Operator Driver Obligations CVORI - Operator Risk Indicator Vehicle maintenance & repairs Preventative Maintenance Voluntary Tests Daily walk around checks Record Keeping requirements Enforcement inspections Premises Inspections Roadside Inspections Operator licensing requirements Driving for work Drivers Hours Make a confidential complaint Driver & Company Tacho Cards Tachograph Equipment About Tachographs & Exemptions Drivers CPC Digi Tacho Gen 2 Workshop Cards 2025 Wall Planners Self-Declaration
CVORI - Operator Risk Indicator Vehicle maintenance & repairs Preventative Maintenance Voluntary Tests Daily walk around checks Record Keeping requirements Enforcement inspections Premises Inspections Roadside Inspections Operator licensing requirements Driving for work Drivers Hours Make a confidential complaint Driver & Company Tacho Cards Tachograph Equipment About Tachographs & Exemptions Drivers CPC Digi Tacho Gen 2 Workshop Cards 2025 Wall Planners Self-Declaration

Roadside inspections

We conduct inspections at the roadside in conjunction with the Garda Síochána to check compliance with vehicle roadworthiness standards and also drivers’ hours, tachograph, drivers CPC and requirement to hold a Road Transport Operator Licence. 

Transport Officers and Vehicle Inspectors are equipped with a smartphone app which gives them quick access to certain information about vehicles, drivers and operators. We have also begun using ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) technology at roadside checks in order to enhance our targeting of non-compliant vehicles, drivers and operators.  Furthermore, vehicles with expired Certificates of Roadworthiness (CRW’s) have been added to the Garda Síochána ANPR systems and alerts will be sent to the Garda where a vehicle is being driven with an expired CRW.

What is checked at a roadside inspection?

An RSA Vehicle Inspector will carry out visual checks on the roadworthiness of your vehicle or trailer.  He/she will check that a valid Certificate of Roadworthiness (CRW) is displayed on the vehicle(s) (including trailers) and will check the physical condition of your vehicle to assess its roadworthiness. This is a limited visual inspection and the inspector may require the vehicle to be brought to a Commercial Vehicle Testing Centre for further inspection.

An RSA Transport Officer will check that the vehicle has a valid Road Transport Operators’ Licence ​(if one is required) and will carry out a tachograph and drivers’ hours check.
 
The following should be available to a Transport Officer at a roadside check:

  • A copy of the operators licence or a certified copy of Community licence (where vehicle engaged in hire and reward)
  • If the vehicle is fitted with an analogue tachograph:
    1. digital tachograph driver’s card (if driver holds one)
    2. any manual record and printout made during the current day and the previous 28 calendar days; and
    3. the record sheet for the current day and any used by the driver in the previous 28 calendar days;
 
  • If a vehicle is fitted with a digital tachograph:
    1. drivers digital tachograph drivers’ card
    2. any manual records or printouts made by the driver during the current day and the previous 28 calendar days; and
    3. record sheets for any vehicle fitted with an analogue tachograph that was driven, by the driver, within the previous 28 calendar days.
    4. Drivers’ CPC card

The Transport Officer will download the vehicle unit for vehicles fitted with a digital tachograph and take some printouts.  He/she will also download information from the drivers’ driver card. This downloading does not erase any data and merely takes a copy of information stored on the card. 

After a roadside inspection

The Transport Officer / Vehicle Inspector will record the results of your inspection at the roadside and give you a copy of the inspection report. This report will also be available to operators via your CVRT Online Account. To create your CVRT online account you need to register with us. If you have already registered you can log in to view your inspection reports.
 
We will retain a record of the inspection on our system for at most 10 years.  The findings of the inspection will feed into our Commercial Vehicle Operator Risk Indicator (CVORI) for a maximum of 3 years after the inspection has taken place.

Outcome of Roadside Inspection

A number of outcomes are possible from a roadside inspection.
Where compliance is evident, the inspection will conclude and you will receive a report.  Where breaches / defects are detected you will be informed of these and one or more of the following may happen:

  • You may be given a warning
  • You may be asked to submit further information
  • You may be issued with a Direction Notice / Letter
  • Records may be taken away for further analysis (you will receive a receipt for these)
  • The driver and / or vehicle may be prohibited from continuing their journey
  • The vehicle may be directed to a Commercial Vehicle Test Centre for further inspection or an enforcement test
  • The operator / owner of the vehicle may be put on list for a premises inspection
  • You may be interviewed under caution and a prosecution initiated.

Transport Officers and Vehicle Inspectors will give you education and advice, on the rules in place and how you can comply, over the course of an inspection.

Mobile ANPR

We are currently running a Mobile ANPR Pilot which involves the use of an ANPR camera at some RSA attended roadside checkpoints. This will assist us in validating the use of this technology at the roadside from a technical and operational point of view. View our CVRT Mobile ANPR policy (PDF).​

About Us

Transport Officers – Road Safety Authority

Transport Officers are employed directly by the Road Safety Authority.  They carry out inspections both at the roadside and at operator premises to check compliance with EU tachograph and drivers’ hours rules and the mobile workers Working Time Directive as well as elements of operator licensing and drivers CPC.  Transport Officers are authorised enforcement officers appointed under Section 15 of the Road Transport Act 1986​ (as amended) and Section 16 of the Road Transport Act 2011​.  The powers of Transport Officers are set out in Part 5 of European Communities (Road Transport) (Working Conditions and Road Safety) Regulations 2008 (S.I. 62 of 2008) (as amended).
 

Vehicle Inspectors – Road Safety Authority

Vehicle Inspectors are employed directly by the Road Safety Authority.  They carry out roadworthiness inspections at the roadside.  In addition they conduct comprehensive technical inspections at Commercial Vehicle Testing Centres and at operators’ premises in Ireland as part of the statutory commercial vehicle roadworthiness inspection programme.  Vehicle Inspectors have been appointed as Authorised Officers and CVR Inspectors under Sections 24 & 33 of the Road Safety Authority (Commercial Vehicle Roadworthiness) Act 2012 (PDF).  The powers of authorised officers are prescribed in section 25 & 31 of the Act.  The powers of CVR Inspectors are prescribed in section 34 of the Act.
 
The enforcement unit of the Road Safety Authority are located in Co. Galway at the following address:
 
Standards & Enforcement Directorate,
Road Safety Authority,
1st Floor, Clonfert House,
Bride street,
Loughrea,
Co. Galway
H62 ET93
 
Phone: 091 872600
Email: enforcement@rsa.ie 

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