Approved Tachograph Centres – Special Notice from DVSA
06 April 2020
On 3 April 2020, DVSA issued Special Notice 01-20 to all Approved Tachograph Centres.
Due to the COVID19 pandemic, the requirement to calibrate and inspect tachographs periodically has been relaxed. Until further notice, all tachograph calibration and inspection expiry dates are extended by 3 months.
DVSA confirm that:
- any faults with the tachograph system must still be repaired as normal
- the tachograph system must function as required by the legislation
- the system is still required to be sealed in line with the requirements
- Initial calibrations are to continue
- Any changes to the various parameters (such as tyre size, vehicle registration and so on) will still require action as normal
Special Notice 01-20 also covers:
- The extension of current training certificate expiry dates – the expiry dates of all current and valid tachograph training certificates will be extended by 6 months from their current expiry date with immediate effect.
- Periodic quality control checks – All quality control checks which require the observation or checking of a calibration are suspended until further notice.
- DVSA Examiner visits – Until further notice, all DVSA Examiner visits are suspended with immediate effect. Enforcement checks will continue via email.
- Tachograph centre equipment calibration – until further notice, the requirement for the periodic calibration of tachograph calibration equipment is suspended. However, all equipment is required to continue to function correctly, and any faults must be repaired or replaced under current requirements.
- April 2020 workshop cards – there are still several centres and technicians who have not forwarded their 1C training certificate to the DVSA tacho section. If you have not done so, you will not be issued with a workshop card in April 2020.
- 1C sealing requirements – a reminder that approved tachograph centres must emboss the required tab on the dedicated 1C seal using the workshop seal pliers.
- Pheonix seal – An issue has been raised regarding Pheonix 1C seals. On these, there are 6 rather than the required 8-numeric digits. The Pheonix seal (with only 6 numeric digits) will be accepted for use within the tachograph scheme (and no enforcement action will be taken within the UK) providing the procedure set out in Special Notice 01-20 is followed. Pheonix will arrange for current stocks to be changed to meet the eight-digit numbering requirements as quickly as possible under the current conditions.
- 1C tachograph retrofit program – The timescales for the temporary derogation to allow 1B tachographs to be installed in 1C vehicles have been suspended.
