FAQs

How do I check a driving licence?

The easiest way is to contact an authorised and reputable Driving Licence Checking company, such as Fleet Licence Check. We offer a number of options for companies to check driving licences and cater for companies both large and small.

To discover how easy it is to check a driving licence or for a no-obligation instant quote, please click the Quick-Quote page for a price or just call Fleet Licence Check now on 01869 247788

Who needs to check driving licences?

Current legislation requires employers to take all reasonable care to ensure that any persons driving a company-owned vehicle holds a current and valid licence to drive a vehicle in that class or category.

Recent statistics show that some 1 in 300 licences validated through the UK DVLA agency are revoked or expiring, rendering employers liable to possible negligence. Operator of vehicles fleet must ensure that all persons they allow to drive hold a current, valid licence for the vehicle class in question.

The abolition of the green licence counterpart makes it impossible to visually check for any driving convictions or disqualifications. With a substantial increase in cloned or fake driving licences, employers and vehicle operators cannot assume because the licence "looks OK" it is, in fact, genuine. The Fleet Licence Check validation service offers complete peace of mind knowing that the licence has been validated in real time with the DVLA.

For a no-obligation and instant quote, please click the Quick-Quote page for a price.

I only have a few drivers, can you still help me?

Yes, Fleet Licence Check can help most businesses even if you only have a small number of vehicles or drivers. We offer a number of service levels which are designed to suit most companies and businesses; we feel sure we will have a service that will suit your needs. Each service can be customised to your exact requirements.

For a no-obligation and instant quote, please click the Quick-Quote page for a price.

Can I check driver licences online?

Carrying out driving licence checks online is the fastest and easiest way to review the information you need. Using the DVLA Electronic Driver Entitlement Checking Service (EDECS) not only saves you valuable time, it provides you with an answer instantly.

Licence checks carried out against the DVLA database will provide the necessary information of licence validity dates, categories of vehicle that the driver can drive, and if there are any current offences, convictions, or disqualifications on the licence. Driving licence checking is a legal obligation for everyone who allows someone to drive a vehicle. (Section 87 of the Road Traffic Act 1988).

For a no-obligation and instant quote, please click the Quick-Quote page for a price.

How do I know my Employees' licences are genuine?

Department for Transport (DfT) research shows that over 553,000 hours a month are spent on the roads by unlicensed drivers, while more than 17,000 motorists drive banned. As an employer, using drivers that are unlicensed, or do not hold the correct type of licence for the vehicle they operate, is against the law and, using such drivers, will invalidate any insurance and could lead to fines and/or possible convictions.

Aside from it being a legal requirement, checking employee licences against DVLA databases will ensure you are using fully qualified drivers that are legally allowed to drive specific vehicles for the age and category of licence they hold. It also puts you in a better position to manage drivers, vehicles, fleet, and cost, as well as minimising risk.

Employers have a Duty of Care under the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) (2) that require them to ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of all employees while at work.

For a no-obligation and instant quote, please click the Quick-Quote page for a price.

How does driving licence checking work?

The process involves checking that the information on a driver’s licence is correct and is carried out against the current DVLA database in real time. This is done through our secure online portal which is audited by DVLA. A licence check can reveal:

  • Points - Convictions/Endorsements
  • Expired photocards (10 year renewal)
  • Category entitlement
  • Expired/revoked licences
  • Serious offences such as drink driving
  • Address mismatch

This information can be used to make a decision on whether the driver is legally qualified to drive for your business and, if so, what type of vehicle they are legally able to drive.

For a no-obligation and instant quote, please click the Quick-Quote page for a price.

Is a photocopy of a licence a sufficient check?

With the green counterpart due to be abolished on 8th June 2015, employers will not be able to use a physical check for conducting licence checks. A photocopy of the photocard is not sufficient as it will not reveal points, endorsements, bans or disqualifications.

To completely satisfy your legal obligations, you should carry out driving licence checks with Fleet Licence Check against the DVLA database. By carrying out a DVLA check, you are provided with current information of the validity of a licence and any endorsements or disqualifications - information that photocopies will not provide.

For a no-obligation and instant quote, please click the Quick-Quote page for a price.

Is licence checking a legal requirement?

Yes. Anyone who allows someone to drive must make sure that person has the correct licence and qualifications to do so.

Employers have a Duty of Care under the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974)(2) that require them to ensure, as for as is reasonable practicable, the health and safety of all employees while at work. Other vehicle operators, such as garages providing courtesy cars or hire car companies have a legal obligation under the Road Traffic Act (1988) section 87 (2) to ensure that the drivers driving their vehicles are licensed to drive.

In addition to the above, the DVLA has announced that from 8th June 2015, the paper counterpart will be removed, making visual checks no longer possible.

Non-compliance can invalidate any insurance and put you at risk of possible third party liability, penalty fines or criminal conviction.

For a no-obligation and instant quote, please click the Quick-Quote page for a price.

My company runs a fleet or courtesy cars, do I need to check my customer's driving licence?

Yes, you have a legal obligation to check that your customer has a valid driving licence. The Road Traffic Act (1988) section 87 (2) makes it an offence to allow someone to drive your vehicle if they are not licenced.

We offer a fast and efficient service that will enable you to check your customers driving licence while they wait. All you need is their driving licence number and their consent.

For a no-obligation and instant quote, please click the Quick-Quote page for a price.

What are the benefits of driving licence checking?

Carrying out driving licence checks is a legal requirement for every company in the UK that employs people to drive for work or professionally. However, beyond legal compliance, performing licence checks offers up a number of crucial benefits to the organisation.

These benefits include:

  • Information on whether an employee is legally qualified to drive
  • Information on which vehicles employees can drive, based on their age and licence
  • Information of any convictions or fines, including new ones - even if the driver doesn't tell you
  • Online management reporting to enable you to act quickly
  • Alerts on any licence expiry dates
  • Full compliance with current laws

Taking a photocopy of a driving licence is not enough and, with the removal of the paper counterpart on 8th June 2015, visual checks will no longer be possible. A DVLA approved licence check is the only new way to ensure your drivers are legally able to do the job you have employed them to do and to protect your business.

For a no-obligation and instant quote, please click the Quick-Quote page for a price.

What is driver licence checking?

Driver licence checking is essential for any organisation operating with a fleet of vehicles and drivers. The process is a legal requirement for every employer and you must make sure that anyone you employ to drive a vehicle has the correct licence qualifications.

Driver licence checking is designed to check licences for all types of drivers against current DVLA records. The service not only provides you with the information needed to ensure an employee holds a valid driving licence, it allows you to check which vehicles employees can drive based on their age and the type of licence they hold.

Information provided from a checking service includes:

  • Licence Status
  • Category detail - e.g. information codes, expiry dates
  • Licence and photocard expiry dates
  • Details of offences, convictions and disqualifications

This data allows you to remain compliant with law and stay in control of drivers, fleet, and cost management.

When was the paper counterpart abolished?

The paper counterpart was abolished on 8th June 2015. After this time, visual checks are impossible. Our service provides a fast and efficient solution.

For a no-obligation and instant quote, please click the Quick-Quote page for a price.

Where can I check fleet vehicle licences?

Fleet vehicle licences for all types of road-legal motor vehicle - cars, vans, trucks, buses, coaches, 4x4s and motorbikes - need to be checked via the DVLA database.

The DVLA database is the only one of its kind in the UK that provides licence information on every driver in Britain and is the only way to ensure the information that you have been provided form and employee is correct.

Checking fleet vehicle licences can be carried out online and managed electronically to allow you to act quickly to any licence changes. The information provided as a result of these checks includes alerts on expired licences, offences, convictions, penalty points, and disqualifications.

It also gives you information on which vehicles can be driven by a licence holder based on age and qualifications, ensuring you only ever use drivers with valid licences.

Which vehicles does licence checking apply to?

Driving licence checking in the UK applies to all employers employing people to drive a vehicle and all motor vehicles.

Any motor vehicle that requires a licence to operate, and any driver intending on operating that vehicle, must be checked by law. If your organisation has a fleet of cars, vans, trucks, 4x4s, minibuses, buses, coaches, or motorcycles, you will need to make a check on the licence of the member of staff employed to drive.

These checks are designed to clamp down on the number of unlicensed and banned drivers on the roads and provide employers with vital information on the driver's ability to drive a vehicle based on their age and qualifications.

Driving licence checks provide data of licence validity, categories, endorsements, and disqualifications, ensuring employers remain in compliance with the law.

Why can't I check my own drivers' licences through the DVLA View Driver Record (VDR) online facility?

Using the new View Driver Record (VDR) service is for individuals only. Businesses using the VDR service to check their drivers' licences are committing a criminal offence.

The Share My Driver Record (SMDR) service can be used to validate licences. Although this service will be initially free during the beta stage, we expect this to change in the future. This service is very time consuming as it requires each individual driver to validate their identity, which will generate a unique access code which lasts for a short period. The vehicle operator can then use this code to view information about the driver record for one time only. If the driver wanted to conduct a licence check at a later time, the vehicle operator would need to go through the process again of generating a unique access code.Although this service can be used to view licence details, it is very time consuming and there is currently no audit trail of a licence check actually taking place. This may pose problems should it ever need to be proven that a licence check was undertaken as vehicle operators must demonstrate a ‘rigorous and tested process’ when licence checking.

By using Fleet Licence Check, you can guarantee that each licence result received back is independently reviewed. It cannot be open to interpretation with potentially high-risk drivers allowed to continue driving due to internal staff not being trained or aware of potential flag points on the licence. The hassle of obtaining a unique access code from each driver is also eliminated as consent is given electronically and lasts for a period of 3 years. Our licence validation service is simple for you and your drivers and customers and eliminates the time you will need to spend conducting licence checks.

For a no-obligation and instant quote, please click the Quick-Quote page for a price.

Why does my employer need to check my driving licence?

In the UK, it is a legal requirement for every organisation that employees people to drive to conduct a driving licence check. Such checks are made by employers, not to question your ability or integrity as a driver, but to confirm that you hold the correct licence for the job and the vehicle you have been employed to drive.

With close to half a million unlicenced drivers on Britain's roads, employers need to perform licence checks to separate genuine employees from fraudsters that make dishonest declarations about their licence.

As an employee, these checks will benefit you by ensuring that you are provided with a vehicle that you are legally able to drive and are insured in the event of an accident. It also gives you assurances that you are working for a responsible employer that looks after staff that drive for work or professionally.

Why should I check my employees' licences?

A key aspect of running any sort of vehicle fleet, be it cars, vans, trucks, 4x4s, coaches, minibuses, or motorcycles, is to ensure each and every driver drives with a valid driving licence. This is a legal requirement and allows both employer and employee to be insured in the event of an accident.

Unfortunately, many organisations in the UK are misinformed concerning the process of licence checking and assume a simple photocopy of employee documents is enough to cover themselves and drivers on the road.

Statistics from the Department for Transport (DfT) show that there are approximately 473,000 unlicenced drivers on the roads in the UK. Around 17,200 of these drivers have been banned due to the totting up of points. Without checking licences against current DVLA records, your organisation is exposed to fleet risk and non-compliance with duty of care responsibilities.

Reasons to Check

Disqualified or Revoked Licence

Following recent trials undertaken by DVLA with several company fleets, DVLA identified 1 in every 540 checks performed uncovered a driver with a disqualified or revoked licence.

Need Assistance?

Our qualified and helpful team is at your service to help you with any driving licence related questions or issues.

01869 247788