Licence checks and Penalties
How to check validity, endorsements and convictions on a UK driving licence
Line Managers or Fleet Managers where appointed, are responsible for checking, routinely rechecking and recording, if the potential driver on College business is permitted to drive the particular type of vehicle (College or hire). This is based on their age, licence validity and licence categories, endorsements and disqualification status.
If during checking, they find relevant endorsements or a driver has been disqualified, they must rescind authorisation and notify the College Insurance Manager accordingly.
How to make licence checks
With the withdrawal of the paper counterpart licence, the DVLA’s free View Driving Licence service lets drivers see what details are on their licence, including what vehicles they can drive and any penalty points they may have.
To use this service the driver will need either their Driver Number (on their driving licence), or National Insurance number.
See:
https://www.gov.uk/view-driving-licence for details, including how to share this information eg with fleet or line managers. Fleet Managers and Line Managers can also phone DVLA on 0906 139 3837, but the driver must give their permission for the enquiry. They can do this by calling 0300 790 6801 before you call, or they can be with you when you call DVLA. Lines are open Monday to Friday 8am to 7pm and Saturday 8am to 2pm.
Would the College Vehicle Insurers insure a College driver who had points on their licence?
It’s not necessarily the number of points on the licence that determines this. It depends on the nature and circumstances of the offence, and the period of time elapsed since the offence.
Who makes this decision on behalf of the College?
Fleet Managers and Line Managers who find current endorsements on a licence, will need to make a decision on the time elapsed since the event, and on the nature of the endorsement.
For example
- three points for Speeding, Traffic Direction and Signs or Construction endorsement that occurred three years ago, might be acceptable in terms of permitting someone to drive a College vehicle; however if there were several current endorsements for the same offence, this would not be acceptable.
- three points for parking a vehicle unsafely three years ago, would be acceptable to our insurers, but several instances of the same would not be, and neither would a very recent endorsement.
For anything other than these, an alternative driver should be found, or would need to be discussed with the College Insurers.
Please see: https://www.gov.uk/penalty-points-endorsements for further information on endorsements, penalty codes, how long endorsements remain in force and other relevant information.