UK garage & workshop compliance
UK Garage Compliance Checklist: What Your Workshop Should Review
What compliance does a UK garage need to think about? This practical checklist brings together the main health and safety, workshop equipment, environmental, MOT, bodyshop and business areas that may apply to a garage, repair workshop or MOT centre.
Reviewed against current UK regulator guidance: August 2026.
There is no single checklist that applies identically to every garage
A general repair garage, MOT station, bodyshop and EV specialist can all have different requirements. Your duties depend on the work you carry out, the equipment and substances you use, your premises, your employees and any regulated services you offer. Use this page as a structured review, then confirm the requirements that actually apply to your business.
1. Identify what applies
Work through each area and rule out activities you genuinely do not undertake.
2. Check your evidence
Confirm the current report, assessment, certificate, training record or procedure is easy to find.
3. Track the next action
Give inspections, reviews, renewals and corrective actions an owner and a due date.
Not sure which requirements apply to your garage?
Answer a short set of practical questions and Motor Trade Ready will turn your answers into a tailored starting roadmap for the workshop.
Build My Free Garage Compliance RoadmapGarage compliance checklist contents
- 1. Health and safety responsibilities and risk assessments
- 2. COSHH and hazardous substances
- 3. Vehicle lifts and lifting equipment
- 4. Air compressors and pressure systems
- 5. Electrical safety and inspections
- 6. Fire risk assessment, flammables and hot work
- 7. LEV, welding fumes, dusts and vapours
- 8. Health surveillance, noise and exposure risks
- 9. PPE, RPE, first aid and accident reporting
- 10. Waste, hazardous waste and environmental duties
- 11. Training, competence, inspections and calibration
- 12. MOT centre and tester requirements
- 13. Electric and hybrid vehicle workshop safety
- 14. Bodyshop, spray booth and isocyanate controls
- 15. Vehicle air conditioning and F-gas requirements
- 16. Insurance evidence and policy conditions
- 17. Data protection, customer records and finance permissions
- 18. Documents, recurring inspections and review dates
Checklist area 1
Health and safety responsibilities and risk assessments
When this may apply
Every garage needs to manage the risks created by its premises, work activities, equipment and people. The detail should reflect the real work carried out at the site rather than a generic checklist.
What to review
- Who has day-to-day health and safety responsibility
- Whether risk assessments reflect current workshop activities
- Whether actions from assessments have owners and completion dates
- Whether arrangements are reviewed after incidents, new equipment or process changes
Suitable and sufficient risk assessments, action records, responsibilities, health and safety arrangements and review dates.
Checklist area 2
COSHH and hazardous substances
When this may apply
Relevant where you use or create substances hazardous to health, including oils, fuels, paints, cleaners, aerosols, adhesives, brake-cleaning products, dusts or welding fume.
What to review
- Which hazardous substances are actually used or generated
- Whether current safety data sheets are available where relevant
- Whether COSHH assessments match the task and exposure route
- Storage, ventilation, PPE/RPE, spill and emergency controls
COSHH assessments, safety data sheets, a substance register, storage checks, control-measure records and spill procedures.
Checklist area 3
Vehicle lifts and lifting equipment
When this may apply
Relevant where you use vehicle lifts, jacks, lifting accessories, engine hoists or other lifting equipment. Working beneath raised vehicles is a major motor-repair risk area.
What to review
- Current report of thorough examination for each applicable item
- Pre-use and routine in-house checks
- Maintenance and defect-reporting arrangements
- Whether unsafe equipment can be clearly taken out of service
Thorough examination reports, maintenance records, defect actions, equipment identification and routine inspection records.
Checklist area 4
Air compressors and pressure systems
When this may apply
Relevant where your compressed-air installation or other pressure equipment falls within the Pressure Systems Safety Regulations. Many garage compressor systems include an air receiver that needs specific attention.
What to review
- Whether the system requires a Written Scheme of Examination
- Safe operating limits and competent-person examination dates
- Receiver, pipework and safety-device condition
- Maintenance, drainage, defects and corrective actions
Written Scheme of Examination where required, examination reports, safe operating information, maintenance records and defect actions.
Checklist area 5
Electrical safety and inspections
When this may apply
Relevant to fixed electrical installations and the portable, battery-powered or workshop equipment used at the premises, with controls based on risk and the environment in which equipment is used.
What to review
- Condition and inspection status of the fixed installation
- Workshop equipment checks and maintenance
- Damaged leads, plugs, chargers and extension arrangements
- Actions from electrical inspections and reports
Electrical installation reports, recommended inspection dates, equipment checks, maintenance and remedial-action records.
Checklist area 6
Fire risk assessment, flammables and hot work
When this may apply
Every garage needs suitable fire precautions. Additional controls are particularly important where you weld, cut, grind, braze, charge batteries, store fuels or aerosols, or undertake other work that can create ignition sources.
What to review
- Current fire risk assessment and emergency arrangements
- Storage and separation of flammable materials
- Hot-work controls and permit arrangements where used
- Fire detection, alarms, exits and extinguisher servicing
Fire risk assessment, emergency arrangements, servicing records, evacuation information, hot-work procedures and permits where used.
Checklist area 7
LEV, welding fumes, dusts and vapours
When this may apply
Relevant where local exhaust ventilation is used to control welding fume, dust, vapour or other airborne contaminants. HSE expects welding-fume exposure to be controlled regardless of how much welding is carried out.
What to review
- Whether extraction is suitable for the task and positioned correctly
- User checks and signs of reduced extraction performance
- Thorough examination and test dates
- RPE arrangements where extraction alone does not adequately control exposure
LEV thorough examination and test reports, maintenance records, user checks, RPE records where relevant and corrective actions.
Checklist area 8
Health surveillance, noise and exposure risks
When this may apply
Relevant where the risk assessment identifies exposure that may require health surveillance or other monitoring, for example isocyanates, some welding exposures, vibration, noise or substances that can cause occupational disease.
What to review
- Whether risk assessments identify health-surveillance triggers
- Whether surveillance is being provided where required
- Noise and hand-arm vibration exposure controls
- Confidentiality and follow-up of occupational-health recommendations
Health-surveillance arrangements and health records where required, exposure assessments, occupational-health recommendations and action records.
Checklist area 9
PPE, RPE, first aid and accident reporting
When this may apply
Relevant to every garage, with the level of provision reflecting the hazards, workforce and activities at the site. PPE should support, not replace, better risk controls where those are reasonably practicable.
What to review
- PPE/RPE selection, condition, storage and user training
- Face-fit testing where tight-fitting RPE is used
- First-aid needs and supplies
- Accident, near-miss and RIDDOR reporting arrangements
PPE issue/inspection records where useful, face-fit evidence where applicable, first-aid checks, accident and near-miss records and RIDDOR reports where reportable incidents occur.
Checklist area 10
Waste, hazardous waste and environmental duties
When this may apply
Relevant where you produce, store or transfer business waste such as waste oil, filters, batteries, tyres, solvents, contaminated materials or refrigerant. Waste producers have a continuing duty of care over how their waste is handled.
What to review
- Whether waste is correctly identified, classified and stored
- Whether waste carriers and receiving sites are appropriately authorised
- Waste transfer notes and hazardous-waste consignment paperwork
- Spill prevention, segregation and emergency arrangements
Waste transfer notes, carrier checks, hazardous-waste consignment notes and returns where required, storage controls, collection schedules and spill records.
Checklist area 11
Training, competence, inspections and calibration
When this may apply
Relevant to every garage, but the evidence should reflect the actual work, vehicles, machinery and regulated activities undertaken rather than a generic training matrix.
What to review
- Who is authorised and competent to use key equipment
- Training expiry or refresher dates
- Calibration/inspection dates for equipment that depends on accurate measurement
- How new starters and contractors are inducted
Training and competence records, inductions, equipment registers, calibration certificates, inspection schedules and action logs.
Checklist area 12
MOT centre and tester requirements
When this may apply
Relevant only if you operate an authorised MOT testing station or manage MOT testers. MOT compliance brings additional DVSA-specific responsibilities alongside normal workshop duties.
What to review
- Authorised Examiner and site responsibilities
- Tester annual training and assessment status
- Quality-control checks and corrective actions
- MOT equipment, calibration and actions arising from site reviews
Tester training and assessment evidence, quality-control records, equipment information, calibration evidence and actions arising from DVSA reviews.
Checklist area 13
Electric and hybrid vehicle workshop safety
When this may apply
Relevant where staff inspect, service, repair or recover electric or hybrid vehicles, especially where work could expose people to high-voltage systems or damaged traction batteries.
What to review
- Which tasks staff are trained and authorised to perform
- Isolation, signage and safe-working arrangements
- Tools, PPE and emergency procedures
- Controls for damaged vehicles or batteries
Competence/training evidence, risk assessments, safe systems of work, equipment checks and incident/emergency arrangements.
Checklist area 14
Bodyshop, spray booth and isocyanate controls
When this may apply
Relevant where you undertake body repair, sanding, refinishing or paint spraying. Isocyanate-containing products and body-preparation dusts can create significant respiratory risks.
What to review
- Spray-booth and extraction performance
- Isocyanate exposure controls and RPE
- Health-surveillance arrangements where required
- Dust extraction, sanding and cleaning methods
Spray-booth/LEV examinations, maintenance, RPE and face-fit evidence, relevant health-surveillance records and competence information.
Checklist area 15
Vehicle air conditioning and F-gas requirements
When this may apply
Relevant where the business services, recovers or handles refrigerant in vehicle air-conditioning systems. The exact duties depend on the refrigerant, activity and equipment used.
What to review
- Whether staff hold the required competence/qualification for the work
- Recovery equipment and maintenance
- Refrigerant purchasing, handling and storage controls
- Records required for the activity and refrigerant handled
Competence evidence, equipment information, refrigerant/recovery records where required and maintenance documentation.
Checklist area 16
Insurance evidence and policy conditions
When this may apply
Relevant to all trading garages, with the cover needed depending on employees, premises, vehicles in your custody, road risks, services and insurer terms.
What to review
- Employers' liability cover where required
- Motor trade, road-risk, premises and liability cover appropriate to activities
- Inspection, security or storage conditions within policies
- Renewal dates, declared activities and material changes
Policy schedules, employers' liability certificate where required, inspection reports, renewal information and evidence needed to meet policy conditions.
Checklist area 17
Data protection, customer records and finance permissions
When this may apply
Relevant where you hold customer or employee personal data, use marketing, offer or introduce finance, or carry out other regulated activity. This sits alongside workshop safety rather than replacing it.
What to review
- Privacy information and lawful handling of personal data
- Access, retention and deletion controls
- Marketing consent/legitimate-interest arrangements where relevant
- FCA permissions or authorised arrangements where finance is introduced
Privacy information, data-handling procedures, consent or marketing records where relevant, retention arrangements and evidence of appropriate permissions/authorisation.
Checklist area 18
Documents, recurring inspections and review dates
When this may apply
A garage can have the right documents and still fall behind if inspections, training, renewals and reviews are not actively tracked. Compliance management therefore needs a reliable calendar and action process.
What to review
- Which documents have expiry, examination or review dates
- Who owns each recurring action
- How overdue actions are escalated
- Whether superseded documents are clearly archived and current versions are easy to find
A current compliance register or roadmap, document version history, renewal dates, inspection schedules, action owners and evidence that overdue items are closed out.
Insurance documents and renewal readiness
Insurance is one part of an organised workshop record set. For practical information on a certificate of garage insurance, policy schedules and the supporting compliance evidence an insurer or broker may ask for, use the dedicated garage insurance checklist.
Authoritative UK guidance used for this checklist
Motor Trade Ready uses regulator and government guidance as the starting point for compliance content. Requirements can change and can depend on the facts of your business, so use the source material below when you need to confirm a legal or technical point.
- HSE: Health and safety in motor vehicle repair
- HSE: COSHH essentials for motor vehicle repair
- HSE: Working under vehicles
- HSE: Welding fume controls
- HSE: Written schemes of examination for pressure systems
- GOV.UK: Business waste responsibilities
- GOV.UK: Waste transfer notes
- GOV.UK: Hazardous waste producers and holders
Garage compliance checklist FAQs
What compliance does a UK garage need?
A UK garage needs to consider the health, safety, environmental, employment and business requirements that apply to its actual work. A general repair workshop, MOT centre and bodyshop will not have exactly the same obligations, so the starting point should be the activities, equipment, people and services at the site.
Does every garage need the same compliance documents?
No. The right documents depend on your activities, equipment, premises, employees and services. A useful compliance system should identify what applies and avoid creating paperwork that does not reflect the business.
Does a garage need a risk assessment?
Employers and self-employed businesses have duties to assess and control health and safety risks. For a garage, the assessment should cover the real workshop activities and hazards, with extra detail where higher-risk work such as lifting, welding, paint spraying or high-voltage vehicle work is carried out.
How often should vehicle lifts be thoroughly examined?
HSE guidance for motor vehicle repair recommends six-monthly thorough examination of vehicle lifts because people routinely work beneath raised vehicles, although LOLER also allows examination intervals to be set through a competent person's examination scheme. Always follow the current report and competent-person advice for the equipment.
How often does garage LEV need testing?
HSE states that local exhaust ventilation used to control welding fume should be thoroughly examined and tested at least every 14 months. Other systems may have task-specific requirements, so use the current competent-person report and applicable COSHH guidance.
Do garages need COSHH assessments?
Where a garage uses or creates substances hazardous to health, COSHH assessment and suitable controls are likely to be relevant. Typical examples include oils, fuels, paints, cleaners, aerosols, welding fume and dust generated by workshop processes.
How long should a garage keep waste paperwork?
In England, GOV.UK says non-hazardous waste transfer notes should generally be kept for 2 years. Hazardous-waste producers and holders normally keep their hazardous-waste register records for 3 years at the premises. Different arrangements can apply elsewhere in the UK, so check the rules for your nation.
What records should a garage keep for compliance?
Typical records include risk assessments, training evidence, equipment inspections, maintenance, examination reports, waste paperwork, fire-safety checks, health-surveillance evidence where required and actions taken. The record set should match the activities actually undertaken.
Are MOT and bodyshop requirements included for every garage?
No. MOT-centre controls apply to authorised MOT testing stations, while paint, spray-booth and bodyshop controls apply only where those activities are undertaken. The same principle applies to EV, F-gas and finance requirements.
What is the easiest way to keep garage compliance up to date?
Start with a clear list of requirements that apply to your garage, attach the right evidence to each area, give recurring actions an owner and due date, and review the list whenever your staff, equipment, services or premises change.
Turn the checklist into a working compliance roadmap
A useful compliance system should tell you what applies, what evidence you already have, what is missing and what needs reviewing next — rather than simply giving you more documents to store.
Start My Free Garage Compliance CheckMotor Trade Ready provides general guidance and administrative tools. It does not provide legal advice, formal certification or a guarantee of compliance. Check current regulator, insurer, competent-person and professional advice where your circumstances require it. Waste and some environmental rules differ across the UK nations; this checklist uses England-focused GOV.UK waste guidance where specific retention periods are stated.