Your Kit Car, the Law, and You.
February 8th, 2012 by Sureterm
So you’ve completed your cherished project and built a Kit Car, now you want to really start enjoying it. But where do you start in getting your Kit Car registered? This can often seem a bewildering prospect to novices and experts alike.
To make your Kit Car legal to drive on the UK roads you must simply abide by the rules and regulations set out by the DVLA, the usual procedures of MOT, Road Tax and Insurance are also compulsory.
Your Vehicle must pass the IVA (Individual Vehicle Approval) test which replaced the SVA, (Single Vehicle Approval) to determine its road safety. All government recognised tests are performed by VOSA examiners (for more information visit www.dft.gov.uk/vosa/) at registered garages. You are required by law to have a minimum of third Party liability insurance in order to be able to drive your Kit Car to the test centre. Specialist insurance services such as Sureterm will be able to offer this level of cover to you. It is not required at this stage to have an MOT, as this is not a necessity for vehicle registration.
Once your Kit Car has passed the IVA test you will receive an Individual Approval Certificate which allows you to get your Vehicle registered by the DVLA. This means you will obtain your new V5, and plates (generally Q-plates). You can now apply for road tax, and you are almost there in getting out on the roads and enjoying your hard work!
I am sure you are now thinking, what if my vehicle does not pass, what do I do then? As long as your vehicle isn’t issued with a Prohibition Notice you can drive your car home to make the necessary alterations to make it road worthy, and then have it re-tested. If you are issued with a Prohibition Notice this means your Kit Car is not road safe, and you are not able to drive it home, or use it at all until the notice is lifted.
Your vehicle is not required to have an MOT immediately after it has been registered, however the length of time before you will need one varies on the registration status, and it could be anything from 1-3 years.
Most of the above information also applies for some Custom Car conversions as these may be considered a radically altered vehicle by the DVLA.
Unfortunately these rules are constantly changing so make sure you always check the DVLA website for up to date information and the necessary forms.
Sureterm Direct can arrange insurance for your Kit Car . Call Sureterm Direct free on 0800 999 2030 or click here for an online Kit Car insurance quote.