The contact number for DVLA is available directly from their website at no or lower cost

0844 381 0906

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DVLA Opening Times

DVLA Head Office Address

Reasons to call the DVLA Contact Number

- I want to apply for my provisional driving licence
- I have lost my driving licence
- My driving licence has become damaged
- I have changed my name and need to change my licence
- I have changed my address and need to change my licence
- I want to make a complaint to the DVLA
- I want to locate my nearest DVLA office
- I need to give up my licence for medical reasons
- I have been disqualified from driving
- I am having problems booking my theory test
- I would like to know when the next available driving test is
- I failed my driving or theory tests and would like help in rebooking them

DVLA Tax

When you own a car, you must pay to tax the vehicle even if you are not planning on driving it. This is a legal requirement. Up until recently, vehicles were required to display a tax disc in the windows of their car with the date of when their tax expires displayed clearly. Nowadays, tax can be checked electronically simply by scanning the number plate of a car and so there is no need for the paper tax discs anymore. These were abolished in the autumn of 2014. There are a number of different ways that you can tax your vehicle, whether it be renewing the tax or taxing it for the first time. If you are renewing your tax, you might receive a last chance or recent reminder letter from the DVLA themselves; you can actually use this form to pay tax. Alternatively, you can pay your tax via your V5C (vehicle log book) provided it is definitely in your name. You can pay your vehicle tax easily online on the government website or you can head to a post office that deals with vehicle tax and sort it that way. If you are having any problems paying your vehicle tax then you can call the DVLA contact number. If you do not tax your vehicle or own a vehicle that has an expired tax payment then you will be eligible for a fine and the vehicle could possibly be seized. If you do decide to go to a post office to pay your tax, you will need to take your vehicle log book and if you have just bought the vehicle the new keeper’s details (V5C/2) part of the log book is also required. If you cannot find any of these documents you will be required to take a filled in application for a new log book and a fee of £25. Even if your vehicle is off the road (sitting in a garage/driveway) then you are not required to pay tax on it but you should still register your vehicle with the DVLA. This is known as a SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification). You can apply for a SORN on the Government website and if you are having any issues please call the contact number. Please remember that you cannot drive your vehicle on the road again until you have begun to pay tax on it. The only time you will be able to drive a vehicle that is registered with a SORN is if you have a pre-booked MOT appointment for the car.

DVLA Vehicle Check

It is not only the police that have the ability to check if a vehicle is taxed, anyone can check using the government website. To this you will need to provide the vehicle’s registration plate and the make of the vehicle, as well as the log book reference number (if you have it). If you have found an untaxed vehicle then please call the contact number to report this. There are also a number of other checks that the DVLA undertake on vehicles to check that they are definitely safe for the road. One of these is the MOT service test that all vehicles must have. This basically checks that all important parts of your vehicle meet the minimum legal requirements. You can check the MOT history of any car simply by heading over to the government website and inputting the registration details (number plate) of the vehicle. You may want to do this if you are thinking of buying a second hand car, for example. If you want to find out more details of what parts of the car are tested during an MOT you can either call the contact number or visit the government website. You can also use the government website to book an MOT test. If your MOT test is passed you will be given a certificate which will show the mileage on your car at the time of testing and it will be recorded in the MOT database. If your vehicle fails its MOT you will be refused a certificate and you will then need to take your vehicle to have the failed defects fixed. If you think a wrong decision has been made, please call the contact number to see if it is possible to appeal it.

DVLA Number Plates

Every number plate is unique to the vehicle that it is displayed on and most vehicles are identified by their number plate. For an extra fee, you can fit your car with a personalised registration plate which is simple to order from the DVLA run personalised registration website. The website allows you to enter numbers or initials into the search bar and they will come back with suitable matches for you to choose from. By using the search bar there will over 50 million registration options for you to choose from. Prices for number plates start from £250 which includes the £80 assignment fee plus any VAT charges. By clicking the ‘buy now’ option you can order your registration plate quickly online. If you are having any issues with ordering your number plate, or if you have ordered your number plate and it has not arrives, then please call the contact number so it can be chased up for you. If you would prefer, you could bid for your registration plate at a traditional or timed DVLA auction where several number plates are bid on each year. These auctions occur 3-4 times a year and are a great way of getting hold of a unique number plate. If you can’t make the auction you can vid both online and by telephone.

DVLA Driving Tests

Before you can take a driving test, you will need to have your theory test certificate. The theory test is taken electronically and is a series of questions that test the learner driver’s knowledge of the road. To book your theory test, you can head over to the government website and fill in the application form. Theory tests can be taken for a number of vehicles, not just cars, if you are a motorbike, bus or lorry driver you will also have to complete a theory test. To take your theory test you will need to be in possession of a provisional licence which you must take with you on the day of your test. If you unsure of where your theory test is being held, please call the contact number. You will also need a credit or debit card and an email address to book your test. If you have not got an email address you can call the contact number and book your test over the phone. Theory tests cost £23 to take and there will be a place where you can take one locally. Once you have passed your theory test you will be eligible to book your driving test. This is done in the same way as you booked your theory test, using the government website. A driving test costs £62 to book and you will need your theory test pass certificate when booking it. On some occasions (not for a car) you will not need your theory test to book your driving test. There is a list of these on the Government website. It is advised that you attempt to book your driving test in advance because there are often long waiting lists when you request a specific test centre (usually one that is local to you). If you find the waiting list is too long when booking your test, the DVLA would advise that you book the next available date and then keep checking back for any cancellations – you may be able to fit into an earlier slot. If you have booked a driving test and would like to cancel or change the date, please call the contact number or visit the government website. To get a full refund when cancelling a driving test you need to give at least three full days notice.

DVLA Driving Licences

Before you can even begin your lessons, you must be in possession of a provisional photo card which gives you the legal right to being to learn driving. You can apply for a provisional licence using your government gateway ID on the government website. If you are unsure what this is or have lost it, you can re-register by calling the contact number. Your provisional will cost £34 and to buy it you must be at least 15 years and 9 months old, be able to read a number plate from 20 metres away, provide your addresses from the last three years and also your national insurance and passport to prove your identity. Your licence should arrive within one week if you apply online and you can start to use it at age 17 if you want to begin driving a car or if you want to ride a moped or quad bike at age 16. If you pass your driving test, you will be asked to hand over your provisional licence and the DVLA will send you a regular driving licence which then says you are eligible to drive. If you have not received your driving licence within 3 weeks of passing your test, please call the contact number. Similarly, if you have applied for a provisional and it does not arrive within 1 week you can either call the contact number or go on the government website and track it yourself using their ‘track my application’ tool. If you have misplaced or damaged your licence then unfortunately you will have to apply and pay for a new one. You should contact the police if your licence has been stolen as it contains personal information. If the DVLA send you a new licence because yours was lost or stolen and you find the original, this must be sent to the DVLA. If you are unsure of how to do this, please call the contact number.

DVLA Endorsements

DVLA endorsements are better known as penalty points or fines that are attached to your licence when you commit a driving offence. These driving offences include things such as speeding, driving whilst under the influence (drugs/alcohol), driving without a licence and driving when disqualified. Each offence will equate to a certain number of endorsements that will remain on your licence for a set number of years, depending on the seriousness and nature of the offence and any harm your offence may have caused. If you are a new driver and get more than three points on your licence within the first year of driving, you will unfortunately have your licence revoked and be forced to re-do both your theory and driving tests, as well as applying for new licences. Endorsements that expire on regular licences will be removed automatically. If you have been told that an endorsement should have been removed from your licence and it is still appearing on your record, please call the contact number to set this straight. The standard times for endorsements to remain on your record are either four or eleven years depending on the severity of the offence. If you want to view your driving licence record, you can do so by heading to the government website and selecting the ‘endorsements’ category.

FAQ’s

How do I alert the DVLA that my address has changed?

It is important that if any changes in your circumstances occur, you alert the DVLA so you can be sent a new licence with the correct information on as well as have your registration and vehicle tax information updated. Simply call the contact number to sort this out. It doesn’t cost to change any details but if you are caught not doing so, you can be fined up to £1000.

What do I need to take to my theory test?

For your theory test, you will need to take your provisional licence and another form of identity with you, such as your passport. It also helps to know your booking reference.

Why did all of the DVLA offices close?

The DVLA used to have local offices spread about through the UK where you could do things like apply for a provisional licence and tax your vehicle. However, due to the shift in technology and more and more things being done online, local offices began to close until just one office remained open, the DVLA head office in Swansea.

About the DVLA

DVLA is known in full as the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency and holds a database for every single vehicle in the United Kingdom. The agency was first established in 1990 when the government decided on an executive agency for their department for transport. Up until 2013 there were around 39 DVLA offices in the UK, but in 2013 they all gradually began to close and now all DVLA operations are ran through their main office in Swansea. The main responsibilities of the DVLA are issuing driving licences and collecting vehicle excise duty (tax). They also issue personalised registration plates.