Garage compliance records
Garage Compliance Records Checklist: What Documents Should a UK Garage Keep?
A garage can have dozens of compliance dates, but the date alone is not the evidence. This checklist explains the reports, assessments, certificates and records a UK garage, workshop or MOT centre may need to organise so they can be found when a regulator, insurer, competent person or manager needs them.
Reviewed: 28 August 2026.
A useful compliance record should answer five questions
- What requirement, risk or piece of equipment does this record relate to?
- Who carried out the assessment, inspection, examination or review?
- When was it completed and what did it find?
- Were any defects or actions identified, and have they been closed?
- When does it need reviewing, repeating or renewing, if a future date applies?
1. Health and safety management records
Start with evidence showing how the business identifies and manages its main workplace risks.
- General workplace risk assessments relevant to the workshop and premises
- Health and safety policy where one is required, plus local procedures and responsibilities
- Accident, near-miss and RIDDOR records where applicable
- First-aid arrangements and inspection records
- Training, instruction and competence records for staff
- Evidence that actions identified by assessments or inspections have been completed
2. Vehicle lifts and lifting equipment
For garages using vehicle lifts or other lifting equipment, keep the examination and maintenance trail easy to retrieve.
- Equipment register identifying each lift or item of lifting equipment
- Current Report of Thorough Examination from the competent person
- Defect reports and evidence of remedial action
- Routine maintenance and servicing records
- The next examination date specified by the relevant examination arrangement or report
3. Compressors and pressure systems
Compressed-air systems can fall within the Pressure Systems Safety Regulations depending on the system. Keep the competent-person evidence together.
- Written Scheme of Examination where required
- Most recent examination report
- Details of the competent person or inspection provider
- Maintenance, repair and defect records
- Next examination date taken from the written scheme or competent-person report
4. COSHH, chemicals and hazardous substances
Garages commonly use oils, cleaners, aerosols, paints, fuels and other substances that need structured controls.
- Current COSHH assessments for substances and processes that create exposure risk
- Safety data sheets used to inform assessments
- Chemical and flammable-substance storage arrangements
- Spill response procedures and relevant inspection records
- PPE or RPE selection, issue and maintenance records where applicable
- Training records for staff handling hazardous substances
5. LEV, welding fumes and spray processes
Where the workshop uses local exhaust ventilation, welding extraction or spray equipment, inspection and exposure-control records are particularly important.
- LEV commissioning information and system details where available
- Thorough examination and test reports
- Maintenance and filter-change records
- User checks and defect records
- RPE fit-test and maintenance records where RPE forms part of the control strategy
- For bodyshops, spray-booth and isocyanate-control records relevant to the process
6. Fire, hot work and premises
Fire records should reflect the actual risks in the workshop, particularly where welding, cutting, fuels or flammable products are present.
- Current fire risk assessment and review record
- Fire-alarm, extinguisher and emergency-lighting service records where applicable
- Hot-work procedure and permit records where your risk assessment requires them
- Evacuation arrangements and staff fire-safety instruction
- Records of significant fire-safety defects and corrective action
7. Waste and environmental records
Garages create several waste streams, so retain evidence showing who removed the waste and how it was transferred.
- Waste transfer notes or season-ticket documentation for non-hazardous waste
- Hazardous waste consignment documentation where applicable
- Evidence that waste carriers used by the garage are appropriately registered
- Waste contractor details and service agreements
- Records for used oil, batteries, tyres, solvents and other workshop waste streams as relevant
8. Electrical, equipment and specialist inspection records
Different equipment has different maintenance and inspection needs. Keep the report rather than relying only on a date in a diary.
- Fixed electrical installation inspection reports where produced
- Electrical remedial-work evidence
- Portable and workshop-equipment maintenance records where relevant
- Calibration certificates for equipment that requires calibrated measurement
- Specialist inspection reports required by equipment type, insurer or competent person
9. Employee health and exposure records
Where risk assessment identifies the need for health surveillance or exposure monitoring, keep the records securely and for the periods required by the relevant regime.
- Health-surveillance arrangements and outcome records appropriate to the exposure
- Noise, vibration or other exposure assessments where undertaken
- Respiratory protection records and fit testing where applicable
- Training and competence evidence for higher-risk tasks
10. MOT centre and tester records
MOT stations have additional DVSA requirements. Use the current MOT Testing Guide as the source of truth for the records your station must keep.
- Tester status and annual training / assessment evidence
- Quality-control records and follow-up actions
- Equipment and calibration information required for the station
- Site roles and authorised-examiner information
- Relevant DVSA communications and corrective-action evidence
11. Insurance and business assurance records
Some records are not workshop inspections themselves but become important when demonstrating that the business is properly organised.
- Employers' liability certificate where applicable
- Motor trade and other insurance policy schedules
- Data-protection and customer-record procedures relevant to the business
- Finance or regulated-service records where the garage offers those services
- Supplier, contractor and competent-person details for recurring compliance work
Do not confuse a diary date with compliance evidence
A calendar reminder is useful, but it should point back to the underlying report, assessment or certificate. When an inspection finds a defect, keep the original finding and the evidence showing what was done next. That creates a much stronger audit trail than simply replacing an old date with a new one.
Frequently asked questions
What compliance records should a UK garage keep?
The exact list depends on the work, equipment, substances, premises and regulated activities. Common records include risk assessments, COSHH assessments, lift examination reports, pressure-system records, fire-risk assessments, LEV reports, waste-transfer documentation, training records, insurance evidence and, for MOT stations, DVSA-required records.
Do all garage records have the same retention period?
No. Different legislation and record types have different retention requirements, and some reports must be retained for specified periods. Use the relevant regulator guidance or competent-person advice for each record rather than applying one blanket retention period.
Can garage compliance records be stored digitally?
Many records can be stored digitally provided they remain accessible, complete and capable of being produced when needed. Some systems or regulators may impose additional requirements, so always check the rules that apply to the specific record.
Is a service invoice enough evidence of a statutory examination?
Not necessarily. Servicing and statutory or competent-person examination are different things. Where a formal examination report or written scheme is required, keep that document rather than relying only on a service invoice.
How should a garage organise compliance documents?
A useful structure is to organise records by compliance area, record the last review or examination date, keep the underlying report, record any defects or actions, assign responsibility and track the next review date where one applies.
Related garage compliance guidance
- UK garage compliance checklistReview the wider compliance areas that may apply to your garage.
- Vehicle lift inspection requirementsUnderstand lift examination records and practical evidence.
- Garage compressor and pressure systemsSee when written-scheme and examination records may apply.
- Garage COSHH assessmentsOrganise hazardous-substance assessments and supporting records.
- Garage LEV examinationReview extraction examination, test and maintenance records.
- Garage waste transfer notesCheck workshop waste documentation and retention requirements.
Authoritative UK guidance
Free Garage Compliance Health Check
Find out which compliance areas may apply to your workshop and create a practical roadmap of records, dates and actions to review.