Fitness Certificate (FC)

Every transport vehicle must hold a valid Certificate of Fitness confirming it has been inspected and found roadworthy. A new commercial vehicle typically receives a longer initial validity, after which it must be renewed on a shorter recurring cycle, with the interval shortening further as the vehicle ages.

Inspection is moving from manual assessment to Automated Testing Stations, which measure brakes, suspension, emissions, headlamp alignment and play in the steering on instrumented equipment. The intent is to remove discretion from the process, and it means vehicles that would previously have passed on appearance now fail on measurement.

An expired FC is among the most damaging documents to let lapse. The vehicle is not merely liable to penalty — it is not legally fit to be on the road, which gives an insurer a strong position to resist any claim arising while it was operating. This is precisely why dispatch should be blocked in software on FC expiry rather than relying on a reminder.