You've had a DVSA
prohibition notice.
Here's what to do next.

What a PG9 actually means

A PG9 is a DVSA roadside prohibition notice. It means an examiner found a defect serious enough to take the vehicle off the road on the spot. There are two types:

• Immediate prohibition (PG9) — the vehicle cannot move under its own power. It stays where it is until the defect is rectified and the prohibition is cleared by a DVSA examiner.
• Delayed prohibition (PG9A) — the vehicle can be driven to a place of repair, but must be fixed before it returns to use. The time window is specified on the notice.

Both go on record. Both affect your Operator Compliance Risk Score (OCRS). The distinction only matters for what you do in the next few hours — not for how seriously you treat it afterwards.

That "1 in 4" figure matters. A single prohibition doesn't automatically put your licence at risk. But it does show up in your OCRS, and OCRS is what determines whether DVSA target you for more roadside checks, a desk-based assessment, or a full investigation. One notice draws attention. A pattern draws action.

The first steps — what to do right now

• Get the vehicle to a place of repair. If it's an immediate prohibition, arrange recovery. Don't move it without DVSA permission unless the notice says otherwise.
• Get the defect assessed and repaired properly. Not patched. The prohibition will be re-inspected before it's lifted, so the fix needs to hold up.
• Keep every piece of paperwork. The repair invoice, the prohibition notice itself, any photos taken at the time, and whatever maintenance records you already have for that vehicle.
• Work out why it happened. Was it a missed PMI? A defect the driver should have spotted on walk-round? A maintenance contractor who let something slip? The answer changes what you do next.
• Record what you've done in response. DVSA and Traffic Commissioners look for evidence that operators take action when things go wrong. A note in your maintenance system saying "identified, repaired, reviewed" is worth more than you'd think.

When one notice becomes a bigger problem

Most single prohibitions don't lead to anything beyond the OCRS impact. But there are warning signs that should prompt you to take this more seriously:

• You've had more than one prohibition in the last 12 months
• The prohibited vehicle had a recent PMI that should have caught the defect
• DVSA have written to request your maintenance records
• You've received an RFE (Request for Further Evidence) from the Traffic Commissioner's office

If you're in any doubt about whether this is escalating — or if you want to make sure your records are in the right shape before anyone asks to see them — get proper advice before the next letter arrives.