If you are searching for “check my driving licence online”, you may want to confirm that your driving licence is valid, see which vehicles you are entitled to drive, check penalty points, review disqualifications, or share your driving record with an employer or car hire company.
For driving licences issued in England, Scotland and Wales, the official GOV.UK service allows drivers to view their driving record and access information about their driving entitlement, penalty points and disqualifications. You can also create a licence check code when you need to share your driving information with another person or organisation.
In this guide, we explain how to check my driving licence online, what information you can view, what you need before starting, and what to do if your driving record contains information you do not recognise.
For more information about UK driving licences, visit UK DVLA Driving Licence.
What Does “Check My Driving Licence Online” Mean?
The search phrase “check my driving licence online” usually refers to checking your official driving record through the DVLA’s online services.
Your driving record can provide information that is not immediately visible from looking at your physical photocard.
Depending on your circumstances, you may be able to check:
- Your current driving entitlements
- Vehicle categories you can drive
- Penalty points
- Endorsements
- Driving disqualifications
- Relevant licence information
- Details needed to share your driving record
Checking your driving information online can be particularly useful before starting a driving job, hiring a vehicle, travelling abroad, or after receiving penalty points.
If you are researching related topics, visit our DVLA driving licence guide.
How to Check My Driving Licence Online
If you want to check my driving licence online, the official GOV.UK service is the appropriate place to start.
You will normally need:
- Your driving licence number
- Your National Insurance number
- The postcode shown on your driving licence
These details are used to access your own driving information through the official online service.
Step-by-Step Process
1. Go to the Official Driving Licence Service
Access the GOV.UK service for viewing or sharing your driving licence information.
2. Enter Your Driving Licence Number
Enter your driving licence number exactly as it appears on your photocard.
3. Provide Your National Insurance Number
Enter your National Insurance number when requested.
4. Enter Your Postcode
Use the postcode currently recorded on your driving licence.
5. Access Your Driving Record
Once your details have been verified, you can view the driving information available through the service.
6. Check Your Licence Information
Review your vehicle entitlements, penalty points and disqualifications.
7. Create a Check Code if Required
If another person or organisation needs to verify your driving information, you can generate a DVLA check code.
For related information, see our DVLA licence check guide.
What Information Can I See When I Check My Driving Licence Online?
When you check your driving licence online, the information available can help you understand your current driving position.
Vehicle Entitlements
Your driving record can show the vehicle categories you are entitled to drive.
This is useful if you are unsure whether your licence permits you to drive a particular type of vehicle.
Different categories cover different types of vehicles, including cars, motorcycles, goods vehicles and buses. Your exact entitlement depends on the categories and restrictions associated with your licence.
Before driving an unfamiliar vehicle, it is sensible to verify your entitlement rather than rely on assumptions.
Penalty Points
You can also check information relating to penalty points and endorsements on your driving record.
Penalty points may have been added following a motoring offence, and the duration for which an endorsement remains on your record depends on the offence.
Checking your record can help you understand:
- How many points you have
- What offence the points relate to
- Whether an endorsement is recorded
- When points are due to be removed
If you have recently received a penalty, checking your record can be a useful way to keep track of your driving information.
For more information, visit our check driving record resource.
Can I Check My Driving Licence Online to See If It Is Valid?
Yes, checking your official driving record can help you understand your current driving entitlement.
However, licence validity is more than simply checking the expiry date printed on your photocard.
Your ability to drive can also be affected by:
- Disqualifications
- Penalty points
- Vehicle category restrictions
- Licence conditions
- Certain medical requirements
- Changes to your entitlement
For this reason, checking your electronic driving record can provide more useful information than simply looking at the physical card.
If you are asking “is my driving licence valid?”, check the official record before driving if you have any reason to believe your entitlement may have changed.
Why Should I Check My Driving Licence Online?
There are many situations where checking your driving record can be helpful.
1. After Passing Your Driving Test
If you have recently passed your driving test, checking your record can help you confirm your driving entitlement.
2. After Receiving Penalty Points
You can review your driving record and see information associated with endorsements.
3. Before Hiring a Car
A rental company may ask you for a DVLA check code to verify your driving information.
4. Before Starting a Driving Job
An employer may need to confirm that you have the correct driving entitlement.
5. After a Driving Disqualification
If you have been disqualified, your driving status needs particular attention before you drive again.
6. After Changing Your Details
If you have changed your address, checking your information can help confirm that your details are up to date.
7. Before Driving a Different Vehicle
If you are planning to drive a vehicle that you do not normally use, checking your categories and restrictions can help confirm that you have the appropriate entitlement.
For more UK licence information, visit our UK driving licence resource.
Check My Driving Licence Online After Passing My Test
Passing your driving test does not mean you should ignore your driving record.
New drivers have specific rules concerning penalty points.
Under the New Drivers Act, if you receive six or more penalty points within two years of passing your first driving test, your driving licence can be revoked.
Points obtained while you held a provisional licence can also be relevant after you pass your test.
This makes it particularly important for newly qualified drivers to understand their driving record and keep their licence information up to date.
Check My Driving Licence Online for Penalty Points
One of the most common reasons people search for “check my driving licence online” is to find out how many penalty points they have.
Penalty points can result from various driving offences, including speeding and other motoring violations.
Your driving record can help you determine:
- Whether points have been recorded
- How many points are currently listed
- Which endorsement relates to the offence
- When the endorsement is expected to be removed
The consequences of penalty points depend on the offence and your individual circumstances.
For example, the totting-up rules can result in a driving disqualification when a driver reaches 12 or more penalty points within three years.
How Many Points Can Lead to a Driving Ban?
Under the general totting-up rules, a driver can be disqualified after accumulating 12 or more penalty points within three years.
The length of a disqualification can depend on previous disqualifications and the circumstances of the case.
For new drivers, different rules apply. Receiving six or more penalty points within two years of passing your first driving test can result in licence revocation.
Therefore, if you have recently received penalty points, it is worthwhile to check your driving licence online and understand what is recorded on your driving record.
Check My Driving Licence Online for Driving Disqualifications
A driving disqualification can prevent you from legally driving for a specified period.
Disqualifications can arise from:
- Serious driving offences
- Court convictions
- Accumulating penalty points
- Other circumstances determined by the courts
If you have been disqualified, do not assume that having a physical driving licence means you can drive.
Check your official driving information and follow the conditions of your disqualification.
For a disqualification lasting 56 days or more, you generally need to apply for a new licence before driving again, and you may need to take another driving test depending on the circumstances.
Check My Driving Licence Online Before Hiring a Car
Planning to rent a car in the UK or abroad?
The rental company may ask you to provide a DVLA check code.
The code allows the company to verify relevant information from your driving record.
Before collecting a rental vehicle, it is sensible to:
- Check your driving licence online.
- Review your penalty points.
- Confirm your vehicle entitlement.
- Check whether any disqualification applies.
- Generate a DVLA check code if requested.
- Take your physical driving licence and any other documents required by the rental company.
A DVLA check code is temporary, so generate one close to the time it is needed.
What Is a DVLA Driving Licence Check Code?
A DVLA check code allows you to share your driving record with another person or organisation.
You might need a check code when:
- Hiring a car
- Starting a driving job
- Providing information to an employer
- Allowing an organisation to verify your driving entitlement
The driver generates the code and gives it to the authorised person or organisation.
The official service states that a check code is valid for 21 days and can only be used once.
If the code expires or has already been used, you need to generate another one.
Can Someone Else Check My Driving Licence?
Yes, but your permission is required.
For example, an employer or car rental company may need to verify your driving information.
To check another person’s driving record, the official service requires relevant information from the driver, including a valid check code and the last eight characters of their driving licence number.
You should only provide your driving information to people or organisations that have a legitimate reason to access it.
Check My Driving Licence Online for Employment
If you are applying for a job that involves driving, your prospective employer may need to verify your driving entitlement.
This can apply to:
- Delivery drivers
- Van drivers
- HGV drivers
- Taxi drivers
- Bus drivers
- Courier drivers
- Fleet drivers
- Company car drivers
An employer may ask you to generate a DVLA check code.
Before providing the code, you can check your driving licence online yourself to make sure your driving record contains the information you expect.
For related information, see our DVLA driving record guide.
Check My Driving Licence Online After Changing Address
Moving house?
You should make sure that your driving licence information is updated with your current address.
Keeping your address up to date is important because DVLA correspondence may be sent to the address held on your record.
After updating your information, checking your driving record can help you confirm that the relevant details are correct.
For more information, visit our UK DVLA driving licence guide.
Check My Driving Licence Online After Losing My Licence
If your physical photocard has been lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed, you can apply for a replacement through the appropriate DVLA service.
Losing your physical card does not necessarily mean that your electronic driving record has disappeared.
If you need information about replacing a licence, read our lost or stolen driving licence guide.
Check My Driving Licence Online Without an Account
You can use the GOV.UK service to view or share your driving licence information without necessarily having a Driver and Vehicles account.
You will normally need:
- Your driving licence number
- National Insurance number
- The postcode on your driving licence
A Driver and Vehicles account can provide access to additional services, including viewing your driving record, checking penalty points and disqualifications, renewing your photocard and replacing a lost licence.
What Is the DVLA Driver and Vehicles Account?
The Driver and Vehicles account brings various driving-related services together.
Depending on your circumstances, you can use it to:
- View your driving record
- Check penalty points
- Check disqualifications
- Renew your photocard
- Replace a lost or stolen licence
- Change your address
- View your driving licence photo
- Create a licence check code
- Access certain professional driving information
If you frequently need to manage your licence online, having access to the relevant DVLA services can make the process easier.
Can I Check My Driving Licence Online on My Phone?
Yes. The GOV.UK driving licence services are designed to be accessed online, so you can generally use a compatible smartphone, tablet or computer with an internet connection.
When accessing sensitive driving information, always make sure that you are using the official GOV.UK service and a secure connection.
Avoid entering your driving licence number, National Insurance number or other personal information into unfamiliar websites.
Is It Safe to Check My Driving Licence Online?
The safest approach is to use the official GOV.UK website for DVLA services.
Be particularly careful with websites that:
- Ask for unnecessary personal information
- Claim to provide official DVLA services without being GOV.UK
- Charge excessive fees for basic government services
- Ask you to send personal documents through unsecured channels
- Use misleading claims about issuing or validating licences
Always verify the website address before entering sensitive information.
For general educational information about UK driving licences, you can also visit ukdvladrivinglicence.com.
What If My Driving Licence Information Is Wrong?
After you check your driving licence online, you may notice information that appears incorrect.
For example:
- A penalty point is not recognised
- An endorsement appears incorrectly
- A vehicle category is missing
- A disqualification appears unexpectedly
- Your personal information is outdated
Do not ignore the problem.
The correct procedure depends on what is wrong.
For endorsement-related issues, you may need to contact the court that dealt with the offence. For other licence or record problems, you may need to contact DVLA and follow its official procedure.
Keep any relevant documents or correspondence that could help explain the issue.
Check My Driving Licence Online: Great Britain and Northern Ireland
It is important to understand that the DVLA driving licence system discussed in this article applies to licences issued in England, Scotland and Wales.
Northern Ireland operates a separate driving licence system through the Driver & Vehicle Agency.
If you hold a Northern Ireland driving licence, use the appropriate Northern Ireland service rather than assuming that the Great Britain DVLA service applies to your licence.
How Often Should I Check My Driving Licence Online?
There is no general requirement for every driver to check their driving record at a particular frequency.
However, it can be useful to check your information after significant events, including:
- Passing your driving test
- Receiving penalty points
- Being convicted of a motoring offence
- Completing a driving ban
- Changing your address
- Adding a vehicle category
- Renewing your licence
- Applying for a replacement licence
- Starting a new driving job
- Hiring a vehicle
Professional drivers may also need to provide their driving information to employers periodically.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I check my driving licence online?
Use the official GOV.UK driving licence service. You will normally need your driving licence number, National Insurance number and the postcode recorded on your licence.
Can I check my driving licence online for free?
The official GOV.UK service allows you to access your driving information online. Be cautious of third-party websites that charge unnecessary fees for basic DVLA services.
How do I check if my driving licence is valid?
Check your official driving record to review your current driving entitlement, vehicle categories, penalty points and disqualifications.
Can I check my penalty points online?
Yes. Your driving record can show penalty points and endorsement information.
Can I check my driving record online?
Yes. Drivers with eligible Great Britain driving licences can use the online service to view their driving record.
Can I check my driving licence without my physical photocard?
You can access your driving information online using the details required by the official service. If your physical licence has been lost or stolen, you should follow the appropriate DVLA replacement procedure.
What is a DVLA check code?
A DVLA check code is a temporary code that allows you to share relevant driving record information with an employer, car hire company or another authorised organisation.
How long does a DVLA check code last?
A check code is valid for 21 days and can only be used once.
Can my employer check my driving licence?
Yes. If you provide permission and the required check-code information, an employer can verify relevant information from your driving record.
Can I check someone else’s driving licence?
Yes, with the driver’s permission and the required information.
Does DVLA cover Northern Ireland?
No. The DVLA system described here covers licences issued in England, Scotland and Wales. Northern Ireland operates a separate licensing system.
Final Thoughts
If you have been searching for “check my driving licence online”, the process is straightforward when you use the appropriate official service.
Checking your driving record can help you understand your driving entitlement, vehicle categories, penalty points, endorsements and disqualifications. It can also be useful when hiring a vehicle, starting a driving job or sharing your driving information with an authorised organisation.
Before entering personal information online, make sure you are using the official GOV.UK service. Your driving licence number and National Insurance number are sensitive information and should be handled carefully.
For more helpful information about UK driving licences, DVLA licence checks, driving records, licence status, penalty points and licence applications, visit UK DVLA Driving Licence.