New Data Protection Laws to Affect Licence-Checking Consent

By now, you’ve probably heard a fair amount about GDPR, which is coming into play on 25th May 2018, but did you know that because of the changes, you will have to give consent to the fleet operators who check your driving licence.

In fact, over two million drivers will be required to give consent to leasing operators. Because of how large the task is, fleet operators have been given a three-month transition period to get approval from drivers, giving them until 25th August to obtain permission. This will apply to every single public and private sector organisation who processes personal data and received driver information from DVLA.

The fleet operators must provide a signed declaration from drivers to prove that they are complying with GDPR legislation; however, this will be valid for three years after permission is granted.

Learn More About UK Driving Licences…

- There are 24 main driving licence category codes that define what type of vehicles you are allowed to drive. View the full list on gov.uk here.

- You must be able to read a number plate from 20 metres, and if you fail a roadside test, you could have your licence revoked

- It is reported that around 1.5 million drivers in the UK have out-of-date or incorrect information on their driving licence, including old addresses. If you need to change your address, there is no charge to update your licence through gov.uk

- If a driver is not properly licenced for the vehicle they are driving, they could face a fine of up to £1,000

- The maximum number of penalty points that can be awarded for a single conviction is 11 points. Although many offences have a fixed penalty, some can vary depending on the type and severity of the offence

- You are protected against driving licence forgery through several clever security features on your licence, including a unique 10-digit alphanumeric code, holographs, raised details and information, and changing images.

If you have any questions regarding how GDPR will affect you, please contact us.