Mastering licence checks: manual vs. automated
Whether you are verifying driving eligibility or monitoring penalty points, keeping your drivers legal is a cornerstone of fleet safety. Generally, there are two ways to handle this: the manual Gov.uk route or an automated professional service.
While the government portal works for the occasional check, it can quickly become a bottleneck for growing fleets. Here is how the two methods stack up and why FleetCheck LicenceAssured is the preferred choice for businesses prioritising efficiency and risk management.
The manual route: DVLA online checks
Using the DVLA’s service via Gov.uk allows you to access an individual’s record, but it requires a fair amount of “heavy lifting” from both you and your drivers.
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Generating a check code: The driver must manually input their licence number, national insurance number, and postcode to generate a unique ‘check code.‘
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The limitations: These codes are case-sensitive, valid for only 21 days, and can only be used once.
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The admin burden: For a fleet manager, this means constant back-and-forth communication. Keeping on top of multiple expiry dates and one-time codes is a significant administrative drain that scales poorly as your fleet grows.
The professional choice: FleetCheck LicenceAssured
We built LicenceAssured because we know fleet managers have better things to do than chase paper trails. Whether used as a standalone tool or fully integrated with our award-winning fleet management software, it is designed to turn a complex chore into a streamlined process.
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One-time consent: Forget 21-day codes. With LicenceAssured, you only need written consent from your driver once every three years.
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Total autonomy: Once consent is on file, you can check licences and eligibility whenever you need to, without involving the driver every single time.
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Automated oversight: The system handles the “thinking” for you with automatic reminders, bulk checking capabilities, and secure, GDPR-compliant storage.
Why LicenceAssured is the optimal solution
The reality of fleet management is that drivers do not always volunteer information about new points or changes in their licence status. However, the legal burden remains the same: driving without a valid licence is illegal, voids your insurance, and carries severe corporate risk in the event of an accident.
Why settle for ‘ok’ when you can have ‘assured’?
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High-risk monitoring: Easily set more frequent checks for drivers with existing points.
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Scalability: From five drivers to five hundred, the workflow remains just as simple.
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Risk mitigation: Ensure you are always audit-ready with a robust, documented checking history.
If you are still relying on manual checks, you are leaving your business exposed to unnecessary risk and admin costs. FleetCheck LicenceAssured provides the peace of mind that your team is legal, insured, and ready for the road.
