Fully Type Approved Vehicle Conversions You Can Trust

Type Approval

Type Approval is a vital part of any commercial vehicle conversion. It’s what gives you peace of mind that your new build is safe, road-legal, and fully compliant with UK legislation, and that it’s been checked and signed off to the highest possible standards.

What is Type Approval?

In simple terms, Type Approval is a certification process that confirms a converted vehicle meets strict safety and environmental standards before it can be registered and driven on UK roads. It applies to vehicles that have undergone any changes post-manufacture and this include body conversions such as tippers, dropsides and Lutons.

Whether you're running a single van or managing a national fleet, ensuring your vehicles are type approved helps protect your business, your team, and other road users.

Who Issues Type Approval?

In the UK, Type Approval is governed by the Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA). The VCA assess whether conversions meet the required technical and legislative standards.

Each approval is specific to a base vehicle, body type, and conversion process which means the converter must prove compliance across the full range of build stages.

Why Type Approval Matters

Safety & Compliance – Your converted vehicle is safe, legal, and compliant with all regulations.
No Delays at DVLA – Vehicles with type approval are pre-approved for registration, helping speed up the process.
Insurance & Resale Value – Insurers and resale buyers look for type-approved vehicles as a sign of quality and legal compliance.

Peace of Mind – You know your build has passed stringent checks and balances.

CPD: Type Approval for All Major Manufacturers

We hold full Type Approval for conversions on all major LCV brands, including Ford, Mercedes-Benz, Renault, Citroën, Maxus, Iveco and more.

That includes 3.5T chassis cab vehicles, where we offer a wide range of options including tippers, dropsides, Lutons, arb tippers, bin lifts, and bespoke builds for specialist use.

Our Approach to Quality & Compliance

At CPD, quality isn’t just a tick box. We’ve built a rigorous internal process to ensure every build is completed to the exact standards laid out by the manufacturer and the VCA.

In-house engineering and compliance checks
Detailed documentation, retained for every build
End-of-line inspections and quality sign-off before registration
Secure customer access to build records via our online portal

Ford Electric 4.25T: One of the Few Approved

CPD is proud to be one of the only converters in the UK with Type Approval for the Ford electric chassis cab at 4.25 tonnes. This approval supports the next generation of commercial fleets looking to decarbonise without compromising on payload.

Whether you’re running diesel, petrol, or electric, CPD have a solution.

Get in touch

Accreditations

ISO 9001:2015

This internationally recognised standard shows that we have strong processes in place to ensure our services are consistently high quality and meet customer needs.

VCA Type Approval

Our products meet all necessary safety and environmental standards, certified by the Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA), ensuring they’re fully roadworthy.