M1 Vehicle Type Approval

Category M1 covers motor vehicles designed for the carriage of passengers, comprising no more than eight seats in addition to the driver's. It's the category most car derivatives, light commercial-based motorhomes, and passenger conversions fall into — and since 1 February 2026, all M-category vehicle types manufactured for sale in Great Britain must hold a full GB or UKNI type approval (g11 or n11). Provisional GB approvals are no longer valid.

Sonas Consulting has worked across the M1 conversion market for over 20 years, supporting manufacturers and converters through:

• Full GB Type Approval — for high-volume M1 vehicle types, including preparation of the Information Document, liaison with VCA-designated Technical Services, and management of the Certificate of Conformity (CoC) process.
• GB Medium Series Approval — the simplified route for M1 vehicles produced in volumes below 1,500 units a year, ideal for niche manufacturers and specialist converters who don't need the full administrative burden of a standard approval.
• GB Small Series Approval — for lower-volume production (250–500 units depending on category), often the right fit for bespoke or highly specified M1 builds.
• Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA) — for one-off or very low-volume M1 vehicles that don't need a production type approval at all.

We help clients choose the right route for their production volume and business model, prepare the technical documentation, and manage the relationship with VCA and Technical Services from initial application through to certificate issue.