N1 Type Approval

Category N1 covers goods vehicles with a maximum mass not exceeding 3.5 tonnes — the category that most panel van conversions, low-floor conversions, and light commercial builds fall into. This is one of Sonas Consulting's core areas of expertise, built from direct hands-on experience with multi-stage N1 manufacturers.

We support N1 manufacturers and converters through:

• Multi-stage type approval — where a base vehicle manufacturer's Stage 1 approval is built on by a Stage 2 (or later) converter. We help structure the technical file so Stage 2 modifications are correctly documented against the base vehicle's approval, covering areas such as rear overhang, weight distribution, lighting and marking compliance.
• GB Medium Series and GB Small Series Approval — for N1 vehicles produced in limited volumes.
• N1 Enhancement Scheme — for relatively minor modifications made to already-registered N1 and N2 vehicles.
• Conformity of Production (CoP) support to keep an existing approval valid in ongoing production (see our dedicated CoP page).

Because N1 conversions sit at the intersection of vehicle engineering and regulatory compliance, we work directly with your design and production teams — not just the paperwork — to make sure a build is approvable before it reaches the workshop floor, not after.