All about your OCRS Score
What Is OCRS and How Can You Keep It Green?
Being a Goods Vehicle Operator comes with a number of responsibilities—many of which are crucial for keeping your operator’s licence valid. One essential aspect of staying compliant is maintaining a healthy OCRS score. But what exactly is your OCRS, and how can you keep it in the green?
What Is OCRS?
OCRS stands for Operator Compliance Risk Score, a system used by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) to assess how compliant an operator is over a rolling three-year period. The higher your score, the more likely you are to be inspected. A low score (green) means you're seen as low-risk and less likely to be targeted for enforcement action.
Your OCRS is calculated using data from three primary sources:
1. Annual Tests – Including MOTs, road tax compliance, and regular maintenance inspections. While trailers are excluded from the OCRS, roadside prohibitions related to trailers can affect your score.
2. Roadside Inspections – Whenever you're stopped by the DVSA during operations.
3. Operator Premises Inspections – DVSA checks carried out at your business location.
How Are OCRS Scores Calculated?
Your score is divided into two main categories:
1. Roadworthiness – Points from vehicle tests and roadside inspections.
2. Traffic – Points from infringements such as drivers’ hours offences or tachograph violations.
Each defect or offence earns you points based on its severity. These points are then divided by the number of recorded events. For example:
150 roadworthiness points from 5 events
100 traffic points from 3 events
Total = 250 points / 8 events = 31.25 average score
The combined score gives the DVSA an idea of your overall compliance risk.
How Is the Score Represented?
Your final OCRS falls into one of four colour bands:
Green – Low Risk
Amber – Medium Risk
Red – High Risk
Grey – Newly Registered/Insufficient Data
How Often Is It Updated?
The OCRS is recalculated weekly, which means:
New events are promptly reflected
Newly licensed operators begin to generate data
Newly added vehicles are included in the score
How Can You Keep Your OCRS Green?
Here are a few core practices to help you stay compliant:
1. Maintain a Roadworthy Fleet
Carry out regular safety inspections and ensure they’re timely
Complete thorough daily walkaround checks
Keep MOTs up to date and recorded properly
2. Follow Drivers’ Hours and Working Time Rules
Make sure all hours are accurately tracked using a tachograph
Train drivers on rules to reduce human error
3. Avoid Overloading Vehicles
Always stay within permitted weight limits
Use weighbridges or on-board weighing systems where necessary
These are some of the most common areas that impact your score, but they are by no means exhaustive.
Why It Matters
Clearly, non-compliance can result in serious financial and operational consequences, including the loss of your operator’s licence.
Make Compliance Simple
Understanding and managing your OCRS can feel overwhelming—but it doesn’t have to be. If you’d like expert guidance on maintaining a green OCRS or staying compliant, our team is here to help.
