The short answer
Service each van when its manufacturer's schedule says it is due. Schedules usually give a mileage and a time limit, and the service is due at whichever comes first. The interval varies between makes, models and engines, so check the service book or handbook for each van. One figure won't fit the whole fleet.
The GOV.UK, DVSA and HSE pages listed below set no single legal servicing interval for vans. They say that a van used for work must be roadworthy and kept safe, that an MOT is no substitute for maintenance, and that goods vehicles needing an operator's licence must have safety inspections at set intervals on top of routine servicing.
This guide is general guidance, not legal advice.
What the law and guidance say
GOV.UK's page on the legal obligations of drivers and riders says a vehicle must be roadworthy. It must also be taxed, have a current MOT if it needs one, and be insured for the way it is used.
For vehicles used for work, HSE's guidance on keeping work vehicles safe says any vehicle used for your business should be safe and remain safe. It expects:
- planned and preventive maintenance in line with the manufacturer's recommendations
- tyres and windscreen wipers inspected regularly and replaced when needed
- maintenance and repairs done to an acceptable standard
- daily vehicle checks carried out and recorded
- a way of reporting defects, with defects put right promptly
- a clear policy that unsafe vehicles are not driven
HSE also warns against overloading vehicles, and says this matters most for vans carrying a range of equipment or loads.
The same applies to staff cars used for work. HSE says employers should make sure privately owned vehicles used for work are safe, and that workers must check them, have them serviced and keep them insured with a valid MOT. HSE's guidance for workers who drive for work puts the same duty on the worker. Our grey fleet policy template includes a servicing rule you can adapt.
Following the manufacturer's schedule
DVSA's Guide to maintaining roadworthiness describes a service as routine maintenance, usually set in scope and frequency by how the vehicle is used and by the manufacturer's recommendations. That is a useful way to think about any van, whether or not you hold an operator's licence.
In practice:
- Find the schedule for each van. Two vans of the same make can have different intervals if they have different engines or were built in different years.
- Note both limits. A van that covers high mileage will reach the mileage limit well before the time limit. A van that spends most of the week parked will reach the time limit first.
- Check for harder-use schedules. Some handbooks give a different schedule for vans that tow, carry heavy loads or do a lot of short trips. Check which one fits how your vans work.
- Check your agreements. If a van is leased or under warranty, read the agreement for any servicing conditions.
The MOT is not a service
GOV.UK's guide to getting an MOT says a vehicle needs its first MOT by the third anniversary of its registration, and an MOT lasts for a year. Some vehicles need a test at one year old. The test checks that a vehicle meets road safety and environmental standards. GOV.UK's page on how the MOT test works says it does not cover the condition of the engine, clutch or gearbox.
HSE puts it plainly: an MOT certificate only covers basic defects and does not guarantee that a vehicle is safe. A van can pass its MOT and still need a service the following week. Keep the two on separate records, even if you book them together.
Driving without a valid MOT can bring a fine of up to £1,000, according to GOV.UK. Our guides on what to do when a company van has no MOT and tracking MOT and tax dates cover the MOT side.
Safety inspections under an operator's licence
GOV.UK's page on being a goods vehicle operator says you need an operator's licence for a goods vehicle with a gross plated weight over 3,500kg, or an unladen weight over 1,525kg if it has no plated weight. It also says you need a standard international licence to carry other people's goods for hire or reward in Europe in vans with a maximum authorised mass over 2,500kg.
DVSA's roadworthiness guide says operators of light goods vehicles in scope of operator licensing must maintain them in line with the guide. For those vehicles, it sets out:
- Inspections are separate from servicing. An inspection should not be confused with a service, and should be done independently of routine servicing and repair. It should cover at least the items in the annual test.
- Pre-set intervals. Safety inspections happen at intervals in line with what the operator has declared on the vehicle operator licensing service (VOL).
- Time-based where practical. The guide says the frequency would normally range between 4 and 13 weeks, depending on things like the age and type of vehicle, the manufacturer's recommendations, the distances and speeds it travels, and the terrain it works in.
- Older vehicles. Vehicles and trailers aged 12 years and older have a minimum inspection frequency of 6 weeks.
- Mileage-based programmes may suit some operators, but must be linked to time.
- Records. A safety inspection report must be completed for each inspection, and records must be kept for at least 15 months.
If your vans fall outside operator licensing, the guide says its general principles could equally apply to light goods vehicles below the thresholds. GOV.UK also lists some goods vehicles that don't need an operator's licence, so check before you decide either way.
Keeping servicing on track
A schedule only works if someone knows when each van is due. A few habits help:
- Record every service. Keep the date, the mileage, what was done, who did it, the cost and the invoice. That record shows the van was maintained to the manufacturer's recommendations, as HSE expects.
- Know the next due date and mileage. Write both down after each service, so you can see which limit a van will reach first.
- Use real mileage. The mileage recorded at each MOT shows roughly how far a van travels in a year. High-mileage vans need checking more often against their mileage limit.
- Don't wait for the service to fix defects. Daily walkaround checks pick up tyres, lights, fluids and warning lights between services. HSE expects defects to be put right promptly. Our van walkaround checklist and defect report guide cover how.
- Plan around the MOT. DVSA's guide notes that operators may plan the year around each vehicle's test date so that work isn't duplicated. Booking a service just before the MOT can mean fewer days off the road.
- Watch the costs. Compare service and repair costs across vans. A van that costs much more than the rest to keep running may be worth looking at for replacement.
- Put it in your risk assessment. Maintenance is one of the vehicle controls in a driving for work risk assessment.
Where VCT fits
VCT keeps service records and their costs on each vehicle, next to the full DVSA MOT history. That history shows every test, advisories worth watching, the mileage at each test and the van's average annual use. VCT checks every vehicle's MOT and road tax with DVSA and DVLA every night and emails reminders before they run out. See fleet MOT and tax reminders.
Between services, drivers do their walkaround checks on their phones, and every red or amber item becomes work in a defect queue with an owner. The compliance pack PDF puts inspections, defects, MOT tests, services and costs for a chosen period in one document.
VCT does not schedule safety inspections or manage operator licences. If your vans need an operator's licence, keep your inspection planner alongside it. See HGV fleet compliance for what VCT does for operators.
Sources
- GOV.UK: Legal obligations of drivers and riders
- GOV.UK: Getting an MOT
- GOV.UK: Getting an MOT: the MOT test
- GOV.UK: Being a goods vehicle operator
- DVSA: Guide to maintaining roadworthiness
- HSE: Make sure vehicles used to drive or ride for work are safe
- HSE: Workers who drive or ride for work
Checked on 14 October 2026. This guide is general information, not legal advice.