Request your personal information held by DVSA
Find out how to ask for your personal information held by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) – these are sometimes called a subject access request.
You have the right to ask for a copy of personal information DVSA holds about you.
DVSA is responsible for things like:
- theory tests
- driving tests
- approving people to be driving instructors
- approving people to be MOT testers
- carrying out roadside checks on heavy goods vehicle (HGV) and bus drivers
There’s a separate process to request information from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), who deal with things like driving licences, vehicle tax and vehicle registration.
You can request any information DVSA holds that may identify you. This includes:
- data collected from online or paper forms
- data collected from one of our services or reports
- CCTV footage
- images from a body-worn camera
- voice recordings from contacting our Customer Service Centre
You can also request information about someone else, on their behalf. You will need to prove you have their permission to do this.
You do not have to pay a fee to request your personal information.
What information you need to send
When you ask for the information you need to include as much detail as you can about:
- what information you need
- the years you need the information for
You will also need to send some extra information to prove who you are. What you need to send depends on if you are a:
- member of the public
- driving instructor
- DVSA member of staff
If you’re a member of the public
If you’re a member of the public, you need to include:
- your full name
- your home address
- a copy of some photographic identification such as a driving licence or passport
A copy of your identification documents can be a photo taken on your phone or scanned. Your documents will be securely destroyed once DVSA prove who you are.
Do not send the original identification documents.
If you’re a driving instructor
If you’re a driving instructor you need to include your:
- full name
- home address
- approved driving instructor (ADI) personal reference number
If you work for DVSA
If you work for DVSA, you need to include your:
- full name
- home address
- staff ID number
If you’re requesting information on someone else’s behalf
You can request personal information for someone else but you will need to prove you have their permission. This could be a handwritten and signed note confirming their permission.
DVSA will tell you how you to prove this after you have made your request.
Sending your request
Email your request, along with copies of any documents, to DVSA’s Public Liaison team:
DVSA Public Liaison
dataprotection@dvsa.gov.uk
Or write to:
Public Liaison Team
DVSA
1 Unity Square
Nottingham
NG2 1AY
What happens next
Once DVSA has received your request they will aim to send you any personal information they hold within one calendar month.
DVSA can take up to 3 calendar months to send you the information if your request is complex. DVSA will contact you within the first month to let you know it’s going to take longer.
Last updated 12 January 2024 + show all updates
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Added 'voice recordings from contacting our Customer Service Centre' to the list of types of information you can request.
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Updated the postal address to send requests to.
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First published.