About us
Anglia Vehicle Approvals is based near Woodbridge in Suffolk. We are big fans of kitcars, custom and classic cars. We have been in the business of hand building fine quality sportscar replicas for over 30 years, giving our team considerable experience to develop a whole breadth of skills. Our versatile team is capable of undertaking work on all sorts of rare and unusual vehicles.
Specialists in vehicle IVA [SVA] Preparation
The IVA (Individual Vehicle Approval) test preparation process can take considerable time, effort and cost. We offer a service where we prepare and present the paperwork and your vehicle for the test on your behalf. The test is performed at a DVSA centre, accompanied by one of our experienced IVA technicians. Once an IAC (Individual Approval Certificate) is obtained, registration can be applied for.
Does your project need finishing?
Is your project proving too challenging to finish?
Have you run out of time and space?
Pictured here is a Westfield X1 and an Anderson mini moke in the workshop for us to complete the build and put through a successful IVA test.
We can help by completing the job for you or we can take over the build completely from start to finish. We can also offer skills in upgrading, technical, electrical or trim. We would be pleased to discuss any additions, for reliablity, safety or personal style, allowing a car you can truly use and enjoy.
Individual Vehicle Approval [IVA]
Why do I need an IVA?
Why do I need an IVA?
Most newly built, custom built, and imported vehicles must have some form of Type Approval if you want to register your vehicle and drive on UK roads.
The DVLA/DVSA’s aim is to ensure all vehicles are registered correctly as per the rules and regulations for each vehicle classification. Heavily modified vehicles such as kit cars, custom cars and trikes are typically built by DIY enthusiasts and often amateurs. DVLA/DVSA's system is designed to ensure low volume production vehicles meet a minimum safety and environmental standard.
What is it?
Why do I need an IVA?
The IVA test (Individual Vehicle Approval), previously called SVA (single vehicle approval) is a legal requirement set by the Department of Transport, which your car or motorbike (MSVA) must pass to ensure your vehicles design complies with all current UK regulations.
The test consists of a series of rigorous tests and is based on a 300 page plus manual of which the DVSA inspectors follow meticulously. The initial paperwork alone from DVLA is often a minefield of questions and the vehicle could fail on the smallest irregularity.
Unlike a standard MOT test, the IVA focuses on the vehicle's construction and how it was built or modified, rather than its roadworthiness at a specific point in time. A vehicle could pass its MOT but still fail an IVA if it doesn't meet the construction standards.
What do we do - THE PROCESS
- Inspection of your car & estimation of costs for work required
- Evaluating all paperwork for your vehicle, from purchase date.
- Examining existing DVLA correspondence.
- Collection & delivery transport, if required.
- Booking in and examining the car on arrival at the workshop.
- Preparation and submission of all DVLA/DVSA application documentation.
- Modification to your vehicle (to achieve UK type approval).
- Transport to and from the DVSA test centre (and re-test if required).
- During the test your vehicle is accompanied by our own IVA technicians
- Post- test documentation preparation for registration.
Registration
You will now have the IAC (Individual Approval Certificate) for your car. The next step is to apply for registration. We can prepare the paperwork for the registration or guide you through it. We can also supply and fit number plates should you require them.
Delivery & Collection
Fully insured covered trailer can be arranged for nationwide collection and delivery of your vehicle or project to the workshop and back if you wish. Please give us your postcode and we will send you a quote.
Does your project need finishing?
Perhaps you have lost interest, lost your space and/or run out of time?
What if your car requires finishing or checking from various levels of build? Maybe the project has proved to be too challenging and you just want the car built and on the road.
Our specialised technicians, are very experienced in car builds and can complete the build for you, get it IVA'd and registered, ready for you to drive away and enjoy.
Please contact us to discuss what you would like us to do and we can estimate what time and costs are involved to finish the build. We maintain a policy of continuous communication and transparency with our customers during the build. We follow your instructions and are mindful of the budget you set. If further work or steps are required, all is logged with written agreement before carried out.
We offer national collection and delivery of your vehicle in a covered trailer if you do not have means of transport.
Call us on 07840 233034 or 01728 745000
From Forgotten Project to Road-Ready Adventure
Turning a Six-Wheeled Camper Van dream into Reality
In March 2024, we were contacted by a couple who were at their wit’s end. Two years earlier, they had purchased what they thought would be an exciting project: a six-wheeled camper van. Unfortunately, the reality was quite different. Despite their best efforts, the van had never made it onto the road, and after several failed type approval attempts, they feared their dream might never come true.
Their mission was clear—to find someone who could finally get the unusual vehicle through an IVA (Individual Vehicle Approval) test so it could be legally registered for UK roads. With its unusual third axle modification carried out more than a decade ago, it was far from straightforward.
When the owners reached out, we reassured them that anything is possible. Although we had never worked on a camper van before, let alone one with six wheels, non-standard vehicles are our speciality, and we were ready to take on the challenge. That confidence was put to the test the day the van arrived at our workshop on the back of a truck. Having been left in a field for more than two years, it was in a poor state of repair. Brakes and ABS needed attention, electrical systems were failing, tyres had perished, seats and seatbelts were unusable, and a long list of issues from its previous IVA attempt awaited us.
The sheer size of the van brought added complexity. Too large for our workshop, it had to remain outside, with every repair carried out in the yard whenever the weather allowed. Over the following weeks, we worked tirelessly to restore the vehicle, tackling each fault one by one and preparing it for its all-important IVA test.
When test day arrived, there was extra pressure: due to transportation costs, the van had to complete the 90-mile round trip to the test centre under its own power. Thankfully, our hard work paid off. The vehicle passed its IVA test on the very first attempt, a huge milestone for both our team and the relieved owners.
Before handing it back, we gave the van a full valet, a professional machine polish, and installed a reversing camera—an essential addition for a vehicle more than six metres long. Finally, the couple collected their road-legal camper van and set off on a leisurely journey home to the south coast, enjoying a few campsite stops along the way.
What began as a call of desperation ended in success. With determination and expertise, we transformed a forgotten project into a safe, compliant, and road-ready camper van—proving once again that with the right team, anything really is possible!
Member of Historic & Classic Vehicles Alliance
We are proud members of the HVCA, The Historic & Classic Vehicles Alliance at
Bicester Heritage, Bicester. We are committed to support the not-for-profit trade organisation representing the interests of the historic and classic vehicle sector in the UK. It was established in 2021 to act as a collective voice for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) within the industry, as well as supporting individual owners and enthusiasts. The HCVA aims to protect, preserve, and promote classic vehicles and the businesses that support them.
Click on the logo for more information.
