HK PVOC Grade 2 Part A cheat sheet

Road Traffic Ordinance (Cap. 374) is the principal Hong Kong statute; the Road Traffic (Vehicle Construction and Maintenance) Regulations sit beneath it and set construction, equipment and maintenance standards examined at PVOC.

Vehicle examination is administered by the Transport Department; the Commissioner for Transport is the statutory authority for examination, approval and vehicle registration matters.

A vehicle must hold a valid certificate of roadworthiness (pass result) before first registration and before annual renewal where the vehicle type requires periodic examination.

Examination outcomes are statutory: pass, fail, or conditional pass with defects that must be rectified and re-inspected within the period stated on the notice.

Defect classification is graded: dangerous defects prohibit use immediately; major defects require rectification before the vehicle may be used on the road; minor defects are recorded and must be rectified by the next examination.

The registered owner is legally responsible for keeping the vehicle roadworthy at all times, not only at examination; use of a defective vehicle is an offence independent of the examination cycle.

Examiners act as agents of the Commissioner; falsifying a result, issuing a pass without performing the prescribed checks, or accepting inducement is a criminal and disciplinary matter.

Statutory notices, suspension orders and defect rectification notices must be served in the prescribed form and recorded against the vehicle registration mark and chassis number.

Chassis/frame integrity: check for cracks, corrosion perforation, unauthorised welding or straightening; structural repairs must restore original strength and geometry.

Braking: service brake must produce progressive, balanced retardation; parking brake must hold the vehicle stationary on the specified gradient with the specified lever travel remaining.

Steering: check free play at the rim against manufacturer tolerance, tie-rod and ball-joint play, power-steering fluid leaks, and that the steering returns smoothly to centre.

Suspension: springs, dampers, bushes and mountings must be intact with no broken leaves, leaking dampers or excessive play that affects directional stability.

Tyres: tread depth, pressure, sidewall condition, matching size and construction across an axle, and no cords or carcass exposed; space-saver use is restricted.

Lighting: headlamp aim, dip pattern, stop/tail/indicator/reverse lamps, reflectors, and tell-tale operation must all function as constructed.

Body and glazing: no sharp projections, secure doors and latches, laminated or approved glazing for windscreens, and unobstructed driver field of view.

Seat belts and anchorages must be present where required by construction date and seat position, correctly routed, and free from fraying or buckle malfunction.

Fuel, exhaust and electrical systems: no leaks, secure mountings, adequate clearance from heat sources, and correct routing of hoses and wiring away from abrasion.

Dangerous defect: immediate risk of accident or injury; vehicle must not be driven except to a place of repair under permitted conditions, and the examiner records and reports it.

Major defect: affects safety, environment or other road users but does not create immediate danger; rectification required before further use and before a pass can be issued.

Minor defect: does not materially affect safety or environment; recorded so it can be verified as rectified at the next examination.

Advisory item: observation outside the statutory defect list, recorded for owner information without affecting the pass/fail outcome.

Classification depends on degree, not component identity: a slightly worn tyre is minor, an exposed carcass is dangerous; the examiner must judge severity consistently.

Multiple minor defects in the same system may be aggregated to a major defect where combined effect impairs the system's function.

Every defect must be recorded against the specific component and position (e.g. offside front) so rectification can be verified and audit trails are complete.

A conditional pass cannot be issued for dangerous defects under any circumstance; the vehicle must fail.

Petrol vehicles are tested for carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons at idle and, where specified, at fast idle using a calibrated exhaust gas analyser.

Diesel vehicles are assessed for smoke opacity against the statutory limit using an approved opacity meter; excessive visible smoke is a defect.

Emissions test equipment must hold a current calibration certificate; an out-of-calibration analyser invalidates the test result.

Catalytic converter and emission control devices fitted as original equipment must be present and functioning; removal or bypass is a defect and may be an offence.

Noise is assessed against the statutory limit for the vehicle class; defective or modified silencers and exhaust systems that increase noise are defects.

Excessive idling smoke or noise observed during the examination is recorded even if the formal measurement is within limit, where it indicates a fault.

Evaporative and crankcase emission control systems must be intact and correctly connected; disconnected breather hoses are a defect.

Environmental defects are classified by severity in the same framework as mechanical defects, with excessive smoke typically treated as major or dangerous depending on visibility.

Pre-examination identity check: verify registration mark, chassis number, engine number and vehicle class against the registration document before testing begins.

Sequence: identity and documentation, visual/underbody inspection, brake performance test, emissions, lighting and aim, then final roadworthiness judgement.

Brake test results must be recorded as measured values; a roller or plate brake tester result is retained with the vehicle record.

Every examination produces a record containing examiner identity, date, test equipment used, measured results, defects found and the outcome issued.

Defect notices must be legible, itemised and signed; a copy is given to the presenter and a copy retained in the examination file.

Re-examination after rectification verifies the specific recorded defects and confirms no new defect has been introduced by the repair.

Records must be retained for the statutory retention period and be available for audit; retrospective alteration of a result is prohibited.

Any equipment fault, aborted test or deviation from procedure must be documented at the time with the reason and the action taken.

Test equipment calibration certificates, examiner authorisation records and defect code lists are controlled documents that must be current at the point of use.

Independence: an examiner must not examine a vehicle in which they have a financial or personal interest; declare and refer such cases to another examiner.

No gifts, hospitality or inducement may be accepted from vehicle owners, presenters or repairers in connection with an examination outcome.

Results must be based solely on observed evidence and measured data; pressure to pass a defective vehicle is refused and reported.

Confidentiality: vehicle and owner data are used only for statutory purposes and not disclosed to unauthorised parties.

Personal protective equipment (safety footwear, eye protection, gloves) is mandatory in the inspection pit and test bay; loose clothing is prohibited near rotating equipment.

Vehicle lifting and support: use rated jacks and stands, chock wheels, and never work under a vehicle supported only by a jack.

Brake roller and emissions test areas require exhaust extraction, guarding of rotating parts, and a clear stop procedure known to all staff.

Any accident, near miss or equipment damage in the examination area is reported and recorded under the workplace safety procedure.

Any modification affecting construction, steering, braking, suspension, body dimensions or emission equipment requires prior approval from the Transport Department.

Type approval applies to vehicle models assessed against recognised standards; a model approval covers vehicles built to that specification without subsequent alteration.

Approved modifications are recorded on the vehicle document; an unrecorded modification that changes the registered particulars is a defect at examination.

Body or chassis dimensional changes, seating capacity changes and engine substitution require re-examination and amendment of the registration particulars.

Special purpose vehicles (cranes, fire appliances, mobile plant) are examined against the standards applicable to their class and use, not ordinary passenger car standards.

Vehicles with modified ride height, wheel size or tyre specification must retain adequate clearance, correct speedometer accuracy and compliant lighting geometry.

LPG, CNG and electric conversions require approval of the installation and periodic inspection of the fuel or high-voltage system as a condition of roadworthiness.

Tampering with emission control, odometer or safety systems is a defect and may constitute an offence independent of the examination outcome.

Supplementary point: the statutory examination cycle for private cars in Hong Kong applies from six years after first registration, then annually thereafter.

Supplementary point: a vehicle presented for examination must be clean enough to permit inspection of structure and components; an excessively dirty vehicle may be refused presentation.

Supplementary point: the presenter must produce the registration document and, where applicable, proof of previous approval for modifications.

Supplementary point: an examination result may be appealed through the channel prescribed by the Commissioner; the appeal does not automatically restore road use.

Supplementary point: suspension of a vehicle licence follows a failed examination or a dangerous defect notice until a pass is obtained.

Supplementary point: examiners must apply the current edition of the examination manual and defect code list; superseded editions must not be used.

Supplementary point: brake imbalance across an axle beyond the specified percentage is a defect even if total retardation is adequate.

Supplementary point: wheels and hubs must be checked for cracks, missing or loose nuts, and correct seating; mismatched wheel fixings are a defect.

Supplementary point: doors must open from inside and outside where so designed; child-lock or central-locking faults affecting emergency egress are defects.

Supplementary point: mirrors must be present on both sides where required and provide the prescribed field of view; cracked mirror glass is a defect.

Supplementary point: speedometer and horn must function; a horn that is excessively loud or a non-functional speedometer is a defect.

Supplementary point: underbody and floorpan corrosion within a prescribed distance of suspension, steering or seat anchorages is treated as structural and classified as major or dangerous.

Supplementary point: the emissions test must be performed with the engine at normal operating temperature; a cold engine result is not valid.

Supplementary point: the analyser probe must be inserted to the specified depth and the reading taken after the specified stabilisation period.

Supplementary point: a vehicle that cannot be tested because of a faulty exhaust or missing sampling point fails the emissions element.

Supplementary point: fuel type recorded on the registration document determines which emissions test applies; a converted fuel system must be approved and recorded.

Supplementary point: noise measurement requires the specified microphone position and distance, with background noise below the stated margin.

Supplementary point: emission and noise results are recorded as measured values alongside the applicable limit for the vehicle class.

Supplementary point: a pass result must not be issued until all recorded defects from the same examination have been cleared or reclassified.

Supplementary point: duplicate certificates and replacement defect notices are issued only against a documented request and are marked as duplicates.

Supplementary point: electronic records must carry an audit trail showing who created, amended and issued each result and when.

Supplementary point: examination files are subject to inspection by the Commissioner; withholding or destroying a record is a disciplinary matter.

Supplementary point: the vehicle's odometer reading is recorded at each examination to maintain a continuous history.

Supplementary point: a vehicle presented with a different registration mark or chassis number from the document is refused and referred for investigation.

Supplementary point: examiners must declare any conflict of interest in writing before conducting an examination.

Supplementary point: test bay emergency stops, fire extinguishers and first-aid provision must be checked and available at each shift.

Supplementary point: driving a customer vehicle within the examination area requires a valid licence for that vehicle class and adherence to the site speed limit.

Supplementary point: unsafe customer behaviour in the test bay is grounds to stop the examination and record the reason.

Supplementary point: examiners must maintain competence through the prescribed refresher training and keep authorisation current.

Supplementary point: suspected fraud, bribery or falsification must be reported through the designated channel; failure to report is itself a breach.

Supplementary point: modification approval is documented against the vehicle identification number, not merely the registration mark.

Supplementary point: a vehicle imported with a foreign type approval must still satisfy Hong Kong construction and emissions requirements before registration.

Supplementary point: trailers and towed equipment are examined for coupling security, brake function and lighting connection with the towing vehicle.

Supplementary point: vehicles used for passenger service carry additional construction requirements for exits, emergency equipment and seating.

Supplementary point: agricultural and industrial vehicles used on the road are examined for lighting, braking and speed capability appropriate to their class.

Supplementary point: any change to the registered colour, seating capacity or unladen weight requires amendment of the vehicle document.