Plain-English guides to choosing and buying a used wheelchair accessible vehicle, from a family team that has sold WAVs for over 25 years.
Choosing a WAV
Will My Wheelchair Fit a WAV? How to Measure
The five measurements to take, what to compare them with, and the other checks that matter before you buy.
Rear or Side Access: Which WAV Suits You?
How rear and side access WAVs differ on parking, seating, ramps and price, and questions to help you choose.
Wheelchair Accessible Cars: A Buyer’s Guide
A guide to wheelchair accessible cars: rear-ramp, upfront and drive-from-wheelchair WAVs, the measurements that matter, and how to pick the right one.
Wheelchair Car or Wheelchair Van: Which Should You Choose?
Car-sized WAV or larger wheelchair van? Compare space, seating, parking, running costs and price side by side, and find out which suits your needs.
Lowered-Floor Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles
What a lowered-floor WAV is, why it gives more headroom and a gentler ramp, the trade-offs to know about, and tips for driving and parking one.
7 Advantages of a Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle
No transfers, more independence, less strain on carers: the key benefits of a wheelchair accessible vehicle, and how to tell if a WAV is right for you.
Buying and paying
VAT Relief on Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles
Buy a WAV VAT-free if you’re a wheelchair user. Who qualifies, the 3-year rule and its exceptions, charity purchases, and how it works when you buy from us.
Financial Help for Buying a Used Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle
Can’t use Motability? Ways to fund a used WAV: VAT relief, finance, charity grants, Access to Work, the Family Fund, local clubs and benefits checks.
How to Register and Tax Your Used WAV
Bought a used WAV? How to tax it, who qualifies for free disabled vehicle tax or a 50% reduction, and what to bring if you need to tax at the Post Office.
Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle Insurance Explained
Insuring a WAV is easier than you might think. Why you must declare the adaptations, what specialist cover adds, and questions to ask before you buy a policy.
Driving, parking and the law
Do Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles Need an MOT?
Yes, every WAV over three years old needs a yearly MOT. See what testers check on an adapted vehicle, from ramps and restraints to lowered-floor exhausts.
Can Blue Badge Holders Park Anywhere?
No. Learn where a Blue Badge lets you park, the 3-hour yellow line rule, where you can’t park, and how the rules differ in Scotland and private car parks.
Disabled Parking at UK Supermarkets: Your Rights Explained
Can a supermarket fine you in a disabled bay? How private parking charges work, the Equality Act, the new 2026 code of practice, and how to appeal a charge.
ULEZ and Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles
Is your WAV exempt from ULEZ? The three disabled grace periods, who qualifies, what happens after October 2027, and how to check if your vehicle complies.
Clean Air Zones and Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles
Do you pay to drive your WAV into a Clean Air Zone? How Bristol and Bath’s zones work, the disabled tax class exemption, and how to check your vehicle.
Driving Licence Codes for Disabled Drivers
What the numbered codes on the back of your licence mean, from 78 (automatic only) to 40 (modified steering), and how to get a driving assessment for adaptations.
Looking after your WAV
Dashboard Warning Lights Explained
What each dashboard warning light means and what to do: red means stop, amber means book it in. Includes the diesel lights common on WAVs, like AdBlue and DPF.
How to Check Your Car’s Fluid Levels
A simple monthly check of oil, coolant, brake fluid, screenwash and AdBlue keeps your WAV reliable. What to check, how to do it safely, and when to call a garage.
AdBlue and Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles
Most diesel WAVs need AdBlue. What it does, why your WAV won’t restart if it runs out, and where to find the filler on a converted Peugeot, VW Caddy or Citroën Berlingo.
How Do I Refuel My Disabled Car?
Struggle to refuel your WAV? How to get help at the pump using the FuelService app, pay-at-pump and simple signals, plus tips for stress-free fill-ups.
How Do Wheelchair Securing Straps Work?
How the 4-point wheelchair restraint system in a WAV works, how to secure a wheelchair and passenger step by step, and how to care for your straps.
Air Conditioning in Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles
Why air con matters in a WAV, how to keep a rear wheelchair passenger comfortable, and simple maintenance tips to keep the system working year-round.
Getting Your WAV Back on the Road After Time Off
Has your wheelchair accessible vehicle been parked up for weeks? Eight quick checks for the battery, tyres, brakes, fluids, paperwork and ramp before you drive.
Days out and holidays
Planning an Accessible Holiday: A Practical Checklist
How to find a genuinely accessible UK holiday: the questions to ask before booking, parking for a rear-ramp WAV, accessible toilets, assistance dogs and transport.
More guides coming soon
- Peugeot Rifter, Citroen Berlingo and VW Caddy compared as WAVs
- What happens at a home demonstration
Have a question we have not answered? Call us on 0333 200 8593 or see our FAQs.