--- title: "OCRS score explained: what it means and who can see it" canonical_url: https://haulierscope.co.uk/guides/ocrs-score markdown_url: https://haulierscope.co.uk/guides/ocrs-score.md publisher: HaulierScope licence: Open Government Licence v3.0 (https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/) --- # OCRS score explained: what it means and who can see it > OCRS stands for Operator Compliance Risk Score. DVSA uses it to decide which lorries, buses and coaches to stop for roadside inspection. Each operator licence gets a roadworthiness score, a traffic score and a combined score, banded green (low risk), amber (medium) or red (high). Only the operator can see them: they are not public or in DVSA's open data. _Published 1 October 2026. Updated 2 October 2026. Facts checked against GOV.UK on 2 October 2026._ The score comes from three years of DVSA records: MOTs, roadside checks, desk-based assessments and site visits. ## What an OCRS score is An OCRS score measures how likely an operator is to break the rules on vehicle condition (roadworthiness) and on drivers' hours, weights and similar rules (traffic). DVSA says: "It's more likely that your vehicles will be inspected if your OCRS is high" ([GOV.UK OCRS](https://www.gov.uk/operator-compliance-risk-score)). Key facts from GOV.UK: - The score is worked out for each operator licence. "An individual vehicle will not have its own OCRS." - It uses DVSA data from a 3-year rolling period. - The lower the score, the better. - DVSA re-scores every day, early in the morning. - A new licence, or an operator with no DVSA contact in 3 years, has no score. - Operators who only run vehicles exempt from operator licensing have no score. ## How the score is worked out DVSA adds points for each defect or offence it records and divides the total by the number of events. That gives a "base score" for each category. Serious defects and offences carry more points, and a clear inspection counts as an event with no points, which pulls the score down. | Category | What it is based on | |---|---| | Roadworthiness | First tests and MOTs, roadside inspections, fleet assessments (site visits) and desk-based assessments | | Traffic | Roadside inspections and prosecutions (for example drivers' hours, tachograph and weight offences), fleet assessments and desk-based assessments | | Combined | Both sets of points divided by all events | Source: [Use the OCRS system](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/use-the-operator-compliance-risk-score-ocrs-system). Some examples of the points DVSA lists: an immediate prohibition for a tyre, brake or steering defect scores 200, a delayed prohibition for any other defect 25, and an MOT failure for tyres, brakes or steering 50. Older events count for less. An event keeps its full weight for the first 12 months, then "falls by a quarter", and is halved in the final 12 months. After 3 years it drops out. If you are prosecuted, points count from the date of prosecution. If not, they count from the date of the offence. ## Red, amber, green, blue and grey Green means low risk, amber medium and red high. Grey means DVSA has no data. Blue is reserved for members of the DVSA earned recognition scheme. | Band | Roadworthiness | Traffic | Combined | |---|---|---|---| | Green (low risk) | 10 defect points or below | 5 offence points or below | 10 points or below | | Amber (medium risk) | 10.01 to 25 | 5.01 to 30 | 10.01 to 25 | | Red (high risk) | More than 25 | More than 30 | More than 25 | | Grey (unknown) | No score | No score | No score | | Blue | Earned recognition operator | Earned recognition operator | Earned recognition operator | Source: [Use the OCRS system](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/use-the-operator-compliance-risk-score-ocrs-system), fetched 1 October 2026. DVSA sets the points, weightings and band limits "and can change them at any time". DVSA's worked example: 200 roadworthiness points plus 150 traffic points, from 6 events, gives 350 รท 6 = 58.33. That puts the operator in the red band. Blue comes from [DVSA earned recognition](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/dvsa-earned-recognition-join-the-scheme), a voluntary scheme. Members use a DVSA-validated IT system for maintenance and drivers' hours, report against key performance indicators every 4 weeks, and pass an audit when joining and every 2 years. In return they get a blue band in every category and fewer roadside stops and site visits. ## How operators check their own score Operators view their OCRS report online through their Vehicle Operator Licensing (VOL) account. If you have not used the service before, you register first ([View your vehicle operator safety and risk reports](https://www.gov.uk/view-vehicle-operator-safety-risk-reports)). The report shows your operator details, how each score was worked out, the events that raised or lowered it, and events removed in the past 90 days. DVSA advises checking it regularly, tracking changes and acting on every negative event. If you think a score is wrong: 1. Check that only your vehicles are listed on your operator licence and remove any that are not. 2. Run your service history reports to see recent events. 3. Appeal the MOT result or complain about the roadside prohibition or fine. Include your licence number and a copy of the report showing the mistake. DVSA can only discuss the score with a person named on the licence, such as a director or transport manager. If an appeal succeeds, DVSA removes the event and re-runs the score. ## Why buyers cannot look up a haulier's OCRS OCRS scores are not published. They are not in the DVSA open data, and HaulierScope does not show them. DVSA keeps scores private. At a roadside check, a driver is told the score only if they prove they are the sole owner of the vehicle, the operator, or named on the operator licence ([GOV.UK OCRS](https://www.gov.uk/operator-compliance-risk-score)). The open [operator licence records](https://www.data.gov.uk/dataset/2a67d1ee-8f1b-43a3-8bc6-e8772d162a3c/traffic-commissioners-goods-and-public-service-vehicle-operator-licence-records) contain licence details, authorisations and status, but no compliance scores. Our [methodology page](https://haulierscope.co.uk/methodology) explains what the open data contains. If you vet a haulier, you can still check these public signals: - **Licence status.** Valid, curtailed or suspended. A curtailed or suspended licence means a traffic commissioner has acted. See [curtailed, suspended or revoked](https://haulierscope.co.uk/guides/curtailed-suspended-revoked). - **Earned recognition.** DVSA publishes the list of [accredited operators](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dvsa-earned-recognition-for-vehicle-operators-list-of-accredited-operators). Membership means a blue OCRS band. - **Licence type and authorisation.** Does the haulier hold a standard licence, and enough vehicles for your work? You can also ask the haulier to share its OCRS report. Start with a [licence search](https://haulierscope.co.uk/) as described in [how to check a haulier](https://haulierscope.co.uk/guides/how-to-check-a-haulier), then follow the steps in [how to vet a haulier](https://haulierscope.co.uk/guides/vet-a-haulier). ## Frequently asked questions ### What is an OCRS score? An OCRS score is DVSA's risk rating for a vehicle operator licence. It uses three years of MOT results, roadside inspections, site visits and desk-based assessments to predict how likely the operator is to break roadworthiness or traffic rules. Each licence gets roadworthiness, traffic and combined scores, banded green, amber or red. A higher score means more roadside stops. ### What does OCRS stand for? OCRS stands for Operator Compliance Risk Score. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) runs it for goods vehicle (HGV) and passenger vehicle (PSV) operator licences in Great Britain. It is worked out per licence, not per vehicle, and DVSA re-scores every licence each morning as new events come in and old ones drop out. ### What does the DVSA OCRS score mean? It tells DVSA how risky an operator is. Green means low risk, amber medium and red high. Grey means DVSA has no data from the last 3 years, and blue means the operator is in the DVSA earned recognition scheme. The lower the score, the better. Operators in the red band are more likely to have their vehicles stopped and inspected. ### How can I check my OCRS score? Sign in to your Vehicle Operator Licensing (VOL) account and open your OCRS report through GOV.UK's "View your vehicle operator safety and risk reports" service. Register first if you have not used it before. The report shows each score, the events behind it and events removed in the last 90 days. You cannot look up another operator's score. ### How accurate are OCRS? OCRS is a formula applied to DVSA's own records, so it is as accurate as those records. GOV.UK's first fix for a wrong score is to check that only your own vehicles are listed on the licence. A licence with few events can swing sharply after one bad inspection. If you find a mistake, check your vehicle list, run your service history reports, and appeal or complain to DVSA. A successful appeal removes the event from your score. ## Sources - [Operator Compliance Risk Score (OCRS) (GOV.UK)](https://www.gov.uk/operator-compliance-risk-score) - [Use the Operator Compliance Risk Score (OCRS) system (GOV.UK)](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/use-the-operator-compliance-risk-score-ocrs-system) - [View your vehicle operator safety and risk reports (GOV.UK)](https://www.gov.uk/view-vehicle-operator-safety-risk-reports) - [DVSA earned recognition - join the scheme (GOV.UK)](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/dvsa-earned-recognition-join-the-scheme) - [DVSA earned recognition: accredited vehicle operators (GOV.UK)](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dvsa-earned-recognition-for-vehicle-operators-list-of-accredited-operators) - [Traffic Commissioners operator licence records (data.gov.uk)](https://www.data.gov.uk/dataset/2a67d1ee-8f1b-43a3-8bc6-e8772d162a3c/traffic-commissioners-goods-and-public-service-vehicle-operator-licence-records) ## Related - [How to vet a subcontracted haulier: a checklist](https://haulierscope.co.uk/guides/vet-a-haulier) - [How to check a haulier's operator licence](https://haulierscope.co.uk/guides/how-to-check-a-haulier) - [Operator licence curtailed, suspended or revoked: what it means](https://haulierscope.co.uk/guides/curtailed-suspended-revoked) - [Transport manager CPC: what it is and who needs one](https://haulierscope.co.uk/guides/transport-manager-cpc) - [DVSA earned recognition list](https://haulierscope.co.uk/earned-recognition) --- Canonical page: https://haulierscope.co.uk/guides/ocrs-score Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. HaulierScope is an independent service, not affiliated with DVSA or the Traffic Commissioners. It is updated when DVSA publishes a new file, usually weekly.