If you want to check an employee’s driving licence to see if they have any points or to check their eligibility to drive, there are two main ways you can go about this.
One way is to use the Gov.uk site; but this quickly becomes time-consuming if you’re checking multiple drivers’ licences.
The other is to use FleetCheck LicenceAssured, our product that can be used either as a standalone service or as part of the FleetCheck fleet management software.
Here is a look at the pros and cons of both methods of checking employee’s licences and which method is best for your business:
Checking Driver’s Licences With the DVLA Online
The DVLA enables you to check anyone’s driving licence information through the Gov.uk site. To do so, you’ll need the last 8 characters of their driving licence number and the driver will need to request a ‘check code’.
Requesting a Check Code
The driver will need to visit the Gov.uk site themselves and input some information to generate a code so that you, the employer, can check their licence.
The information they’ll need to input is:
- Their driving licence number
- Their National Insurance number
- The postcode as displayed on their driving licence
After inputting this information, the driver will be able to see all of their licence details. This includes their current driving status, expiry date, the vehicles they’re entitled to drive, any penalties, and more.
They are also able to request a check code so that you can check their licence, and this is what you need passed on to you.
The code is displayed on the screen. It’s case sensitive, valid for up to 21 days, and can only be used once.
There is an option to print or save the code, and this is often the preferred method as the characters can easily become mixed up if being repeated over the phone or written down by hand.
Entering a Driver’s Check Code
Once you’ve been given a Check Code from an employee, you need to enter it into the “Check a driving licence” page on the Gov.uk site.
This takes you to a page clearly showing you the licence holder’s driving status, any endorsements, and all of the vehicles they’re entitled to drive.
Checking Driver’s Licences Using FleetCheck LicenceAssured
At FleetCheck we know how important it is for fleet managers to be able to check their drivers’ licences as often as needed – and without going through the time-consuming process outlined above.
This is why we created FleetCheck LicenceAssured, an online portal that enables fleet managers to check their employees’ driving licences and their entitlement to drive.
Our system pulls all of the same driver information from the DVLA, but we’ve made it quicker and easier to use; we’ve enabled fleet managers to set automatic reminders, check licences in bulk, and securely store their employee data online in accordance with GDPR.
As a fleet manager, all you need to do is get written consent from an employee – either on paper or electronically – and you can check their licence and eligibility to drive at any time for up to 3 years.
Why FleetCheck LicenceAssured Is the Best Solution for Checking Employees’ Licences
DVLA Online is fine if you want to perform individual licence checks on an occasional or irregular basis, but for anything more, it becomes time-consuming and labour-intensive to set reminders and chase every individual Check Codes.
Using LicenceAssured, you only need to request permission once from a driver and their consent is valid for 3 years.
You can then set automatic reminders to check ‘high risk’ drivers on a more regular basis. Or, perform checks on intervals that work for your business. We recommend at least once a year for every driver.
It’s important to keep in mind that a lot of employees will not notify their fleet manager if they pick up more points or their driving status changes in any way.
We found that a lot of fleet managers were not even aware that they should, or could be checking their driver’s licences outside of when they first employed them.
It’s an offence for anyone to drive without a valid driving licence. Their insurance will void, and should the worst-case scenario happen and they end up causing an accident, the driver could face criminal charges.
In the case of an employee driving a company vehicle, there are also potentially serious legal implications for the company in question.
If you don’t currently have a robust licensing checking system in place, FleetCheck LicenceAssured is the best solution.
