Open consultation

About the consultation

Updated 19 August 2026

1. What is this consultation about?

This consultation seeks views on the statutory framework governing police and law enforcement access to driver licensing data held by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). The government wishes to ensure that the legal framework remains clear, effective, and appropriate, while maintaining strong safeguards for personal information.

2. Why is the government consulting on this issue?

The government is reviewing whether the current arrangements for police and law enforcement access to driver data remain fit for purpose in light of changes in technology, operational practices, and public expectations regarding transparency, accountability and data protection.

3. What driver data is covered by this consultation?

The consultation relates to driver licensing information held by the DVLA. This includes information maintained for driver licensing purposes, such as a person’s name, address, date of birth, licence status and other related driver licensing records.

4. Does this consultation propose giving police unrestricted access to driver data?

No. The consultation does not propose unrestricted access to driver data. Any access would remain subject to legal requirements, operational controls, governance arrangements and appropriate safeguards.

5. Why do police and law enforcement agencies need access to driver data?

Driver licensing data can assist police and law enforcement agencies in carrying out lawful functions, including protecting the public, safeguarding vulnerable people, locating individuals where appropriate, investigating crime, and supporting road traffic enforcement activities.

6. How is driver data accessed today?

Currently Driver licensing data is accessed through the Law Enforcement Data Service (LEDS), where access is controlled and limited to authorised users for permitted policing and law enforcement purposes. Where automated access is not available or appropriate, information may also be obtained through manual, case-by-case requests, subject to the relevant legal requirements, operational controls and safeguards.

7. What issues have been identified with the current arrangements?

Police and law enforcement organisations have advised that current arrangements can sometimes create delays, inconsistencies and uncertainty, particularly where information is needed urgently for safeguarding purposes or serious criminal investigations. The consultation seeks views on these issues and whether changes may be appropriate.

8. What safeguards would apply to access to driver data?

The government recognises that driver licensing data contains personal information and that any access must be lawful, necessary and proportionate. Proposed safeguards include:

• Clear statutory powers and limitations.

• Defined purposes for which data may be accessed.

• Access restricted to authorised users.

• Audit and monitoring of access.

• Training and user accountability requirements.

• Compliance with applicable data protection legislation.

• Governance, oversight and assurance arrangements.

• Action against misuse where appropriate.

The consultation seeks views on whether these safeguards are sufficient and effective.

9. Can driver data be shared onwards?

Driver licensing data should only be shared onwards where there is a lawful basis to do so, where sharing is necessary and proportionate, and where it supports a legitimate policing or law enforcement purpose. Any onward sharing must comply with applicable data protection legislation, organisational policies and any conditions set out in legislation, regulations, the Code of Practice or operational guidance. Organisations should ensure that onward sharing is appropriately recorded, justified and subject to governance controls.

10. Who is accountable for how driver data is used?

Each organisation accessing driver licensing data is responsible for ensuring that its use of the data is lawful, necessary, proportionate and properly controlled. This includes putting in place appropriate policies, governance, access controls, training, audit arrangements and management oversight. Individual users are also accountable for ensuring that each search or use of data has a legitimate operational purpose and complies with relevant rules and professional standards.

11. What training will users receive before accessing driver data?

Users must complete appropriate training before they are authorised to access driver licensing data. The training will explain the legal basis for access, the permitted purposes for using the data, and the limits on how it may be searched, used or shared. It will also cover data protection responsibilities, necessity and proportionality, information security, audit and monitoring requirements, onward sharing rules, and the consequences of misuse.

Organisations will be responsible for ensuring that users complete the required training, understand their responsibilities, and only have access where it is needed for their role. Training should be refreshed at regular intervals or when guidance, systems or legal requirements change.

12. How will personal data be protected?

Access through LEDS is supported by audit and monitoring arrangements designed to provide accountability for the use of driver licensing data. These arrangements should allow organisations to record and review access activity, including who accessed the data, when it was accessed and whether the access was for an authorised policing or law enforcement purpose. The draft Code of Practice and supporting regulatory framework are intended to reinforce these safeguards by requiring access to be controlled, justified, auditable and subject to appropriate oversight. This helps ensure that personal data is protected, misuse can be identified and investigated, and organisations remain accountable for complying with data protection and information security requirements.

Any processing of personal data must comply with applicable data protection legislation, including requirements relating to lawful processing, security, accountability, necessity and proportionality. Organisations accessing data would remain responsible for meeting these legal obligations.

13. Who would be able to access driver data?

Access would only be available to organisations listed in the Crime and Policing Act 2026 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2026/20/section/181) and authorised personnel carrying out relevant policing or law enforcement functions, subject to any conditions established by legislation, regulations, governance arrangements or operational policy.

14. Would every member of staff within a police or law enforcement organisation be able to access driver data?

No. Access would be limited to authorised users with a legitimate business or operational need, and would be subject to appropriate controls, permissions and monitoring arrangements.

15. How will misuse of driver data be prevented?

Access to driver licensing data will be subject to security and governance controls to help prevent misuse. These controls are expected to include user authentication, role-based access controls, audit logging, management oversight and compliance monitoring. Audit logs will help organisations review who has accessed driver data, when access took place, and whether access was for a legitimate policing or law enforcement purpose. Where inappropriate access or use is identified, organisations will be expected to investigate and take appropriate action.

16. What happens if someone accesses driver data without a valid reason?

Unauthorised access to personal data may result in disciplinary action, withdrawal of access privileges and, where applicable, criminal, regulatory or other legal consequences.

17. Will searches of driver data be recorded?

Yes. Audit and monitoring arrangements are intended to provide accountability and enable organisations to review and investigate access to driver data where necessary.

18. How are equality and human rights considerations being assessed?

The consultation is supported by an Equality Impact Assessment and seeks views on the potential impacts of the proposals on individuals and groups with protected characteristics, as well as wider human rights considerations.

19. Is this consultation seeking views on data protection risks?

Yes. The consultation is accompanied by a summary of data-related risks and invites respondents to provide evidence and views on privacy, security, governance and other relevant considerations.

20. Has the government already decided to make these changes?

No. The purpose of the consultation is to gather evidence and views. No final decisions have been made. Responses received through the consultation process will help inform the government’s consideration of any future policy or legislative changes.

21. How can I respond?

Responses can be submitted through the online consultation questionnaire or by using the contact details provided on the consultation webpage.

22. When does the consultation close?

The consultation closes on 9 September 2026. Responses received before the closing date will be considered as part of the consultation process.

23. What will happen after the consultation closes?

The government will review all responses received, consider the evidence provided and assess the potential impacts identified. Decisions on any next steps will be taken following consideration of the consultation findings. A government response will be published in due course.

24. Where can I find more information?

The consultation webpage includes supporting documents, including the consultation document, draft regulations, draft Code of Practice, Equality Impact Assessment and data risks summary. These documents provide further information about the proposals and issues under consideration.

25. How will consultation responses be used?

Responses will be analysed and considered alongside other available evidence to inform policy development and decision-making. Information provided as part of the consultation will be handled in accordance with applicable legal requirements and government consultation processes.

26. Can I submit evidence or examples to support my views?

Yes. Respondents are encouraged to provide examples (but not personal details of victims or suspects) and practical experience where relevant, as this can help the government better understand the potential impacts, benefits and risks associated with the options under consideration.

27. Does this proposal allow police systems to automatically match or compare DVLA data with other policing or Home Office databases?

No. This consultation is about the legal framework governing access to driver licensing information held by DVLA. It is not a proposal to create new large scale data matching, profiling or biometric search capabilities.

Driver licensing information may be accessed through existing law enforcement systems where authorised and lawful to do so. The consultation does not itself create new powers or proposals to conduct bulk data matching or automated comparisons between DVLA data and other government databases. Any use of data must remain subject to applicable legislation, operational controls, governance arrangements, and requirements relating to necessity and proportionality.

The consultation is separate from policy relating to facial recognition or wider biometric capabilities.

28. Could photographs or other DVLA information be transferred into policing systems?

This process will not result in bulk transfer of DVLA information into policing systems. Access to driver licensing information, in each case, under this process would remain subject to strict legal, operational and technical controls.

Any handling of personal data must be lawful, necessary and proportionate for a legitimate policing or law enforcement purpose. The regulations, Code of Practice and supporting governance arrangements are intended to provide clear controls over how information may be accessed, used, recorded, retained and shared.

29. How is access for policing purposes separated from other Home Office activities?

Access to driver licensing information is intended for policing and law enforcement purposes only. Authorised access is limited to organisations and individuals carrying out relevant statutory functions and is subject to role-based permissions, training, monitoring and audit requirements.

The regulations and Code of Practice are intended to ensure that information can only be accessed and used for authorised purposes. Access for unrelated administrative, policy, immigration, commercial or other purposes would not be permitted unless there is a separate lawful basis and legal gateway authorising such use.

30. What is meant by “criminal” or “law enforcement” purposes?

The consultation is not based on an undefined or broad concept of “criminal” investigations. Driver licensing information may only be accessed where it is necessary for specified policing or law enforcement functions. These are definitions for law enforcement purposes.

Law Enforcement purposes are “…the prevention, detection, investigation or prosecution of offences, safeguarding vulnerable people, locating individuals where there is a lawful basis to do so, protecting the public, and supporting other legitimate policing or law enforcement activities.” The definition is from section 31 of the Data Protection Act 2018 and is the same definition that applies in many European countries.

The UK has a long tradition of policing which includes law enforcement purposes but is also broader. Policing Purposes are defined for England and Wales in Paragraph 1.6 of the Police and Information Records Management Code of Practice. Those purposes include, “…protecting life and property preserving order preventing the commission of offences bringing offenders to justice, any other police duty or responsibility arising from common or statute law.” This wider concept of policing purpose is because policing includes things such as safeguarding duties which are often not law enforcement matters.

31. Will access to DVLA data be limited to the United Kingdom?

The framework being consulted on is a United Kingdom legislative framework governing access to driver licensing information by authorised UK policing and law enforcement organisations.

Access would only be available to organisations authorised under the legislation and regulations. Any sharing of information outside those arrangements would need a separate lawful basis and would remain subject to applicable legal, operational and data protection requirements.

The exception to this is for British Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and Isle of Man and the British Oversees Territory of Gibraltar. These access arrangements will provide for the substantial number of UK nationals that visit those British countries.

32. What practical safeguards are already in place to prevent overreach?

A number of safeguards already exist and are being strengthened through the proposed regulations and Code of Practice. These include:

• Access limited to authorised organisations and users.
• Mandatory training and appropriate vetting before access is granted.
• Role-based permissions.
• Audit logging and monitoring of searches.
• Management oversight and compliance activity.
• Requirements that access be lawful, necessary and proportionate.
• Investigation and sanctions where misuse is identified.
• Annual reporting and wider governance oversight.

These safeguards are intended to ensure that access is justified, accountable and subject to scrutiny, while supporting legitimate policing and law enforcement needs.

33. What is the timeline for these proposals?

The online consultation closes on 9 September 2026. Following the consultation, the government will analyse the responses received, consider the evidence provided and assess any issues raised concerning privacy, equality, proportionality, governance and operational effectiveness.

No final decisions have been made. Any future changes would be considered following analysis of consultation responses and completion of the relevant parliamentary and implementation processes. A government response will be published in due course.

34. Is the government misusing the DVLA driver licensing data?

No. DVLA driver licensing records are administrative records created for driver licensing purposes. The existence of a driver record does not indicate that a person is suspected, charged or convicted of any offence and therefore the government will ensure measures are in place that are proportionate to protect privacy.

Access to this information is sought because it may assist lawful, proportionate and ethical policing and safeguarding activities.