Commercial Vehicle Examiner (Enforcement) – London

Job summary

Please note: The Edmonton post will be based in Yeading. The Bexleyheath post will be based in Belvedere.

As a Commercial Vehicle Examiner, your work helps keep Britain’s roads safe. You will inspect commercial vehicles, identify defects, take appropriate enforcement action and provide clear technical advice to drivers, operators and colleagues.

You could be carrying out a roadside check with partner agencies, inspecting vehicles to make sure they are safe to continue their journey.

If you identify a serious defect, you will use your technical judgement to decide whether the vehicle can continue or whether enforcement action is needed.

This is an important, public-facing role where your decisions can make a direct difference to road safety.

Joining DVSA also gives you access to a wide range of Civil Service benefits, including:

• Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here
• 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave), plus 8 bank holidays a privilege day for the King’s birthday
• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.

Read more in the Benefits section below!

Find out more about what it's like working at Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency - Department for Transport Careers

Important Application Information

We are running four separate recruitment campaigns for this role. Candidates should apply to one campaign only, selecting the option that best matches their preferred location and working pattern.

Please review the below campaigns carefully before submitting your application.

1. 478488 – Commercial Vehicle Examiner (Enforcement) - Shift Working
2. 478455– Commercial Vehicle Examiner (Enforcement) - London
3. 478487– Commercial Vehicle Examiner (Enforcement) - National
4. 480919– Commercial Vehicle Examiner (Enforcement) - Shift Working - London

Job description

We are looking for practical, confident and safety-focused people to join our professional enforcement team as Commercial Vehicle Examiners.

You will help protect road users by checking that commercial vehicles meet the required safety and roadworthiness standards. You will be supported through full training and by experienced colleagues as you develop in the role.

What you could do in a typical week

• Carry out roadside checks and stop unsafe vehicles from continuing their journeys.
• Prepare clear reports based on your findings.
• Present evidence at a public inquiry or in court when required.
• Work with colleagues, partner agencies and stakeholders to support effective enforcement activity.
• Use your technical knowledge to make decisions that support safer roads.

You will also:

• Analyse data to identify discrepancies, patterns and trends.
• Respond to technical queries from customers and provide advice, guidance and education where needed.
• Keep your technical knowledge up to date and take responsibility for your development.
• Contribute to team meetings, events and continuous improvement activity.
• Act as an ambassador for DVSA and road safety.

For further information on the role, please read the role profile. Please note that the role profile is for information purposes only - whilst all elements are relevant to the role, they may not all be assessed during the recruitment process. This job advert will detail exactly what will be assessed during the recruitment process.

Open Sessions:

Would you like to find out more about the role, the team and what it’s like to work in our department? If so, we are organising an open session where you can virtually 'meet the team' on the 5th of October 2026 at 5pm. Sign up here - Commercial Vehicle Examiner event Tickets, Monday 5 October • 5 PM - 6 PM GMT+1 , Eventbrite

Person specification

Essential qualifications/licenses:

1. Applicants are required to hold a full and current car driving licence.
2. You must have a vocational related qualification in Motor Vehicle Maintenance & Repair at level 3 or IMI ATA registration at diagnostic technician level, or IRTEC registration at advanced technician level.

You will be required to provide evidence that you hold any essential qualifications/licenses at some point during the recruitment process. If you cannot provide evidence, your application will be withdrawn.

Required experience:

To be successful in this role you will need experience in the repair, maintenance or inspection of at least one type of vehicle, if not multiple, along with the relevant qualifications.

This is a hands-on technical role where an eye for detail to spot defects and problems is highly important.

The Vehicle Examiner role can be physically demanding, which could include working in inspection pits and getting in and out of vehicles.

You do not need to be an expert in the role from day one, as full training will be provided. We are particularly interested in candidates who can demonstrate:

• Resilience: you will work in a public-facing enforcement role, which may involve difficult conversations, lone working and decisions that affect drivers, operators or court proceedings.
• Teamwork: you will represent DVSA professionally while working closely with colleagues to plan, coordinate and deliver enforcement activity.
• Communication: you will need to explain technical information clearly, remain calm under pressure and provide advice, guidance and education to others.

We offer extensive training at our training centres and you will need to be proficient using laptop computers and smart phones, as we operate a digital first approach.

Additional Information

The post holder must be able to act as a credible witness in court proceedings on behalf of DVSA. Any convictions or information that could cast doubt on the reliability of a witness may affect DVSA’s ability to prosecute successfully and could damage the agency’s reputation. As part of our onboarding process, we carry out social media and online checks.

Operational Delivery Profession (ODP) is the largest and most diverse professional community across the Civil Service. Many of us will have an association with several professional communities or specialisms, ODP applies to all public facing roles / or a role that is primarily aligned to supporting the work of those with public facing roles. All critical to the delivery of UK public services.

Working hours, office attendance and travel requirements

Full time roles consist of 37 hours per week.

Whilst we welcome applications from candidates seeking part time/flexible working hours, there will be a business requirement for candidates to work a minimum number of hours for specific locations. For further information please contact frontline.recruitment@DVSA.GOV.UK

This role is not suitable for hybrid working and will require the successful candidate to work solely from their designated workplace (one of the locations cited in the advert) or, when required for business reasons, from other offices/work locations/visiting stakeholders.

Shift pattern details: For information about the shift pattern, please contact frontline.recruitment@dvsa.gov.uk

Due to the nature of the role, there may be a requirement to travel to other DVSA locations, with the potential for overnight stays for which additional payments are made. This may also include working outside of normal hours - prior notice will be given.

There will be extensive training on all aspects of the role. Some of the training will take place in our training centres, usually in Bristol or Manchester. PLEASE NOTE: the 18-week training course is completed on a full-time basis and is non-negotiable.

If you have a question about hybrid working, part time/job share hours, flexible working, travelling for work, or require a reasonable adjustment, please contact the Vacancy Holder during the recruitment process to avoid possible disappointment later in the process should your working arrangements not be compatible with the requirements of the role (see below for contact details).

Visa Sponsorship

Please note that we do not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker Licence sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship. Candidates must ensure they have the appropriate rights to work in the UK before application.

Licences

Applicants are required to hold a full and current car driving licence.

Qualifications

You must have a vocational related qualification in Motor Vehicle Maintenance & Repair at level 3 or IMI ATA registration at diagnostic technician level, or IRTEC registration at advanced technician level.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• DVSA - Technical Competency Framework - Knowledge of Vehicles.

Benefits

Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits:

• Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here
• 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave).
• 8 Bank Holidays plus an additional Privilege Day to mark the King’s birthday.
• Access to the staff discount portal.
• Excellent career development opportunities and the potential to undertake professional qualifications relevant to your role paid for by the department, such as CIPD, Prince2, apprenticeships, etc.
• Joining a diverse and inclusive workforce with a range of staff communities to support all our colleagues.
• 24-hour Employee Assistance Programme providing free confidential help and advice for staff.
• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.

Find out more about the benefits of working at DfT and its agencies (opens in a new window).

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

Our selection process ensures a comprehensive assessment of each applicant's qualifications, skills, and potential fit within our organisation.

The selection process for this role will be:

Stage 1: Qualification check

Stage 2: Interview

You must be successful at each stage to progress to the next stage.

Stage 1: Qualification check

• You will be asked to confirm that you hold a vocational related qualification in Motor Vehicle Maintenance and Repair at level 3 or IMI ATA registration at diagnostic technician level, or IRTEC registration at advanced technician level or other relevant Motor related qualifications (see attached qualification list).

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

To progress to interview, you must meet the qualification requirements for this role. Following the closing date (12th of October 2026) applicants will have a short window of five days to provide evidence of their qualifications. Details of who to send this to will be shared after the advert closes, so please do not send evidence before you are asked to do so.

Candidates who evidence the relevant qualifications at application stage will be progressed and invited to attend an interview. We unfortunately will not be able to progress applications to interview if evidence is not provided at this stage.

The qualification sift will take place between the 13th and 19th of October 2026.

Stage 2: Interview

At interview stage, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements:

• Behaviours – Seeing the Big Picture, Making Effective Decisions, Communicating and Influencing, Delivering at Pace.
• Experience - Experience in the repair, maintenance, or inspection of at least one of the following: HGVs/LGVs/PSVs/Cars.
• Experience - Ability to pay attention to detail.
• Technical – DVSA - Technical Competency Framework - Knowledge of Vehicles.

The interviews will take place between the 2nd and 13th of November 2026.

This interview will be held in person at a DVSA office. Further details will be provided if you are selected for interview.

You can find out more about our hiring process, how to apply, and application and interview guidance on our careers site (opens in a new window).

Please note that we will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change.

Further information on the selection process

We will hold a 12-month reserve list for this role, which may lead to potential opportunities beyond the role you applied for. You can read more about our reserve lists here.

Reasonable Adjustments

As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you need a reasonable adjustment so that you can complete your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Document Accessibility

This job advert contains links to the DfT Careers website. Our website provides useful guidance and information that can support you during the application process. If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert or the information on our website, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Further Information

For more information about how we hire, and for useful tips on submitting your application for this role, visit theHow We Hire page of our DfT Careers website. You can find detailed information about the recruitment process and what to expect when applying for a role.

During your application, you should indicate which location(s) you wish to be considered for and, if successful, you will be placed on an individual list of candidates for each location. Candidates will be held on that list and drawn from it in merit order. We advise you to carefully consider which locations you wish to be considered for. If you decline an offer for a location you have expressed a preference in or have expressed an interest in more than one location and accept an offer, you will be withdrawn from any lists you may be held on. We may also offer candidates a location that they have not expressed a preference for where we have the requirement to do so but this will again be done on the basis of your place in the overall merit order and, in this event, you will not be removed from the list if you decline.

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

Pre-employment Checking

If your application is successful but you have been dismissed from the Civil Service, your application could be removed at the pre-employment checking stage depending on the nature of the dismissal.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment. A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

All External applicants and current employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) will be required to undergo a Social Media Check. A Social Media Check is a review of your publicly available online activity, typically across platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and others. The purpose is to identify any public posts or content that could raise concerns for employers, such as:

• Hate speech or discriminatory behaviour
• Threats or acts of violence
• Illegal activity or substance misuse
• Sexually explicit material
• Extremist views or affiliations

Importantly, this check does not involve hacking into your accounts or accessing private messages. It only considers content you have chosen to make public. Employers use this kind of screening to help ensure their workplace remains safe, inclusive, and aligned with company values. It’s not about judging your personality or lifestyle—it’s about checking for potential red flags that might affect the role or company culture. If you have questions or concerns about the social media check, we would be happy to explain in more detail what’s being looked at and how your data is handled securely and fairly.

Feedback

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Simon Jackson
• Email : frontline.recruitment@dvsa.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact Government Recruitment Services via email: dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website Here

Attachments

Role Profile Opens in new window (pdf, 161kB)DVSA Technical Competency Framework Opens in new window (pdf, 72kB)Employee-Value-Propoisition-Candidate-Pack-Final_compressed Opens in new window (pdf, 7318kB)Qualification list. Opens in new window (pdf, 294kB)