How to establish a DVLA driving licence verification process

To ensure your business remains legally compliant and fully insured, you must verify the driving licence of every person operating your vehicles by using the official GOV.UK "Check someone's driving licence" service. Relying on a physical photocard is not enough, as it doesn't show live penalty points or recent disqualifications; you must collect a unique 'check code' from your drivers to view their real-time record.

Why verification is essential

As a business owner, you have a "duty of care" to ensure your drivers are legally qualified. If a driver is involved in an accident and is found to have an invalid licence or the wrong category for the vehicle (e.g., driving a 7.5-tonne lorry on a standard car licence), your insurance will likely be void, and you could face significant fines or even prosecution.

The step-by-step verification process

Establishing a routine makes this task much easier to manage. Follow these steps to set up your process:

1. Driver generates a code: Ask your driver to visit the "View or share your driving licence" page on GOV.UK. They will need their driving licence number, National Insurance number, and the postcode on their licence.
2. Receive the check code: The driver must select "Share your licence information" to generate a code. This code is case-sensitive and is valid for 21 days (for one-time use).
3. Perform the check: Take that code and the last 8 digits of the driver’s licence number and enter them into the "Check someone's driving licence" service.
4. Review the results: Look specifically for three things:
   • Status: Does it say 'Full' or 'Provisional'?
   • Categories: Do they have the correct entitlement for your specific vehicles?
   • Endorsements: Are there active penalty points or disqualifications?
5. Save the evidence: Always save the result as a PDF or print a copy. This serves as your audit trail for the DVSA or your insurance provider.

How often should you check?

While checking a driver when they first join is standard, you must also perform "periodic checks" to catch changes in their status. A common industry standard is:

Driver Risk Level	Check Frequency
Clean licence (0 points)	Every 6 to 12 months
Licence with 3-6 points	Every 3 to 6 months
High-risk/New drivers	Every 3 months

Pro-Tip: Driving licence data is highly sensitive personal information. Under UK GDPR, you must store these records securely, only keep them as long as necessary, and ensure they are only accessible to staff who strictly need to see them.

Best practices for your business

• Update your contracts: Include a clause in your staff agreements stating they must inform you immediately of any new motoring convictions or health changes that affect their licence.
• Set calendar reminders: Don't rely on memory. Set recurring reminders for each driver to ensure no one slips through the cracks.
• Use a "Check Code" log: Keep a simple spreadsheet tracking the date of the last check and the date the next one is due.