Setting up an Approved Tachograph Centre (ATC)

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1. How to apply

If you want to set up an Approved Tachograph Centre (ATC), you will need to read the ATC manual and fill in form GV207.

Send your application to the address on the form.

You can also contact the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) for the form and manual.

DVSA
Telephone: 0300 123 9000
Monday to Friday, 7:30am to 6pm
Find out about call charges

2. Costs and equipment

It costs:

  • 拢361 to register as an Approved Tachograph Centre (ATC)
  • 拢148 to renew your registration each year

You can register to work on analogue tachographs, digital tachographs, or both.

Equipment

The ATC manual tells you what equipment you鈥檒l need to buy.

3. Who can work for you

You can only employ 鈥榥ominated technicians鈥� to carry out work at an Approved Tachograph Centre (ATC). They must be skilled technicians with experience working on tachographs.

If they need to road test vehicles, they must also have a driving licence for the relevant categories of vehicles they鈥檙e testing.

They鈥檒l also need to hold a 鈥榗ertificate of competence鈥� for each class of tachograph (digital, analogue or both) that they want to work on.

They鈥檒l get this only after they鈥檝e successfully completed a DVSA-approved training course. You鈥檒l find details in the ATC manual.

4. Tachograph workshop smart cards

A tachograph workshop card is used to calibrate digital tachographs. To be eligible for a workshop card, you must:

  • be a nominated technician working at an Approved Tachograph Centre (ATC) with digital status
  • hold a digital training certificate

Tachograph workshop cards are issued free of charge. They are automatically renewed every year on 31 March.

The cards are issued to a nominated technician, not to a centre - this means that only the individual who has the card can use it.

If you鈥檙e the nominated technician and you work at 2 workshops, you鈥檒l need a card for each workshop.

How to apply

Print off and fill in form D778B and send it to DVSA, with a copy of an up-to-date analogue and digital training certificate.

DVSA
PO Box 343
Swansea
SA1 2YS

Once DVSA has checked and approved your application it will be forwarded to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), who will issue your card to the ATC where you work.

You鈥檒l need a PIN code to use a workshop card. This will be sent to your home address, and must only be used by you.

If you enter the wrong PIN code 5 times in a row it will lock the card and you鈥檒l need to apply for a new card using form D778B. You鈥檒l also be issued with a new PIN code

Read 鈥楬ow to fill in your application for a digital tachograph workshop card (D778B)鈥� before you fill in the form.

For more help, contact the DVSA helpline.

DVSA helpline
Telephone: 0300 123 9000
Find out about call charges

Working with tachograph workshop cards

Workshop cards can hold:

  • details of 88 calibrations
  • a small amount of events and faults data

A workshop card must not be used instead of a company card. If you have a card used by your calibration centre, this must only be used in accordance with the tachograph centre鈥檚 duties and not as a substitute company card.

All insertions of a card are recorded on the vehicle unit and the card.

Renewal of workshop cards

DVLA sends a renewal list to DVSA 2 months before a card鈥檚 expiry. This is then checked and returned to DVLA with details of technicians whose cards can be renewed.

You must report any lost or stolen cards to DVSA and the police immediately.

If your card is lost or stolen, you can apply for a replacement by printing off and filling in form D778B to DVSA. You鈥檒l need to provide a police incident reference number for stolen cards.

If your card stops working

Try using the card in a different vehicle unit. If it still does not work, print off and fill in form D778B and sent it with the faulty card to DVSA to get a new card.

Any misuse of workshop cards may lead to the withdrawal of your nominated technician and tachograph centre鈥檚 approval.