The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has confirmed a range of updates to its inspection manuals, with new regulations coming into force from 1 April 2025. These changes will directly affect HGV drivers and public service vehicle (PSV) operators across the UK, with the aim of improving vehicle safety and inspection clarity.

Among the most significant changes are revised rules on side guards, now requiring certain tank vehicles carrying fluids to be fitted with compliant guards “so far as is practicable”. A new exemption list applies to vehicles first used from April 2025, including articulated tractor units, gulley emptiers, car transporters, and some category T vehicles. The manual also features new imagery for side guard inspections and guidance on blind spot radar devices installed in guard gaps.

Visibility standards have been updated to reflect the growing use of monitors and camera systems in place of traditional mirrors. The manual now outlines when and how these systems should be assessed, depending on their function.

Further changes affect fuel tank inspections, now expanded to include hydrogen fuel cells, with clear procedures for checking LPG, CNG, and LNG tanks. Brake pipe regulations have also been updated, setting a new threshold for wall thickness deterioration to help identify serious safety concerns.