Grey fleet

Grey fleet policy template for UK employers

A plain policy outline you can copy and adapt for staff who drive their own cars for work. It covers who may drive, the checks before driving, keeping the car safe, reporting changes, journeys and records.

By VCT · Published 14 October 2026 · 8 min read

Before you use the template

Grey fleet means vehicles that staff own and use for work journeys. HSE's guidance on driving for work says health and safety law applies to work on the road as it does on a fixed site, and that it covers grey fleet as well as company vehicles. A written policy is how most employers set out what they expect and show they are managing the risk.

The template below is a starting point. It is not legal advice, and it won't fit every business as written. Text in [square brackets] is for you to fill in or decide. Read it alongside your insurance arrangements and any other driving rules you already have, and take advice if you are unsure. HSE expects employers to consult workers on health and safety, so talk the draft through with the people who will follow it.

For background on the duty itself, see our guide to grey fleet duty of care.

What the policy is based on

Each section of the template draws on published guidance:

  • Vehicle documents. GOV.UK's legal obligations for drivers lists up-to-date road tax, a current MOT if the vehicle needs one, and at least third party insurance that covers how the vehicle is used.
  • Vehicle condition. HSE's page on safe work vehicles says privately owned vehicles used for work must be safe, and that workers must check them, have them serviced and keep them insured with a valid MOT. It warns that an MOT only covers basic defects. It also expects a way of reporting defects and a clear rule that unsafe vehicles are not driven.
  • Drivers. HSE's page on safe drivers asks employers to make sure licences, insurance and MOTs are legal and up to date, and to look at driving records and offences. It covers phones, drink and drugs.
  • Journeys and fatigue. HSE's page on planning journeys covers whether a journey is needed, realistic schedules, breaks, fatigue and weather.
  • Workers' own duties. HSE's guidance for workers who drive for work says they must take reasonable care, check their vehicle, keep it serviced, insured and with a valid MOT, not drive tired, and tell their employer about medication that may affect driving.

The template

Copy the text below into your own document and edit it.

[Company name] policy: using your own vehicle for work
Version [number] · Approved by [name and role] · Date [date] · Next review [date]

1. Purpose

This policy sets out how [Company name] makes sure that staff who use their own vehicles for work do so legally and safely. It explains what we check, what we expect from you and what you must tell us.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all employees [and contractors, agency workers and volunteers] who use a vehicle they own, lease or borrow for any work journey. Work journeys include travel to meetings, customers, clients and other sites. Commuting between home and your normal place of work is not usually treated as driving for work.

3. Who may drive their own vehicle for work

You may use your own vehicle for work only if:

  • your manager has approved it
  • you hold a full, valid driving licence for that type of vehicle [and have held it for at least [number] years]
  • your vehicle meets the standards in sections 4 and 5
  • you have signed the declaration at the end of this policy

For journeys over [distance or time], [Company name] may ask you to use [a pool car, a hire car or public transport] instead.

4. Checks before you drive for work

Before your first work journey, you must provide:

  • Driving licence: a DVLA check code and the last 8 characters of your licence number, so that [role] can check your licence online. We will ask for your written consent first.
  • MOT: a current MOT if your vehicle needs one.
  • Road tax: your vehicle must be taxed.
  • Insurance: a certificate or schedule showing your policy covers use for business. Commuting-only cover is not enough.

5. Vehicle condition and checks

  • Keep your vehicle serviced in line with the manufacturer's schedule.
  • Check your vehicle before work journeys, including tyres, lights, wipers and screenwash, mirrors, and dashboard warning lights.
  • An MOT certificate does not mean a vehicle is safe on the day. Your own checks matter.
  • Do not use a vehicle with a known safety defect for work until it has been fixed. Report it to [role] and arrange another way to travel.

6. How often we repeat the checks

  • Driving licence: [at least once a year], and [more often] for drivers with penalty points or high work mileage.
  • MOT and road tax: [checked on GOV.UK each month, or at each renewal date].
  • Insurance: at each renewal. Send a copy of the new certificate or schedule within [number] days.

7. Changes you must tell us about

Tell [role] straight away, and before your next work journey, if:

  • you get penalty points, a disqualification or a pending prosecution for a driving offence
  • you have or develop a medical condition you need to tell DVLA about
  • you start taking medication that may affect your ability to drive
  • you change your vehicle
  • your insurance lapses, is cancelled or no longer covers business use
  • your vehicle fails its MOT, or its tax runs out
  • you are involved in a collision or near miss while driving for work

8. Journeys, fatigue and phones

  • We will consider whether a journey is needed, or whether a call, video meeting or other transport would do.
  • We will plan schedules that allow you to drive within speed limits, with time for traffic and breaks.
  • Take a 15-minute break every two hours, as the Highway Code recommends.
  • Do not drive if you feel sleepy. Stop somewhere safe, even if it means arriving late. We will not ask you to work exceptionally long hours, and we will consider an overnight stay where a journey home would follow a long day.
  • Do not drive under the influence of drink or drugs, including prescription medicines that affect driving.
  • Never use a handheld phone while driving. Do not make video calls while driving, and keep hands-free calls to a minimum.
  • You will not be pressured to drive in exceptionally difficult weather. Tell [role] if you need to cancel.

9. Records and your data

We keep your vehicle registration, the dates of your licence, MOT, tax and insurance checks, what each licence check showed and your consent. Only [roles] can see these records. We keep them for [period] after you stop driving for work. Our privacy notice at [link] explains how we use your data and your rights.

10. If the standard is not met

If your licence, vehicle or documents do not meet this policy, you must not use your vehicle for work until the problem is fixed. [Describe how this will be handled, for example a discussion with your manager and alternative transport.]

11. Declaration

I have read and understood this policy. The information I have given about my licence, vehicle and insurance is correct, and I will tell [role] about any changes.

Name: ____________   Vehicle registration: ____________
Signature: ____________   Date: ____________
Manager name: ____________   Signature: ____________   Date: ____________

Choices you need to make

Several parts of the template are left for you to decide, because the guidance does not set a fixed answer.

  • How often to check. HSE does not set an interval for licence or document checks. An annual licence check with more frequent checks for higher-risk drivers is common practice, not a legal rule. Our guide to driving licence checks for employers covers the options.
  • Long journeys and mileage. HSE does not set mileage limits. It suggests cutting out or reducing long road journeys where you can, and it names high annual mileage as one reason to prioritise driver training. Whether to set a maximum journey length is your decision.
  • Insurance wording. GOV.UK says insurance must cover your use of the vehicle. Insurers word business cover differently, so check what your staff's policies say and ask your own insurer or broker if you are unsure.
  • Who the policy covers. Decide whether contractors, agency staff and volunteers are included, and say so in section 2.

Keeping the records

A policy needs records behind it to show it is followed. For each driver, keep the vehicle registration, the date and outcome of each licence check with the driver's consent, and the MOT, tax and insurance expiry dates, with the date each is next due.

Licence results and insurance details are personal data. Tell drivers what you check and why, keep only what you need, limit who can see it and decide how long you keep it. GOV.UK's licence check service warns that getting someone's driving information without their permission is a criminal offence. The ICO publishes data protection guidance for employers.

Where VCT fits

VCT can hold the records this policy calls for. Staff cars used for work sit next to your company vehicles, with MOT and road tax checked with DVSA and DVLA every night and business insurance expiry shown alongside. Drivers can add their own car. You can record licence checks and consent, drivers can share a DVLA check code from the driver app, and you can see when each check is due. Automatic licence checking with DVLA is coming soon. See grey fleet compliance for details.

Sources

Checked on 14 October 2026. This guide and template are general information, not legal advice.

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