The Van Standard, published in January 2026 by RHA, is designed for businesses operating goods vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes gross vehicle weight. This includes not only van-only fleets, but also HGV operators that rely on vans for local, time-critical or specialist work.
In recent years, vans have come under closer scrutiny from enforcement bodies, particularly the UK’s Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA). Operators report increasing roadside checks and inspections, alongside persistent uncertainty about how rules apply to vans — especially around drivers’ hours, working time, international operations and employment responsibilities.
While many vans fall outside the scope of operator licensing, this does not mean operators are exempt from compliance expectations. According to the standard, it reflects what would “reasonably be expected of a professional van operator”, combining legal requirements with recognised industry best practice.
What the standard expects from operators
Rather than introducing new legislation, the document brings together the key areas that enforcement bodies are likely to examine during inspections. These include:
- Driver management, such as regular DVLA licence checks, documented induction processes, annual driving assessments and health monitoring
- Vehicle roadworthiness, including daily walk-around checks, defect reporting, rectification records, servicing schedules and tyre management
- Drivers’ hours and working time, covering domestic rules, EU/assimilated rules where applicable, and tachograph obligations
- Operational controls, including safe loading procedures, mobile phone policies, vulnerable road user awareness and vehicle security
- Employment and health & safety, such as written terms and conditions, grievance procedures, risk assessments and accident reporting systems
A central theme is the need for documented evidence. Operators are expected not only to follow procedures, but to retain records that demonstrate compliance — from licence checks and training acknowledgements to defect reports and working time records.
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Vans increasingly treated like trucks
The guidance makes clear that vans, particularly those used intensively or as part of mixed fleets, are now being assessed in a way that increasingly resembles HGV compliance.
Quarterly licence checks, formal defect auditing, structured maintenance planning and defined management responsibility — long standard practice in truck fleets — are presented as reasonable expectations for professional van operations as well.
The document also addresses common misunderstandings around exemptions. While some van drivers may fall outside EU drivers’ hours rules or Driver CPC requirements, these exemptions are limited and conditional. The standard stresses that drivers must be trained to understand which rules apply to their specific operation and when records are required.
Clarifying what “good” looks like
Commenting on the launch, Richard Smith, Managing Director of the Road Haulage Association, said van operators are “doing more than ever, often with tighter margins and greater scrutiny”, adding that the guidance is intended to reduce uncertainty and help businesses protect themselves.
The association says the standard responds to long-standing concerns from operators that van compliance rules are fragmented and difficult to interpret — particularly for businesses running mixed fleets or working across borders.
The standard does not introduce new legal obligations and does not replace professional legal advice. However, it provides a clear benchmark against which operators can assess their current systems and identify weaknesses before they result in enforcement action.
