A new way to view your driving licence info online

View your driving licence information is a new digital service from DVLA. It's a simpler, clearer and faster way to view your driving information online.

The service is free and available 24 hours a day. Here's a short film we've made about it:

Signing in takes a matter of moments. You just need your driving licence number, National Insurance number and postcode.

The service lets you see when your licence expires, how many penalty points you have, and which vehicles you're licensed to drive. For instance, you can find out whether you're allowed to drive a tractor or mowing machine on the road.

You can also see your personal details registered with the DVLA to check if they're up to date.

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84 comments

Please note: comments on this blog post have now been closed. For assistance, please contact the DVLA call centre on 0300 083 0013. Subscribe to this blog for alerts about new blog posts on this and other projects.

I had a endorsement on my license which I paid to have removed on the 21st of May when I go to view my licence it's still there If an employer looks at this he will see this. if they have my NI number my driving number and my postcode there is nothing stopping them from checking I know they are supposed to go on check a license and use a code which i created for them and when I do this it looks like they are off but there is nothing stopping then from using the information and go on view my license and the endorsement is definitely still on there not happy sort it out

• Replies to John>

It is an offence under the Data Protection Act for an employer or any third party to unlawfully access or procure access to an individual’s personal data or to access personal data without authorisation.
The View Driving Licence service was designed for drivers to check their own records only, and should not be used by third parties to access driver information. If your employer needs to validate your driver record they should request that you generate a check code to be redeemed via the http://www.gov.uk/check-driving-licence.

hi,
I'm about to exchange my current Irish/EU drivers license for an English/UK one.
How can I ensure that the new license reflects the fact that I've had a full drivers license with 15 years - as opposed to it perhaps showing that I've only had a full license starting from June 15
The latter will pose a challenge when hiring cars, renewing car insurance etc Many thanks

• Replies to Donal>

Hi Donal Thanks for your comment. The entitlement date(s) that will be shown on your newly issued GB licence will match the dates that are currently shown on your Irish driving licence. These will be displayed on the reverse of the pink photocard, and will also be displayed on the View Driving Licence (VDL) service under the section “Vehicles you can drive”. Hope that clarifies things for you.

• Replies to Taylor>

Hi Taylor Thanks for your email. Please contact the DVLA call centre on 0300 083 0013 where a colleague can help you further. Many thanks.

I have tried to use the service now for 2 weeks, each time it states details have not been recognised. My NI number has been checked against my wage slip, the driving licence number is correct, and the post code correct. I have called the 0300 083 0013 and they say that all is fine and can give me details on my licence, but that is no good if I need to hire a car and the online system doesn't work for me. There are LOTS of other people with the same problem, and the answer is always 'call 0300 083 0013' however, there seems to be a problem with some peoples details. Is it possible to work out what it is?

• Replies to Bob>

Hi Bob Thanks for your comment. If you could contact the DVLA call centre on 0300 083 0013 a colleague will be able to help you further. Many thanks.

Please help! I'm very confused! I'm trying to apply for a PROVISIONAL licence online. The reason I'm doing it online it because it costs more to send in an application.
I have filled in all details ( I no longer have a passport. It was stolen this year - reported to the police ) Given all info required, NI no etc - no its asking for payment details, which is fine.
Once payment is taken - then what? Don't the DVLA require a photograph to put on my provisional? The paper application ( D1 ) says you have to send in ID and a valid photograph, so surely the same would be for online application? Im at the payment page now, and unsure how to proceed as I have not been asked for any of the above?

• Replies to Ruth>

Hi Ruth Thanks for your comment. In order to not delay your application, I suggest contacting the DVLA call centre on 0300 083 0013 where a colleague can help you further. Many thanks.

I've tried using this service, and it keeps telling me to check I've entered my details correctly. I have.
It would appear your database is either incomplete, or your search facility does not work in some cases.

• Replies to Matthew O'Brien>

Thanks for your comment. Please contact the DVLA call centre on 0300 083 0013 where a colleague can help you further.

I need to change my address on my licence, will the DVLA system use my passport photo to update my licence? If so, my passport photo is 8 years old whereas my current licence photo is only 2 years old and much more of a resemblance of my current appearance. Please advise.

• Replies to Daniel>

Hi Daniel Thanks for your comment. The DVLA can only take a photo from your passport on your first application for a provisional licence. If you are only changing your address we will reuse the image that is currently on your licence as there is 8 years validity remaining on it. There is no need to submit a new photo for a change of address application. Many thanks.

My friend wants to update her address details for her photocard driving licence but cannot find her paper license (she has the photocard). What should she do?

• Replies to Lucy B>

Hi Lucy Thanks for your comment. If your friend has lost the paper counterpart, she will need to obtain a duplicate licence and pay the appropriate fee. Until June 8th you need to return both parts of your licence to qualify for a free replacement showing the updated address.

Over the last week, I have tried this every day and it does not recognise my details. I have called the number and they say they can see my record and so I must be entering information incorrectly. I am not - I have had other people check it for me. So then they said that not all records have been uploaded yet and to keep trying. Is this correct?

• Replies to Catherine>

Hi Catherine Thanks for your comment. The details you have submitted do not match the details the DVLA hold on record for you. Please contact the DVLA call centre on 0300 083 0013 where a colleague can help you further. Many thanks.

• Replies to Carrie Barclay>

Hi Carrie, I called the DVLA and was told there was nothing wrong with my record. I e-mailed the DVLA providing all my details and was told this: "Unfortunately not all records are accessible via this service. We can however, provide you with limited information over the phone. Alternatively, if you need proof of your entitlement to drive, please call us and we’ll issue you with a certificate of entitlement. You should make enquiries with the car hire company abroad to ensure that faxed/posted confirmation of your driving details is acceptable to them. There’s a fee of £5.00 by credit/debit card (we accept Visa and MasterCard) to cover the cost of issuing a certificate. This can only be faxed or posted abroad." This is of no use to me - I walk into a hire car company when abroad so cannot have my details faxed over in advance (and in any event, facsimile is not a secure method of transmission). Every answer I get from the DVLA is different and the response that I cannot go online is no use to me and unfair that I should be penalised and charged for something other people get for free. Please confirm that my record will be made available by the 8 June abolition date. Thanks,
Catherine

• Replies to Catherine Louise Booth>

Hi Catherine I'm so sorry that you continue to experience issues using this service. I have passed your query on for investigation. The advice is to call the helpline, but if I receive any further updates regarding your specific issue I'll let you know straight away.

• Replies to Carrie Barclay>

I am having exactly the same issue. Tried lots of times over the past few weeks, and the system keeps saying the details don't match. Yet I call that number and they says is ok and perhaps my records is not yet uploaded. I asked them to check that my NI number is correct on the DVLA records, they say the can't. This is utterly rubbish and poorly implemented service.

• Replies to robert jones>

Hi Robert Thanks for your comment. If your licence is showing as revoked, you should contact the DVLA call centre as soon as possible to discuss the matter on 0300 790 6801. Many thanks.

I've lived in Japan the past two decades and swapped my UK licence for a Japanese one soon after arriving here, so I no longer have a physical UK licence. If I visit the UK, how can I hire a car? I hired one about 10 years ago and the hire company just made a phone call to the DVLA to check all was OK (all I could have given them was my name and old UK address - I have no record of my licence number). How would that work now?

• Replies to Neil>

Hi Neil. Thanks for your comment. As you have exchanged your full UK licence for a full Japanese driving licence, you can rent a car in the UK using your Japanese licence. No involvement is necessary from DVLA. Many thanks.

• Replies to Carrie Barclay>

• Replies to Neil>

Hi Neil Unfortunately the DVLA are unable to comment on individual rental companies terms and conditions for licence translations. They recommend that you contact the company you are hiring the vehicle with to confirm their specific requirements. I hope that helps.

• Replies to Anon>

Yes - Same log in is required, driver number from your provisional licence, plus National Insurance number and postcode.

• Replies to owais khan>

Thanks for your comment. Your passport information is used to verify your identity when you change your address on your driving licence, but the information on your passport records will not be changed.

Get all the way through to entering the document number on the paper part of the license and it is not recognised.

• Replies to Hez>

This same problem is happening for me too. All the information I am entering is correct but is telling me it is not recognised and then diverting me to a page for lost licences, even though mine is not lost and I have all the information it is asking for, I'm beyond frustrated!

• Replies to Rachel>

Hi Rachel Thanks for your comment. The details you have submitted do not match the details that the DVLA hold on record for you. Please contact the DVLA call centre on 0300 083 0013 where a colleague can help you further.

I have tried repeatedly to access the DVLA website to update my licence, but day after day. Service not available. Once even got a message the service would be available late morning and. no of course it was not! Tried again and again. Managed for the first time (after more than 30 attempts over a week) to log in today and part way through as entering the details it said it had timed out (even when I had been inputting details without delay) and. yes, once again all evening now displaying. Service not available. When will you actually get a working system. terrible service

That service doesn't work for me.
It saying that I have entered my driving licence incorrectly.
I am assuming that is expecting in some different format with the letters at the beginning, but unfortunately mine does contains only 8 digits.
I live in Northern Ireland, so if that system is not ready for that region please inform clearly.

• Replies to Marcin>

Hi Marcin I'm sorry you were unable to use this service. Unfortunately it is not available in Northern Ireland. This is stated at the top of the page: https://www.gov.uk/view-driving-licence If you feel this information could be better displayed please do feedback at the bottom of the page (the 'Is there anything wrong with this page? link). Thanks for taking the time to comment.

• Replies to Carrie Barclay>

Do you have a plans to implement that tool also for people holding driving licence issued in NI?
If yes, when we can expect this to work?

hi i tried to look on my driving license information and i couldnt. i tried entering same details several times but it say no match.please help

• Replies to siril johnson>

I am sorry you're experiencing problems with this service. I have checked and the service is currently working correctly. if problems persist, please complete the feedback survey by following this link: https://www.snapsurveys.com/wh/s.asp?k=142254401532 Carrie

I like this service and the abolition of the paper part but what if you don't have access to the internet.

Sort out your IT problems please! Can't even log in as every time I input details (no matter how quickly- Filling out the form in less than a minute) it says "session timed out". Extremely frustrating, have tried numerous times!!

• Replies to mike>

I am sorry you're experiencing problems with this service. I have checked and the service is currently working correctly. if problems persist, please complete the feedback survey by following this link: https://www.snapsurveys.com/wh/s.asp?k=142254401532 Carrie

I would like to notify DVLA of my new address. How do I do this without it costing me on a phone call as I am on a pension thankyou

• Replies to Mrs,m d.whish>

Hi Maureen. Thanks for your comment. You can inform the DVLA of your new address free of charge here: https://www.gov.uk/change-address-driving-licence Carrie

This is great - however we also need this URGENTLY: "if you are hiring a vehicle or you drive for a living and you are asked to provide evidence of your driving record (entitlements and/or penalty points), you will be able to do this online for free by accessing our Share Driving Licence service. This service is currently in development but will be available before the counterpart is abolished. The service should be used by both paper and photocard driving licence holders and will also allow you to download a summary of your licence record which can be printed "

I am an employer who legally needs to check drivers records annually, is this service sufficient for this?
It seems to have all the information I need, I used to pay £5 per driver to check licences, does this service comply with my legal responsibilities?

• Replies to Debbie>

Hi Debbie, thank you for your comment. View Driving Licence is for drivers to check their own records only. However, we are developing a new ‘Share Driving Licence’ service that will allow third parties (such as employers) to check driving licence information with the permission of the driver. Our video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jjermy1fg1M) provides an overview of Share Driving Licence, you can also check our DVLA Digital Services blog (https://dvladigital.blog.gov.uk/) for updates on development.

Useless. The system won't recognise my postcode because it's a military camp, even though every other postcode recognition service that I've used online has found it. The DVLA printed this address on my license so why doesn't it recognise it!? I know you'll tell me to apply by post instead but I can see that other people have raised this complaint as far back as last year but nobody has answered or rectified the problem.

I am trying to renew my licence at 70. As the postcode of my house has been changed the address on my old paper licence is not recognised due to the obsolete post code. I now have to apply by post which entails sending a photo and identification. Surely it can't be that difficult to cross reference old post codes - after all the licence reminder found its way to me with the old post code!

• Replies to Sabina Makary>

I cant even get onto link to email them .have entered my details over and over now it wont let me get on site to try again why is this I need my licence number to get new licence 🙁

Thank you for your comments. The DVLA request that you contact them through their online email service to raise any queries: https://emaildvla.direct.gov.uk/emaildvla/cegemail/dvla/en/index.html Many thanks.

How often is the information updated? Waiting for my full licence and been checking on here to see if its been done.

Tried several times using my correct details. It tells me to phone the dvla? Why's that? I've also noticed other people have had the same problem but no one seems to be replying to that question? Why ?

A couple of people have left comments about not being able to view their records and DVLA has so far ignored their comments. Why is that? I can't view my details after supplying the necessary information and I wanted to find out if this is a frequently asked question. I can see it is, so DVLA can you respond to this, please?

Hi ive lost my licesne ( physically not through disqualificaiton) how do i find out my driver number?

• Replies to Danny>

I'm having the same problem with my old postcode too! I always apply for my car licence online so the DVLA must have me on record.
My old paper licence has fallen apart so I need to change it promptly.

I have tried entering my details (correctly) several times to view my driving record but doesn't work for me

I've tried to change the address on my licence but my old address has been demolished and thusly DVLA don't recognise it being a vaild address anymore

The postcode for our house changed, and my wife wants to change her (old style paper) driving licence for a plastic one with the correct postcode. She tried to do this online and guess what, every time she puts the old postcode into the "address on licence" box it changes it to the new postcode then says the licence won't be replaced as nothing has changed! Great system.

Hi I need to change the address on my driving license ( i have an old style paper license)
The previous address is not recognised as it is an old army base that no longer exists. Please can you advise what i need to do?

• Replies to Margaret>

Hi Margaret. Thanks for your comment. If you are unable to complete this transaction online you can apply by post. The address and more information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/change-address-driving-licence#other-ways-to-apply

This is not secure. Great way to help fraudsters get even more information. These details are not private.

• Replies to Rob>

How exactly is it not secure? The website uses TLS and there are far too many combinations for anyone to brute-force their way into the system.

• Replies to Dan>

Because organisations such as vehicle hire companies usually issue a document at the time of hiring which contains all this information. If this fell into the wrong hands there is nothing to stop someone accessing the hirer's record.

• Replies to Geoff>

Vehicle Hire Hire Companies do not require NI information and as I understand it you require this to get your Driving Licence details. However, as a word of caution, some people carry their Licence and NI card in their wallets - One-stop shop for would be fraudsters.

What user research was done to support introduction of this digital service? I agree with the comment by 'puzzled' - can't see the value here. Why did customers want this service? Its a nice to have, not a need to have surely! Can the government justify the cost to build versus projected savings?

• Replies to wyatt>

The government doesn't operate for-profit. It provides services to people who need them, often at a loss. It's not a corporation you have stock in, it's a benevolent organization that benefits everyone who needs it. Sure, they could have saved money and used the old way without ever improving, but the benefit of happy citizens is far greater than the benefit of having a small amount of money.

Entered all my details correctly several times but for some reason ot says that it cannot match my details. Does this mean my licence doesn't exist? :/

What's to stop my boss looking at my record - he knows my driving licence number, my NI number and my postcode?

• Replies to Mark>

Hi Mark Thanks for your question. The DVLA are currently developing a new web-based digital enquiry service that third parties (such as driving instructors, car hire companies and other businesses) can use to access driving licence information. You can find out more on the DVLA digital blog. https://dvladigital.blog.gov.uk/2014/09/26/view-driving-licence-access-and-services-for-third-parties/

Nice tool - thanks. It's this sort of thing that makes Gov.uk so great. I look forward to the same sort of thing for passports, and perhaps even a nice little reminder alert by email for documents expiring ? (there's always something coming up!) Only one tiny gripe - I put spaces in my NI number (as on the card) and it wouldn't accept it. Just a UX perspective it's always a joy when the system fixes that :d

If I need to log in with my driving licence number, which I will be looking at my driving licence to find, won't I see all these details on my licence anyway? I'm not seeing an advantage here yet.

• Replies to Puzzled>

Hi Julie. Thanks for your comment. When viewing your driving licence online using this system you will be able to see all your personal details (address, date of birth etc) but also more details about what vehicles you can and cannot drive than appears on your photocard. You will also see detailed information about any outstanding penalty points including the date issued, where the penalty was issued and when it expires. Information about penalty points does no appear on your photocard driving licence.

Not as puzzled as those without computers. The govt. stopped banks getting rid of cheques because you cant assume everyone has a computer. Nw it is making this assumption for driving licences. Saves the Agency money and gives the driver hassle. If you break down or have a crash and need to hire, what chance you have all information and an internet access.

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