GB Type Approval Scheme

This page was last updated on 15th April 2025

Light-Duty Emissions Approvals for GB Type Approval

Approval Routes

To satisfy GBTA emissions requirements for light-duty vehicles, there are currently  two primary routes available for manufacturers:

Option 1

The manufacturer applies for GBTA on the basis of holding a GB 715/2007 emissions approval (aligned to Assimilated Regulation (EU) 2017/1151 as amended by SI 2022 No. 1273)

Option 2 (available since SI 2024 No. 146)

The manufacturer applies for GBTA on the basis of holding all of the following UN type-approvals:

• R154.02 or 03 Series (Level 1A or 2)
• [R168] (if applicable*)
• R83.08 (if applicable**)
• R85
• R24.03 (optional)

*    not applicable for pure electric vehicles or fuel cell vehicles. Alternatively, evidence of compliance with Annex IIIA of Assimilated (EU) Regulation 2017/1151 may be accepted.
**    not applicable for pure electric vehicles or fuel cell vehicles, but evidence of compliance with paragraph 3 (a) (ii) of the Regulation is required (anti tampering measures applied in relation to the odometer).

 

Option 3 (Special cases)

There are instances where it is not possible to grant one or more of the required UN approvals (Option 2) due to the vehicle type being out of scope of the regulation.

Examples of this include:

• N2 category vehicles (which are out of the scope of R168); and
• Armoured vehicles with a reference mass exceeding 2,840 kg (which are out of the scope of R154 and R168).

For these cases, either Option 1 shall be followed, or:

The manufacturer applies for GBTA on the basis of holding a GB 715/2007 emissions approval, which has been granted on the basis of submitting all possible UN approvals listed in Option 2 and providing test reports demonstrating compliance with GB 715/2007 requirements for any missing approvals (such as R168 or R154).

We recognise that in order to be granted a R83.08 approval, compliance with the other aforementioned UN Regulations is required (paragraph 3.1.1. (d)), and therefore it may not be possible to obtain some of these approvals due to being out of scope (e.g. R168 and N2 category vehicles). In these cases, we will accept test reports which otherwise demonstrate compliance with the particular UN Regulation, despite the vehicle type technically being out of scope.

If there are any further cases whereby Options 1-3 do not enable a manufacturer to satisfy GBTA light-duty emissions requirements, please contact us at RTG@vca.gov.uk.

 

Euro 6e is not currently accepted for GB Type Approval

Through Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/443, the EU has amended its light-duty emissions standard to introduce Euro 6e, which is mandatory in the EU for new vehicle types from 1st September 2023, and new vehicles from 1st September 2024.

This regulation does not apply in Great Britain, and is not part of the GB type-approval framework (set out by Retained Regulation 2018/858 as amended by SI 2022/1273 and 2024/146). GB Type Approval (GBTA) currently requires Euro 6d-ISC-FCM, which is the retained emissions standard when the UK exited the EU.

Despite an acknowledgement that Euro 6e is a later standard and has more stringent requirements than 6d there is no legal basis for VCA to accept Euro 6e documentation (i.e., test reports, information documents) for GBTA.

Therefore, any GBTA applications submitted to VCA relying on Euro 6e evidence will be refused. Only test reports, test data and information documents in accordance with retained Commission Regulation (EU) 2017/1151 as amended by SI 2022/1273 will be accepted for the purposes of a GBTA application (or EU 2018/1832). All submitted documentation for a GB light-duty emissions approval will be checked by VCA, to ensure it is aligned to the Euro 6d-ISC-FCM standard. This includes test report formats and the data contained therein.

It may be possible for manufacturers to avoid double-testing according to Euro 6d and 6e, where the previously performed testing and the family definitions of the vehicle are compatible with both standards.

Please note, Euro 6e does apply in Northern Ireland, following the same implementation dates as the EU. Therefore, UK(NI) approvals will require Euro 6e from 1st September 2023 for new types. More information can be found on the UK(NI) Type Approval Scheme page.

The Department for Transport plans to consult later this year (2025) on a proposal to mandate the requirements of the latest UN Regulations from 2026. This seeks to limit further divergence between GB and EU emissions type-approval requirements.

 

UN Regulations for Light-Duty Emissions

As UN approvals do not necessarily need to be obtained from the VCA, other type-approval authorities may be used to gain these light-duty emissions approvals, which will be recognised by VCA to meet GB requirements. In these cases, VCA will not undertake any additional checking of the approval documentation, unlike a GB light-duty emission approval. For example, a GB AES/BES assessment will not need to be completed by VCA, and there are no GB ISC or CoP obligations to VCA.

 

Conformity of Production and In-Service Conformity 

The Conformity of Production (CoP) and In-Service Conformity (ISC) requirements that apply to GB light-duty emissions approvals, are those of the Euro 6d-ISC-FCM standard. As such, all associated CoP and ISC testing will be assessed by VCA in accordance with this retained standard, with reference to the vehicle’s certificate of conformity. Until 1st July 2026, there is a derogation to permit the use of EU-format CoCs in GB. Where a vehicle is to be placed on the GB market using an EU CoC with Euro 6e derived values, the individual vehicle’s CoP and ISC may be assessed against Euro 6e values. 

Application of EU Commission Notice Guidance 2023/C 68/01 in GB

VCA shall take into consideration the Commission’s guidance for all light- and heavy-duty emissions GB approval applications. This will form part of VCA’s assessment of emission strategies, defeat devices, and anti-tampering measures, facilitated through an extended documentation package provided by the manufacturer.

The guidance will be considered by VCA for EU, UN, GB, and UK(NI) emissions approvals, where requirements and test procedures for the emissions type are, or are equivalent to:

• ‘Euro 6d*’ or ‘Euro 6e’; or
• UN R83.08, UN R154, UNR RDE; or
• Euro VI, steps A-E.

The specific application of the guidance’s contents will be discussed with each manufacturer. Please contact aes.bes@vca.gov.uk for more information.

 

Eco Innovations

Information on the eco-innovation technologies that are accepted in the UK can be found on the Eco Innovation Applications page.

If utilising UN approvals to cover light-duty emissions requirements, eco-innovations are still accepted despite being not being referenced by the UN Regulations. The eco-innovations shall be declared as part of the Whole Vehicle application, where they will be certified by the VCA as normal. Please note, information document templates prescribed by GBTA may need amending to include the eco-innovation sections.

 

Family Identifiers

There are some family identifier divergences between Assimilated Regulation (EU) 2017/1151 and the EU’s version. For GB 715/2007 type-approval applications, it has been agreed that it is acceptable to follow the conventions used in the EU (namely, omitting the “-0” or “-1” suffix), apart from the PEMS Family identifier. For the PEMS Family identifier, the GB identifier is to be used: GB-OEM-X-Y (as detailed in Appendix 7 of Annex IIIA to Assimilated Regulation (EU) 2017/1151).

This is to help differentiate families for GB in-service conformity.

The EU PEMS Family identifier is fine to include in addition to the GB identifier on in GB applications, if desired.

 

Light-Heavy duty Reference Mass Thresholds

According to Article 2 of Assimilated Regulation (EC) No 715/2007, new types of vehicles, of category M1, M2, N1 or N2, with a reference mass exceeding 2,610 kg are not in scope. However, for approval extensions, vehicles with a reference mass up to 2,840 kg are in scope at the manufacturer’s request.

However, the view taken by the VCA and DfT is that as long as there is an existing type/variant/version in the associated whole vehicle Great Britain type-approval (GBTA) that has a reference mass ≤ 2,610 kg, then a new emissions systems type approval may be granted for a vehicle with a reference mass up to 2,840 kg. Please note, this interpretation applies only for GB emission approvals.
Any emissions type with a reference mass greater than 2,840 kg cannot be approved under the light-duty emissions regulation, irrespective of vehicle category.

 

Electric Range figures for heavy-duty vehicles in scope of ZEV Mandate

Please see this process:  Approval and registration of M1 pure electric vehicles with a reference mass over 2,840kg 

 

Euro 7

The Department for Transport has closely been following the development and publication of Euro 7 in the EU (Regulation (EU) 2024/1257), which entered into force in May 2024 and becoming mandatory from November 2026 for light-duty vehicles. Euro 7 will automatically apply in Northern Ireland, but not Great Britain.

The Department is planning to consult later this year on options for Euro 7 in GB.