PG9 Prohibition: An HGV Operator’s Removal and Follow-Up Process

A PG9 prohibition creates two separate jobs. The first is to keep the vehicle or trailer from unlawful use, repair it and obtain the required removal notice. The second is to understand why the defect reached the roadside and whether the maintenance system failed.

Do not let urgency collapse those jobs into “get it fixed and move on”. A repair without a system review can leave the same weakness elsewhere in the fleet.

Read the notice before arranging movement

DVSA or police can issue an immediate or delayed prohibition. An immediate prohibition prevents use until the problem is fixed and the prohibition removed. A delayed prohibition provides a limited period to repair, with the deadline based on the defect circumstances. A vehicle and trailer are treated as separate units, so one stop can produce more than one notice.

Record the notice number, issuing body, vehicle or trailer, defect wording, prohibition type, effective time, reinspection requirement and any immobilisation. Photograph the notice and condition without altering evidence unnecessarily.

Make a safe recovery plan

For an immediate prohibition, do not drive the unit as though VOR is only an office label. Follow the examiner’s instructions and use competent recovery or authorised movement arrangements. For a delayed prohibition, plan repair and reinspection inside the stated period; the remaining days are not permission to ignore a safety risk.

Notify the maintenance provider, transport manager and insurer where required. Reallocate the job and tell the customer only what is operationally necessary. Preserve tachograph, load and site information relevant to the event.

Repair and prepare for reinspection

The prohibition notice states whether a full or partial inspection is required. GOV.UK explains that a full inspection is equivalent to an annual test, while a partial inspection covers the prohibited items and certain safety-critical systems. The vehicle or trailer must go to an authorised testing facility and the operator pays the repair and inspection costs.

Give the repairer the exact PG9 wording and require a written job card showing diagnosis, work, parts, technician and final checks. Review related systems rather than repairing only the visible symptom where a competent inspection indicates a wider risk.

Do not use it again until removal is evidenced

Passing the required inspection produces a prohibition removal notice, commonly referred to as PG10 evidence. In 2026, DVSA moved PG10 clearance notices to email. Store the received notice against the correct asset and confirm the prohibition is removed before dispatch.

The repair invoice alone is not the removal notice. Nor is a telephone assurance that the unit “passed”. Make the return-to-service decision explicit, with the person, time and evidence recorded.

Treat an S mark as a system warning

An S-marked prohibition indicates the examiner considers the severe defect attributable to a significant failure in the maintenance system. DVSA is likely to follow up with an assessment of maintenance procedures.

Escalate immediately to the transport manager and director responsible for the licence. Preserve recent PMIs, driver checks, defect reports, brake evidence, provider records and related vehicles. Consider competent independent advice and an audit; do not rewrite historic documents.

Investigate the failed control

Use a timeline:

1. last meaningful driver check;
2. last PMI and brake assessment;
3. previous reports of the component or symptom;
4. repair and sign-off history;
5. vehicle use since the last inspection;
6. roadside finding and examiner classification;
7. repair diagnosis and prohibition removal.

Ask whether the defect was detectable, whether the inspection was adequate, whether the driver reported symptoms, whether the office closed a defect prematurely and whether provider performance needs review. Sample similar vehicles or components based on risk.

HauliK’s defect records can connect checks, evidence and office decisions, but the operator and competent maintenance professionals decide safety, repair and return to service.

Update the prohibition register

Record immediate, delayed and S-marked prohibitions, vehicle/trailer, defect category, cause, repair, PG10 date, downtime, provider and corrective actions. Review trends alongside OCRS, annual-test results and recurring defects.

Close corrective actions only after verification. A toolbox talk is not enough if the cause was an unsuitable inspection sheet or missing workshop evidence.

If you disagree with the prohibition

GOV.UK provides a complaint route to the issuing police force or DVSA. It warns operators not to repair or adjust the vehicle while a complaint about the finding is being considered, because that can remove the evidence. Obtain prompt advice and follow the official timescale and instructions.

Safety and lawful vehicle control still come first. A dispute is not permission to use a prohibited vehicle.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between PG9 and PG10?

PG9 is the prohibition notice. PG10 is the evidence that the prohibition has been removed after the required process. Keep both with the asset and investigation record.

Can a delayed prohibition vehicle continue working?

The notice gives a limited period, but the operator must still assess roadworthiness and meet the repair and reinspection deadline. Follow the notice and competent advice.

Does repair automatically remove the prohibition?

No. Where reinspection is required, the prohibition remains until the authorised process produces the removal notice.

Should every PG9 lead to an independent audit?

Not automatically. The response should be proportionate to severity, S marking, recurrence and evidence of system weakness. An S mark or pattern warrants urgent specialist attention.