ADLV welcomes DVA’s review of online driver licence data system for Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland’s Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA) is conducting a review of its upcoming online licence checking service, to ensure best practice. 

The decision to initiate the review followed an approach by the Association for Driving Licence Verification (ADLV), which represents the licence checking needs of the UK fleet industry.

As part of a recent transformation programme by the DVA, initial steps were taken to implement a new Driver Licensing IT system. This would roll out a range of service enhancements including, in later phases, a new online licence checking service, to replace the current paper-based mandate system.

The ADLV sought to ensure that accessing the upcoming online data file is fully streamlined and free from any unnecessary administrative hurdles. The Initial discussions between the DVA and ADLV have focused positively on how possible it might be to replicate the system used by the DVLA, albeit there is a recognition that this could vary given the differences in scale between the two operations.

Chris Thornton, sales director of ADLV member Drivetech, said: “We are very heartened that the DVA has been receptive to the checking industry's concerns and are to review the upcoming system against best-practice criteria. We fully appreciate the challenges that the DVA's current, manual service creates in terms of resourcing and scalability and are keen to support then with the implementation of a new electronic offering.

“By creating a service similar to the DVLA's this would significantly reduce the DVA's operational costs and more importantly improve both access and checking frequency for fleets. In addition, by supporting more frequent online checks, it will also make a valuable contribution to road safety.”