Van Compliance Is Moving Closer to HGV Standards

For years, van operators have generally faced a lighter compliance framework than HGV operators. That gap is narrowing. Fleet News reports that Arval, one of the UK's largest fleet leasing and mobility specialists, is warning businesses running light commercial vehicles (LCVs) that legislative changes and greater evidential scrutiny are pushing van fleet governance closer to standards familiar to HGV operators.

What's driving the shift

According to Arval's warning, van operators are facing a growing list of regulatory obligations, including changes affecting MOT testing, drivers' hours and tachograph requirements. It is a meaningful shift for an asset class that has traditionally carried a lighter compliance burden than HGVs.

It is a particularly live issue for businesses adopting heavier 4.25-tonne electric vans to replace 3.5-tonne diesel models. Operators need to check the rules that apply to each vehicle and journey rather than assuming every van is governed in the same way.

It's not just the rules — it's the evidence

Eddie Parker, LCV consultant at Arval, says the exposure for many businesses is not any single rule change. It is whether their existing fleet governance — policies, procedures and record-keeping — has kept pace with how regulators and enforcement bodies view van operations.

HGV operators are used to working within formal compliance structures: transport managers, maintenance controls, fatigue management systems, driver training records and documented incident procedures. Van fleets do not always have the same infrastructure, which can leave an evidential gap when something goes wrong.

Where van fleets can fall down

Many operators have policies covering driver fatigue, mobile phone use or daily vehicle checks. The harder question is proving what happened. Can you show how a policy was enforced? How training was delivered and whether drivers understood it? How a manager responded when an issue was flagged?

These questions become important when the police, the Health and Safety Executive or another enforcement body investigates a serious incident, because scrutiny can extend beyond the collision itself into the systems intended to prevent it.

Growth is outpacing governance

Arval's 2026 Mobility Observatory Barometer found that 35% of fleets expected to be running more vans within the next three years, five percentage points higher than the previous year. Fleets may be growing faster than the governance supporting that growth.

As Parker put it, van fleets are not about to face full HGV-level oversight overnight, but "the gap between the two is narrowing."

What to check now

Arval's advice for LCV operators can be turned into three practical questions:

• Are incident procedures tested and understood, rather than simply written and filed away?
• Is management responsibility for compliance clearly defined?
• Could you retrieve clear records if an insurer, DVSA or the HSE asked to see them?

If the answer to any of these is unclear, review the process before an incident or roadside check exposes the gap.

How Fleet Track PRO supports clearer records

Fleet Track PRO is designed to help van and light commercial fleets maintain a clearer inspection and defect trail.

Instead of relying on paper checksheets or messages for defects, drivers complete their daily vehicle check in the mobile app, including the checklist, required photos and any reported defect. When a problem is flagged, managers receive a notification. Fitters can then work the issue through to close-out, keeping the report, repair and resolution in one digital record.

This workflow makes responsibility clearer across drivers, managers and fitters. Timestamped, centralised records can also help a business demonstrate that checks were completed, defects were reviewed and action was recorded. Software does not guarantee compliance or replace competent management, but it can make the evidence easier to retrieve and assess.

Fleet Track PRO is built for van and light commercial fleets rather than HGV operator-licensing management. Plans start at £8 per vehicle per month with a minimum of two vehicles, a 14-day free trial and no card required.

Start your free trial at Fleet Track PRO →

Sources and official guidance

• Fleet News: Arval warns fleets that van compliance is moving closer to HGV standards
• GOV.UK: Carry out van daily walkaround checks
• GOV.UK: Roadside checks for commercial drivers

This article summarises general principles and third-party reporting. It is not legal advice and does not guarantee that any record-keeping process will satisfy a regulator, insurer or court. Always check current GOV.UK guidance and obtain specialist advice for your operation where needed.