Is Your ATL/OPTL Play Detector Compliant? New DVSA Requirements Explained!
We’re here to support you with DVSA-approved garage equipment and all the important information you need to stay compliant. The recent updates to the MOT Testing Guide on maintaining, calibrating, and recording ATL/OPTL steering and suspension play detectors are significant for all MOT Authorised Examiners (AEs) and Site Managers (SMs).
These changes help strengthen the rules, ensuring your equipment remains reliable and that MOT tests maintain their high standards. Let’s go through what you should know about the new requirements for your play detectors.
📅 New Mandatory Maintenance Periods
The updated guidance now clearly specifies how often play detectors need maintenance, depending on their operating type. These aren’t just suggestions anymore; it’s a necessary requirement that must be followed:
- Pneumatic Equipment: Maintenance must be carried out at least every 6 months.
- Hydraulic Equipment: Maintenance must be carried out at least every 12 months.
It’s crucial to stick to these minimum maintenance intervals. If not, the equipment is considered non-compliant, and testing will need to stop until you’ve completed the required inspections.
🧑🔧 Who Can Conduct the Maintenance?
This is one of the most significant changes, removing any ambiguity about who is qualified to service this essential equipment. The DVSA guidance clearly states:
“Maintenance must be conducted by the manufacturer, the manufacturer’s agent, a suitably qualified maintenance engineer, or a calibration specialist…“
This is to ensure that only personnel familiar with the equipment’s design, operation, and authorised repair procedures perform the work.
📝 The Essential ‘Declaration of Good Working Order’
The second, equally important update concerns documenting maintenance. After any maintenance is completed, two essential documents must be issued and kept as part of your VTS records:
- A Maintenance Report: This must detail any remedial work conducted during the service.
- A Signed and Dated Declaration: This is a crucial new document that serves as a formal statement confirming that the equipment is in good working order after maintenance has been completed.
Why is this declaration so important? It provides a simple, clear compliance record that clarifies equipment condition immediately after service. This documentation will likely be required for inspection during any DVSA site visit or audit.
🔑 Key Takeaway
The new rules highlight the importance of accountability. By allowing maintenance only by the manufacturer or its authorised agents and requiring a formal, signed declaration, the DVSA is making sure that play detectors, a fundamental part of ATL/OPTL testing, are maintained to the highest standards possible.