O-Licence Compliance Checklist: Every Condition You Need to Track

5 March 2026Last reviewed 13 August 2026

Getting your O-licence is the hard part — see our step-by-step guide to getting an O-licence if you're still in the application stage. Keeping it is where most small operators come unstuck. The conditions and undertakings attached to your licence aren't suggestions — they're legally binding commitments that DVSA can check at any time. Break them and you risk a Traffic Commissioner public inquiry.

This checklist covers every compliance area you need to track as a UK operator with a Standard National or Standard International licence. For a comprehensive overview of all operator licence types and the full set of requirements, see our UK operators licence requirements guide.

Vehicle Maintenance Compliance

Your O-licence commits you to maintaining vehicles to a specific standard. This is the area where DVSA finds the most failures at operator premises visits.

PMI (Preventive Maintenance Inspection) Schedule

Declared PMI interval on file — your licence states a specific inspection interval (typically 6 or 8 weeks for HGVs). You must stick to it.
All PMIs completed on time — no stretching intervals. A 6-week interval means 6 weeks, not "roughly every couple of months."
PMI records retained for 15 months minimum — inspection sheets, defect reports, and repair invoices
Brake performance testing — roller brake tests at every PMI. Records must show results, not just "pass."
Defect follow-up documented — every defect found at PMI must have a dated repair record

For the full schedule mechanics — how to space PMIs, MOT prep, and the Annex 6 structure DVSA expects — see our vehicle maintenance planner guide. For the definitive DVSA reference document on what your maintenance system must demonstrate, see our guide to the DVSA Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness.

Daily Walkaround Checks

Walkaround check completed before first use every day — this is a legal requirement under the goods vehicle operator licensing guide
Check records retained — paper or digital, kept for at least 15 months
Defects recorded and actioned — if a walkaround check finds a defect, there must be a record of what was done about it
Driver signature/confirmation on each check — the driver who performed the check must be identifiable

MOT and Annual Test

MOT/annual test dates tracked for every vehicle — missing an MOT means an untaxed, uninsured vehicle on the road
First-time pass rate monitored — consistent MOT failures indicate a maintenance system problem. DVSA notices patterns.
Test certificates filed — keep every MOT certificate for the life of the vehicle

Vehicle Condition

Roadworthiness maintained at all times — not just at PMI time. If a driver reports a defect, it must be fixed before the vehicle goes out again.
Tachograph calibration current — digital and smart tachographs must be recalibrated every 2 years (analogue: inspected every 2 years, recalibrated every 6). Calibration centres "will issue a certificate showing details of any inspection conducted"; DVSA does not set a retention period for that certificate, so keep it with the vehicle's maintenance file for as long as you hold the vehicle. See our tachograph calibration guide for the full interval, plaque checks, and what to do if calibration has lapsed.
Speed limiter checked and sealed — required for vehicles over 3.5t (HGV) or over 7.5t depending on type

Financial Standing

Your O-licence requires you to demonstrate sufficient financial resources. The Traffic Commissioner can request evidence at any time.

Current Requirements

£8,000 available for the first vehicle on a Standard National licence
£4,500 for each additional vehicle — so a 3-vehicle operation needs £17,000 available
Evidence ready to produce — bank statements, overdraft facility letters, or accountant's confirmation
Financial standing maintained continuously — not just at application. The Traffic Commissioner can request updated evidence at renewal or at any point during the licence term.

These figures are the current DVSA-published thresholds. Check the latest guidance — they can change.

Operating Centre Compliance

Your licence specifies where your vehicles are parked when not in use. Operating centre conditions are taken seriously.

Vehicles parked at the declared operating centre — not at your home (unless your home IS the declared centre), not on the street, not at a customer's yard
Number of vehicles at centre doesn't exceed authorised limit — your licence states how many vehicles can be kept at each centre
Environmental conditions met — any conditions about operating hours, reversing, noise, or lighting at the centre
Operating centre address current — if you move, you must apply to change your operating centre BEFORE moving vehicles there

Transport Manager

If you hold a Standard National or Standard International licence, you must have a named Transport Manager with a valid Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC). For the full scope of the role and what "continuous and effective responsibility" means in practice, see our Transport Manager responsibilities guide.

Transport Manager named on licence — for many sole traders, this is you
CPC qualification valid — the Transport Manager CPC does not expire, but you must be able to produce the certificate
Transport Manager has continuous and effective responsibility — they must genuinely manage the transport operation, not just be a name on the licence
Contact details current with the Traffic Commissioner — if your Transport Manager changes, you must notify the TC within 28 days

Drivers' Hours and Tachograph Compliance

Drivers' hours rules are the primary source of traffic-related OCRS score points.

Tachograph Data

Vehicle unit data downloaded every 90 days maximum — this is a legal requirement, not a suggestion
Driver card data downloaded every 28 days maximum
Downloaded data stored securely for at least 12 months — and producible for DVSA inspection
Tachograph analysis completed — downloading data isn't enough. You must check it for infringements and act on findings.

For the full set of tachograph rules — which vehicles need them, calibration cycles, and the most common mistakes — see our tachograph requirements guide.

Working Time

Daily driving limits tracked — maximum 9 hours (extendable to 10 hours twice a week)
Weekly driving limits tracked — maximum 56 hours in any single week
Fortnightly driving limits tracked — maximum 90 hours in any 2 consecutive weeks
Breaks taken correctly — 45 minutes after 4.5 hours of driving (can be split into 15 + 30)
Daily rest periods observed — minimum 11 consecutive hours (reducible to 9 hours up to 3 times between weekly rests)

These are the core EU-retained drivers' hours rules that still apply in Great Britain.

Insurance and Road Tax

Basic requirements, but missing them has serious consequences.

Motor insurance valid and covering all vehicles — goods-in-transit insurance is separate from vehicle insurance
Insurance certificates accessible — at roadside stops, examiners will ask
Road tax (VED) current for every vehicle — an untaxed vehicle is an immediate prohibition
Insurance covers all declared drivers — named driver or any-driver policies — check which applies

Driver Management

All drivers hold valid driving licences for the vehicle category — check licence validity annually at minimum
Driver CPC (Certificate of Professional Competence) current — 35 hours of periodic training every 5 years for drivers of vehicles over 3.5t
CPC expiry dates tracked per driver — a driver with an expired CPC cannot legally drive
Medical fitness — drivers over 45 must renew their HGV entitlement (Group 2 licence) every 5 years; over 65, every year. The periods are set by section 99 of the Road Traffic Act 1988: for a driver aged between 45 and 65 a goods-vehicle licence runs "for the period ending on the sixty-sixth anniversary of the applicant's date of birth or for a period of five years, whichever is the shorter", and where the driver's age "will exceed sixty-five years, for a period of one year". See our HGV driver medical requirements guide for the D4 medical process and what operators must track.

Record Keeping Summary

DVSA expects you to produce these records at an operator premises visit:

Record Type	Minimum Retention	Notes
Walkaround check records	15 months	Paper or digital
PMI inspection records	15 months	Include brake test results
Defect reports + repair records	15 months	Paired — defect and resolution
Tachograph vehicle downloads	12 months	Plus analysis evidence
Tachograph driver card downloads	12 months	Plus analysis evidence
MOT/annual test certificates	Life of vehicle	Keep all, not just current
Insurance certificates	Duration of policy + 1 year	Keep expired certificates
Driver licence checks	Duration of employment	Record of check, not licence copy

Using This Checklist

Print this list or save it digitally. Go through each item quarterly. Any unchecked item is a gap that DVSA could find at an operator premises visit or that could contribute to a poor OCRS score. You can also estimate your current risk band with our free OCRS Risk Score Calculator.

For a quick self-assessment, try our free O-Licence Compliance Health Check — it identifies the highest-risk gaps in your compliance and tells you what to fix first.