What is Type Approval?

Type Approval is an assessment to ensure that trailers meet specific legal requirements and abide by laws and regulations. It is to examine the safety, security and environmental impact of a trailer for it to then become legal to drive on the roads. The three different routes for Type Approval are;

ECWVTA -European Community Whole Vehicle Type Approval
If you manufacture large amounts of the same trailer in a year, you should apply for ECWVTA. This means that, providing your trailers pass the assessment, you have the ability to produce a certificate of conformity for each individual trailer. It also allows you to sell trailers across Europe without any further assessments.

NSSTA -National Small Series Type Approval
This is for manufacturers that only produce small numbers of trailers in a year and who sell only in the UK. It is very cost effective for smaller manufacturers, however with NSSTA, you are limited to the number of trailers you can produce in a year. It is not recognised across Europe.

IVA -Individual Vehicle Assessment
UK National Approval Scheme which ensures that imported trailers, individual trailers and trailers manufactured in small quantities are meeting technical requirements in Europe. It is designed to make sure that trailers have been constructed safely. Each individual trailer is required to have a physical inspection at a Vehicle and Operator Service Agency (VOSA) site in Great Briain, or at a Driver Vehicle Agency (DVA) if in Northern Ireland.

Benefits of IVA

By carrying out IVA on your trailer, you are making sure that it complies with the UK law. It is certifying that your trailer abides by modern safety law and is having a lower impact on the environment. Any trailer submitted for IVA inspection should comply with the technical provisions of Directive 2007/46/EC.

Trailers affected by IVA