A customer test drive can help a buyer decide whether a vehicle is right for them, but it also puts a business vehicle on the public road with someone outside the normal staff team. A consistent pre-drive check protects the customer, the vehicle and the business. The process should be clear enough that staff follow it even when the forecourt is busy.

1. Check the driver’s entitlement

The business should have a method for confirming that the customer is entitled to drive the vehicle. A visual licence check may form part of the process, while DVLA services can be used when a formal driving record check is needed. For licences issued in Great Britain, a driver can create a check code to share information such as vehicle categories, penalty points or disqualifications.

The business should only collect information it genuinely needs and handle it securely. Staff should also know whether the insurer sets any age, licence or driver-history conditions for test drives.

2. Confirm the insurance position

A test drive should not start on an assumption that every customer is covered. The business needs to understand how its motor trade insurance treats accompanied and unaccompanied test drives, which drivers can be accepted and whether any excess or restriction applies.

Policy wording varies, so a process copied from another trader may be wrong for the business. If a proposed driver does not meet the policy conditions, staff should not try to solve the problem informally.

3. Check the vehicle itself

The vehicle should be safe and suitable for the planned drive. Staff can check obvious issues such as tyres, lights, mirrors, warning lamps and fuel or charge level. Any known defect that could affect safe use should be dealt with before the vehicle goes onto the road.

Trade plates may be used by eligible motor traders for certain purposes, including allowing customers to test drive vehicles on the road. Their use is subject to DVLA trade licence rules, so staff should know when plates are required and how they must be displayed.

4. Set the route and conditions

A short agreed route is easier to manage than an open-ended drive. It should suit the vehicle and avoid unnecessary difficulty for the customer. Staff can explain whether a member of the business will accompany the drive, how long it should take and what to do if a warning light or problem appears.

The customer should also know that normal road rules apply. A test drive is not a chance to test maximum performance. Clear expectations reduce pressure on both the customer and the accompanying employee.

5. Record the handover

Before departure, the business should know who has the vehicle, when it left and the purpose of the journey. Recording the registration, customer identity check and staff member involved creates a simple audit trail. It also supports key control.

The record should be proportionate. It does not need to become a long form that staff skip. The goal is to capture enough information to explain the authorised drive if a question arises later.

6. Check the vehicle when it returns

On return, staff should collect the keys promptly and note any new damage, warning message or concern raised during the drive. If the customer reports a fault, the vehicle should be assessed before another person drives it. Fuel or charge levels may also need attention before the next appointment.

If an incident occurred, staff should follow the business reporting process. Where motor trade insurance may be involved, the relevant insurer or broker should be notified in line with policy requirements rather than waiting for a dispute to develop.

A well-run test drive should feel straightforward to the customer because the checks happen quietly and consistently. Licence entitlement, policy conditions, vehicle condition, route control and handover records each deal with a different risk. Together they support sensible road use and help show that motor trade insurance is being used within agreed conditions.