If you haul for the construction industry, you will have seen three sets of letters in tender documents and site rules: FORS, CLOCS and DVS. They are often mentioned together, but they are not the same thing. One is voluntary, one is an industry standard that your clients apply, and one is a legal requirement in London. This guide explains what each one is, which you may actually need, and how to get ready.
The short answer
No law says you must be FORS accredited. FORS is a voluntary accreditation scheme. But in construction supply chains the contract often requires it. Principal contractors, developers and local authorities commonly ask the operators who deliver to their sites to be accredited, and they check.
FORS, CLOCS and the Direct Vision Standard: what each one is
FORS: the accreditation you hold
The Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme is a voluntary accreditation scheme for fleet operators. It has three levels, Bronze, Silver and Gold, and an independent audit decides whether you meet the standard. You must achieve Bronze before you can apply for Silver or Gold. Our guides explain how to apply for FORS accreditation and what to expect from a FORS audit.
CLOCS: the standard your client applies
Construction Logistics and Community Safety (CLOCS) is a national standard for managing work-related road risk in construction. It does not accredit you. Instead, it sets out responsibilities for clients, principal contractors, site operators and fleet operators, with the aim of keeping vulnerable road users safe around construction traffic.
The CLOCS Standard asks clients and principal contractors to specify it in tenders and contracts, and to procure fleet operations that comply. For fleet operators, the benchmark is the performance described as FORS Silver. CLOCS updated its standard in August 2022 to accept other fleet accreditations as evidence of compliance, but FORS Silver remains the reference point.
That is why FORS and CLOCS get mixed up. In practice, a CLOCS-compliant client will usually look for FORS Silver, or equivalent evidence, from the operators on its sites. FORS says that Silver accreditation is aligned with the CLOCS Standard and with TfL’s Work Related Road Risk (WRRR) requirements.
The Direct Vision Standard: the law in London
The Direct Vision Standard (DVS) is different again. It is a Transport for London scheme with legal force in Greater London. It applies to HGVs over 12 tonnes gross vehicle weight, including left-hand drive vehicles, and it applies whether or not you are working on a construction site.
- You need a free HGV safety permit from TfL before entering or operating in most of Greater London.
- Each vehicle has a star rating from zero to five, based on how much the driver can see directly through the cab windows.
- Since 28 October 2024, vehicles need a rating of at least three stars. Vehicles rated zero to two stars need TfL’s Progressive Safe System, a package of additional safety equipment including sensors, to get a permit.
- Operating without a valid permit, or in breach of its conditions, can bring a penalty charge notice of up to £550, reduced to £275 if paid within 14 days, and you can receive one for each day.
- TfL has said it will review the scheme again in 2028.
FORS accreditation does not give you a DVS permit. They are separate. A FORS-accredited operator still has to apply for permits for its own vehicles.
Which FORS level do construction clients ask for?
There is no single answer, because it depends on the client and the project. In general:
- FORS Bronze is the entry level and is commonly the minimum that clients and local authorities set for operators servicing their sites.
- FORS Silver is where CLOCS compliance sits. Larger projects, higher-risk sites, London work and some public-sector contracts are likely to ask for it, or for equivalent evidence.
- FORS Gold is for operators leading on safety, sustainability and compliance.
The only reliable way to find out is to read the tender or contract wording. Look for “FORS Bronze”, “FORS Silver”, “CLOCS compliant” or “WRRR”, and ask the principal contractor what they will accept. Because Bronze has to come first, starting there is the sensible route even if Silver is your goal. Our guide to FORS Bronze, Silver or Gold explains what each level adds.
What construction clients check on your vehicles and drivers
Whatever the scheme is called, construction clients tend to look for the same things:
- Vehicle safety equipment on HGVs, such as side under-run protection, close-proximity mirrors, blind-spot warning signs and, where fitted, cameras and audible warnings. FORS Bronze requires this equipment, and you must check it as part of your daily walkaround.
- Driver training on work-related road risk and vulnerable road user safety, with records kept. FORS Bronze requires drivers to have completed work-related road risk training within the last 12 months.
- Proof that your systems work: licence checks, walkaround and defect records, drivers’ hours and tachograph records, and incident reporting.
- Documents drivers have actually received, including a driver handbook, signed declarations and the risk assessments that apply to site work.
Our FORS documents and audit page has editable risk assessments, safe systems of work and a driver handbook that cover these areas, with a free sample pack to try first.
A simple way to decide what you need
- Read your contracts and tenders. Note the exact wording and the level of FORS or CLOCS they specify.
- Check where you operate. If any of your HGVs over 12 tonnes go into Greater London, you need DVS permits regardless of anything else.
- Check each vehicle. Weights, star ratings and the safety equipment fitted.
- Check your drivers. Training records and whether they have your handbook and declarations.
- Review your documents. Policies, risk assessments, safe systems of work and records, against the FORS Standard.
- Choose your level. Register for Bronze if you are starting, and plan for Silver if your clients are CLOCS-compliant.
How HGV Consult can help
If you are working out what your construction clients really need, we can help you get ready:
- Documents: editable FORS-ready risk assessments, safe systems of work and a driver handbook on our FORS page.
- A second opinion before the audit: our fixed-price remote FORS micro-audit reviews your documents and tells you what is in place, what is missing and what to fix first. It is not a FORS audit and does not award accreditation. See the micro-audit details.
- Ongoing support: our transport compliance support helps you keep maintenance, drivers’ hours and records in order.
Not sure which level to aim for? Request a call back and tell us about the clients you work for and the sites you serve.
HGV Consult is independent and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or approved by FORS, CLOCS or Transport for London. FORS accreditation is awarded only by FORS following an audit by an approved audit provider. This article is general information, not legal advice. Requirements change, so check the current position with your client and with the TfL Direct Vision Standard guidance ↗ before you rely on it.