (for example, bus, HGV truck , rigids , van) rather than the use of a vehicle ( private or commercial).

So, even if you have a horse lorry which is used purely for social and leisure purposes you are still required to have an appropriate vehicle maintenance regime in place so as to ensure the roadworthiness of your vehicle while it is being used on a public road.

Have concerns about the condition of a Commercial Vehicle in use on Public Roads? 

If you have any concerns about the roadworthiness condition of a commercial vehicle for e.g. School Bus, Truck, Trailer or indeed any other type of commercial vehicle you can report your concerns in confidence to the RSA. Visit our complaints page​ to find out more.  ​

The legislation  

• vehicles used for the carriage of passengers, with more than 8 seats, excluding the driver’s seat  - categories M2 (small PSV's) and M3 (large PSV's);
• goods vehicles - categories N1 (LGV), N2 (HGV > 3.5t <12t)  and N3 (HGV > 12t);
• goods trailers - categories O3 (Trailer > 3.5t< 10t) and O4 (Trailer > 10t);  and
• ambulances (special purpose vehicles in category M)

• maintenance and repair of commercial vehicles;
• decisions concerning the frequency of maintenance;
• daily walk around checks;
• carrying out of repairs by suitably qualified persons;
• record keeping;
• making an annual declaration about maintenance of vehicles to the Road Safety Authority (not applicable to vehicles of category N1, light goods vehicles) 

If you are not the owner the regulations still apply if you are the user of the vehicle, that is: in charge of; controlling and or directing the operation of the vehicle.