The UK Government organisation that is responsible for maintaining a vehicle driver licence database as well as a database containing the details of vehicles in the UK is the DVLA – Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.  The DVA or Driver and Vehicle Agency is the Northern Ireland counterpart of this government agency.  It is one of the Department for Transport’s executive agencies, one of the ministerial teams of the department, and answers to the Minister of State.

Based in Swansea, in Southern Wales, the DVLA was originally known as the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Centre or DVLC.  The Local Office Network is the agency’s network of offices throughout Great Britain.  There are several responsibilities of the DVLA inclusive of the following:

- the issuing of driving licences and DVLA registrations
- organising the collection of excise duties on vehicles (also referred to as road fund licence or road tax)
- selling private number plates

Additionally, the introduction of EVL or Electronic Vehicle Licensing enables individuals to pay their vehicle excise duties online or by telephone.  However, you are still also allowed to take care of your vehicle tax payment through the Post Office.

Contrary to some public opinion, the DVLA has no legal authority where the conviction of motorists who have committed driving offences is concerned.  Despite this, it is erroneously assumed that the DVLA endorses penalty points on driving licences.  When an endorsable driving offence occurs and an individual’s licence is handed over to the police, it is normally transferred to the Magistrate’s Court of the county where the offence was committed.  The DVLA does enter such endorsements onto a driver’s record.