Is Your Fleet Compliant? DVS, Progressive Safe System and FORS Explained
- Samuel Woodruff
- Jul 29
- 4 min read
Keeping an HGV fleet compliant is not just about fitting a camera and assuming the job is done. Vehicle weight, where the vehicle operates, its Direct Vision Standard star rating, the equipment fitted and the evidence you retain can all affect what is required.
This guide explains the current position as at 29 July 2026. Requirements can change, so always check your own vehicles against the latest official Transport for London (TfL) and FORS guidance before operating or attending an audit.
Who needs a Direct Vision Standard permit?
All heavy goods vehicles over 12 tonnes gross vehicle weight that enter or operate in most of Greater London require a valid HGV Safety Permit. The scheme operates 24 hours a day, every day of the year, and applying for a permit is free.
A vehicle’s DVS star rating measures how much a driver can see directly through the cab windows. Ratings run from zero to five stars. Vehicles rated below three stars must be fitted with the Progressive Safe System before a permit can be granted. Legacy permits for zero-, one- and two-star vehicles expired on 27 October 2024, so affected vehicles need the upgraded system and a new permit.
What does the Progressive Safe System require?
The Progressive Safe System is a defined group of safety measures. It is not a generic camera package. The required specification includes:
• A camera monitoring system covering the nearside blind spot.
• Class V and Class VI mirrors, or an approved camera monitoring system used as an alternative where permitted.
• A Blind Spot Information System (BSIS) providing full coverage along the nearside and designed to warn about vulnerable road users without reacting unnecessarily to roadside furniture or stationary vehicles.
• A Moving Off Information System (MOIS) covering the front blind spot.
• Side under-run protection, where applicable.
• An audible warning that alerts vulnerable road users when the vehicle turns left.
• External warning signage.
Correct equipment selection, positioning, field of view, warning behaviour and installation evidence all matter. A system may look similar to compliant equipment but still fail to meet the required performance or coverage.
How FORS fits alongside DVS and PSS
FORS is a voluntary accreditation scheme, but many contracts, clients and procurement frameworks require it. The current FORS Standard is version 7.1, issued in June 2025.
At FORS Silver, requirement S6 covers vehicle safety equipment. The Standard recognises several routes depending on the vehicle and its existing approval. These include a three-star-or-higher DVS vehicle with the specified additional equipment, a vehicle fitted with the Progressive Safe System, certain vehicles meeting GSR2 requirements with additional warnings and signage, or an enhanced camera and detection package.
This means DVS, PSS and FORS overlap, but they are not interchangeable labels. A valid TfL permit does not automatically prove that every FORS requirement has been addressed, and FORS accreditation does not remove the need for a TfL permit when an affected HGV operates in Greater London.
Operators should also retain evidence. Depending on the route used, this can include a valid permit or register record, photographs of fitted equipment and signage, supplier invoices and a completed vehicle safety equipment report. Rigid goods vehicles of 7.5 tonnes or more may also require rear blind-spot camera coverage under the relevant FORS equipment option.
Practical fleet compliance checklist
Use this as a starting point for each vehicle:
1. Confirm the vehicle’s gross weight, operating area and DVS star rating.
2. Check whether the vehicle needs a TfL HGV Safety Permit and whether the current permit remains valid.
3. For vehicles below three stars, confirm that every PSS element is fitted to the required specification.
4. Check camera views, sensor coverage and audible warnings in real operating conditions—not only when the vehicle is stationary in the workshop.
5. Make sure external warning signage is correctly positioned and in good condition.
6. Build safety-system checks into the driver’s daily walk-around inspection and defect-reporting process.
7. Keep photographs, installation records, invoices, permit confirmations and vehicle equipment reports together for each registration.
8. Recheck the fleet when a vehicle is replaced, its bodywork changes, equipment is moved or a contract introduces a new standard.
9. Review the latest TfL and FORS publications before permit renewals or audits.
Common mistakes to avoid
• Assuming any side camera is a compliant nearside camera monitoring system.
• Fitting sensors with gaps in coverage or repeated false alerts that encourage drivers to ignore warnings.
• Forgetting that the front blind spot requires its own MOIS solution.
• Treating permit approval as a substitute for routine system checks and maintenance.
• Failing to keep clear photographs and supplier evidence for audits or applications.
• Using generic claims such as “FORS compliant” without checking the exact vehicle, accreditation level and evidence route.
How Samora Vision can help
Samora Vision installs camera, detection and warning systems for HGVs, vans, buses and specialist fleets across the UK. We can help you:
• Assess each vehicle and its operating requirements.
• Specify suitable nearside cameras, BSIS, MOIS, monitors, audible warnings, signage and recording equipment.
• Plan single-vehicle or nationwide fleet rollouts around operational availability.
• Complete tidy, dependable installations with minimal vehicle downtime.
• Provide supporting installation photographs and records for your permit or audit file.
• Upgrade, test or replace existing equipment where coverage or reliability is no longer adequate.
Need a clearer view of your fleet’s position? Request a fleet compliance assessment from Samora Vision. Call 01604 918406 or email info@samoravision.co.uk.
Official sources
Transport for London — Direct Vision Standard and HGV Safety Permits:
Transport for London — DVS star ratings and the Progressive Safe System:
FORS — Current FORS Standard:
Important: This article is general information, not legal or accreditation advice. Requirements depend on the vehicle, operation and scheme version. TfL issues HGV Safety Permits and FORS manages FORS accreditation. Samora Vision supplies and installs supporting vehicle safety systems; it does not issue permits or certify FORS accreditation.
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