How to Set Up a Driver Licence Check Procedure

stuart47304
Jul 15
5 min read

A Step-by-Step Guide for UK Transport Operators

In the world of road transport, a driver’s licence is more than just a permission slip to drive — it’s a legal necessity, a risk indicator, and a compliance checkpoint. For any business that holds an Operator Licence, whether restricted or standard, checking your drivers’ licences isn’t just best practice — it’s a statutory requirement.

But many operators still don’t have a consistent, documented process for this. That’s where things can go wrong — and when they do, it’s the licence holder who’s accountable.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to implement an effective, legally compliant, and efficient driver licence check procedure that helps safeguard your business and keeps you on the right side of the Traffic Commissioner.

Why You Need a Driver Licence Check Procedure
Legal Responsibilities for UK Operators
Key Risks of Not Checking Licences
How Often Should You Check Licences?
Step-by-Step: Setting Up Your Driver Licence Check Procedure
Digital Tools vs Manual Checks
Record-Keeping Requirements
What to Do If a Driver Has Points or a Ban
Communicating the Policy to Drivers
Additional Compliance Tips
Services That Can Help
Final Thoughts: Making Licence Checks Part of Your Compliance Culture

1. Why You Need a Driver Licence Check Procedure

Let’s start with the basics: every operator has a duty to ensure that anyone driving a vehicle under their licence entitlement is legally allowed to do so.

A driver licence check procedure is your system for:

Verifying your drivers’ entitlement to drive relevant vehicle categories
Identifying disqualifications, expired licences, or medical restrictions
Ensuring you’re not letting anyone operate your vehicles illegally

Without a clear and documented process, you’re opening your business up to unnecessary risk — from fines and court action to losing your Operator Licence.

2. Legal Responsibilities for UK Operators

The Traffic Commissioners and DVSA both expect operators to maintain continuous and effective oversight of their drivers.

Key legal points include:

Operator Licence Undertaking: You agreed to ensure drivers are properly licensed (whether you're a standard or restricted operator).
Health & Safety at Work Act 1974: You must provide a safe working environment — including making sure only legal drivers operate vehicles.
The Road Traffic Act 1988: It’s illegal to permit an unlicensed or disqualified person to drive on a public road.

Failure to carry out checks can be seen as either negligence or deliberate non-compliance, both of which can trigger DVSA action or a Public Inquiry.

3. Key Risks of Not Checking Licences

Still not convinced? Consider these scenarios:

Disqualified Driver: A driver loses their licence but continues driving for your company. You could be prosecuted for permitting illegal driving.
Incorrect Licence Category: A driver with only a Category B licence is unknowingly assigned a 7.5-tonne vehicle. That’s a breach of the law and your Operator Licence.
Medical Conditions or Expired Licence: The driver suffers a seizure while driving — and the investigation reveals you didn’t notice their licence expired 6 months ago.

These aren’t just hypotheticals — they’ve all happened to real operators and led to serious consequences.

4. How Often Should You Check Licences?

There’s no legal minimum, but guidance from DVSA, FORS, and Earned Recognition schemes suggests:

Driver Risk Level	Suggested Check Frequency
Low (0–3 points)	Every 6 months
Medium (4–7 points)	Every 3 months
High (8+ points or previous bans)	Monthly or more often

At a minimum, check:

On recruitment
Annually for all drivers
After any driving incident or disciplinary action

5. Step-by-Step: Setting Up Your Driver Licence Check Procedure

Here's how to build a robust, repeatable system.

Step 1: Draft a Licence Check Policy

Create a written document that outlines:

Why checks are done
How they’re conducted
How often they’re performed
What happens if issues are found

Step 2: Get Driver Consent

You must get written permission to check a driver’s licence via DVLA.

You can do this with:

A D796 mandate form (valid for 3 years)
An online DVLA share code (valid for 21 days, ideal for one-off checks)

Step 3: Choose Your Checking Method

You have two main options:

Manual DVLA Check (free, slower)
Third-Party Checking Service (paid, automated, faster, auditable)

Step 4: Record Every Check

Maintain a log of:

Date of check
Who checked it
What was checked (categories, endorsements, expiry)
Any action taken

Step 5: Flag High-Risk Drivers

Create a risk matrix or driver profile system to:

Increase check frequency
Monitor points trends
Support proactive intervention

6. Digital Tools vs Manual Checks

Manual DVLA Checks

Pros:

Free
Immediate access (via DVLA online)

Cons:

No automated reminders
Share codes expire in 21 days
Easy to forget or overlook
Poor audit trail

Automated Licence Check Services

Some providers include:

Licence Check (part of Ebbon-Dacs)
DAVIS (by Licence Bureau)
FleetCheck
TMC
Trakm8

Pros:

Alerts for expiring licences, new points, disqualifications
Fully auditable history
Integrates with driver risk profiles
Reduces admin time

Cons:

Monthly/annual cost
Need driver mandates

7. Record-Keeping Requirements

You must be able to prove to DVSA or a Traffic Commissioner that:

Each driver has been checked at appropriate intervals
You acted on any issues found
Records are accessible and up to date

A Driver Compliance File should include:

Photocopy or scanned copy of licence
Completed D796 mandate
Licence check results (with date and outcome)
Notes on any follow-up action

Best practice? Keep these records for at least 2 years.

8. What to Do If a Driver Has Points or a Ban

If a check reveals endorsements or disqualification, take action based on your policy.

Minor Points (3–6): Record them, increase check frequency, and discuss expectations.
Multiple Points (6–9): Implement a driver improvement plan or training course.
Ban or Revoked Licence: Immediately suspend driving duties. Conduct an investigation and consider dismissal.

Always document your response — this protects your business if DVSA audits you.

9. Communicating the Policy to Drivers

Drivers must understand:

Licence checks are routine, not personal
They’re required by law and Operator Licence undertakings
Non-cooperation or dishonesty may lead to disciplinary action

Hold a driver briefing and issue a copy of your policy. Get signed confirmation of understanding.

10. Additional Compliance Tips

Include licence checks in driver onboarding
Link licence checking with tachograph analysis and driver hours monitoring
Use licence data to feed driver risk profiles
Tie into FORS Bronze or Earned Recognition requirements
Set up calendar alerts or fleet software reminders for due checks

11. Services That Can Help

Here are some tools and services UK operators use:

Service	What It Does
FleetCheck	Driver licence checking + compliance dashboard
DAVIS	Licence, grey fleet, and driver risk profiling
Licence Bureau	B2B licence checking with DVLA mandate handling
TMC (The Miles Consultancy)	Full fleet and compliance solution
DVLA Online Check	Free one-off driver licence check via share code

12. Final Thoughts: Making Licence Checks Part of Your Compliance Culture

A licence check is more than a box-ticking exercise — it’s your frontline defence against legal exposure and safety risk.

By setting up a structured, consistent, and auditable process, you demonstrate:

Professionalism
Proactive safety culture
Commitment to Operator Licence undertakings

And when the DVSA or Traffic Commissioner comes calling, you’ll have the records to prove it.

📥 Need a Done-for-You Licence Check Policy Template?

JS Transport Solutions offers a ready-to-use Driver Licence Check Policy template — tailored for UK operators, complete with frequency schedules, mandate forms, and checklist templates.