AIS Vehicle Examiner study plan
AIS Vehicle Examiner · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Approved Inspection Station (AIS) scheme administration
Map the AIS scheme end to end: list every approval, authorisation, and renewal step an approved inspection station must complete
Define the roles and legal responsibilities of station operators, nominated persons, and examiners in the scheme
Explain the criteria a premises and its equipment must satisfy before approval is granted
Identify the grounds on which station approval can be refused, suspended, or revoked
Your checkpoint
A one-page annotated flow diagram of the full AIS approval and renewal lifecycle, with each stage labelled with its governing requirement
Approved Inspection Station (AIS) scheme administration & Record keeping, compliance and enforcement
Describe the record-keeping obligations an approved station must meet and how long records must be retained
Distinguish station-level administrative non-compliance from examiner-level conduct failures
Outline the enforcement escalation path from advisory notice to suspension or prosecution
Summarise how station audits and compliance inspections are scheduled and conducted
Your checkpoint
A two-column comparison table contrasting station administrative breaches with examiner conduct breaches, each with its typical enforcement response
AIS examiner accreditation and authorisation
List the eligibility requirements an applicant must satisfy to become an accredited examiner
Explain the assessment components (knowledge, practical, and competence checks) and the pass standard for each
Describe the scope and limits of an examiner's authorisation, including categories of vehicles they may inspect
Identify the conditions under which accreditation is suspended, varied, or withdrawn
Your checkpoint
A checklist of accreditation eligibility and assessment requirements that could be used to screen a mock applicant
AIS examiner accreditation and authorisation & Record keeping, compliance and enforcement
Explain continuing professional development and re-accreditation requirements for examiners
Describe the conflict-of-interest and impartiality rules that apply to an examiner's work
Outline how examiner performance is monitored, including supervision and quality assurance checks
Identify the record-keeping duties specific to an examiner's own inspection activity
Your checkpoint
A mock examiner re-accreditation file containing CPD log entries, an impartiality declaration, and a performance review summary
Vehicle inspection standards and procedures
Describe the inspection method for each major vehicle system: braking, steering, suspension, lighting, and tyres
State the pass, fail, and advisory thresholds used for each inspection item
Explain how to conduct and record a road test and a brake performance test
Outline the correct procedure for rejecting a vehicle and issuing the relevant notice
Your checkpoint
An inspection item matrix covering at least ten vehicle systems, each with its test method, pass criterion, and fail criterion
Vehicle inspection standards and procedures & Record keeping, compliance and enforcement
Explain how inspection results, defects, and test equipment readings must be recorded and stored
Describe the procedure for handling appeals or disputes over an inspection outcome
Outline the requirements for test equipment calibration and station facility maintenance records
Apply the inspection standards to at least three worked vehicle scenarios with mixed defects
Your checkpoint
Three fully worked inspection case studies, each with a completed inspection record, defect classification, and final pass or fail decision with justification
Record keeping, compliance and enforcement & Approved Inspection Station (AIS) scheme administration
Describe the data protection and confidentiality rules governing inspection records and personal information
Explain how compliance audits use sampling, record review, and observation to detect non-compliance
Outline the process for investigating a complaint against a station or examiner
Summarise the sanctions available for record-keeping and reporting failures
Your checkpoint
A mock audit report of a fictional inspection station, identifying three findings, their risk ratings, and recommended corrective actions
Approved Inspection Station (AIS) scheme administration & AIS examiner accreditation and authorisation & Vehicle inspection standards and procedures & Record keeping, compliance and enforcement
Consolidate all four domains into a single revision map linking scheme rules, examiner duties, inspection standards, and compliance controls
Complete a timed full-length practice exam under test conditions and score it
Analyse incorrect answers by domain and re-study the two weakest areas
Rehearse the most commonly tested decision points, such as suspension triggers and defect classification
Finalise a one-page quick-reference sheet for exam-day recall
Your checkpoint
A scored full-length practice exam with a written error analysis and a one-page final quick-reference sheet
Milestones
Week 2: Can explain, without notes, the full AIS approval lifecycle and the enforcement escalation path for station non-compliance
Week 4: Can list all examiner accreditation, authorisation, and re-accreditation requirements and score at least 80% on a self-made domain 1-2 quiz
Week 6: Can correctly classify defects and reach the right pass or fail decision on all three worked inspection scenarios
Week 8: Scores at least 80% overall on the timed full-length practice exam, with no single domain below 70%