The BIVA manual has been amended.
This link will take you to the latest version which replaces the one below.
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Further to our update on BIVA Consultation where we spotted that the EU were looking into restriction on chip tuning: -
”We will keep the situation under review during the implementation period and maintain contacts with stakeholders to identify any new or emerging evidence. The European Commission also plan to regulate certain items fitted in the aftermarket (such as engine management “chips”) and we will await their proposals.“
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The results of the BIVA draft Consultation, first mentioned here :-
BIVA Consultation Document Article
Can be found online at the DfT site:-
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Rushing to get your build finished for the 31st March to catch the end of SVA ?
We received confirmation today of the bad news that, although the test officially finishes at the end of March, the stations are actually being closed for that month while the testers are being retrained on the still to be agreed BIVA / IVA regulations.
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Buried away in the DFT (Department for Transport, parent department to DVLA and VOSA) Consultation Document, re: the demise of SVA and its replacement with BIVA, are the following questions.
For example, it is obvious that a larger bore exhaust or tuned engine could be seen by many to be detrimental to the environment. This is despite the fact that most aftermarket exhaust systems are manufactured to TUV / SVA standards of noise and that many tuned engines run cleaner than the factory specifications.
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It has become apparent as we visit forums and reply to e-mails that many people are being misinformed as to the nature of the proposed new test based on exemptions from existing European law. We are simply amazed by the amount of misinformation and pub expert talk out there.
IVA is the overall scheme aimed at mainstream small manufacturers and replaces the old ESVA (Enhanced Single Vehicle Approval) whilst BIVA (Basic Individual Vehicle Assessment) is the replacement for SVA.
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Here are some details of the proposed new basic Individual Vehicle Approval (BIVA) scheme versus the existing Single Vehicle Approval (SVA) scheme.
From 29 April 2025, the SVA test will no longer be available. It will be replaced by a similar test known as Basic IVA or BIVA. The new BIVA scheme will apply to new vehicles and vehicles up to 10 years old and will permit certain alternative standards such as US and Canadian standards, as is the case with SVA.
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Due to the workings of the EU they essentially bring a piece of legislation into law and then ask if there is anything wrong with it. As part of the Whole Vehicle Approval that will come into effect in April 2009 a member State is allowed a system of BIVA (Basic Individual Vehicle Assessment) .
Because of our motoring heritage we are one of the few member States to whom this would apply and hence a draft BIVA has been put together. This is currently the SVA rewritten with only a few ‘tweaks’. Bear in mind that car modifying is virtually nonexistent, in the form that we have, across the bulk of Europe. This draft will shortly be up for consultation via the DfT before onward transmission to the EU for their agreement. Do not believe that this BIVA document is how it will definitely turn out, it is only a draft proposal, the EU may well not allow it through unchanged. Any changes would make it harder to comply but some would stop home and low volume building at a stroke.
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