DVLA lobbying and campaigns

New vehicle registration certificate

The DVLA is to issue a restyled vehicle registration certificate (V5C). It will be sent to all newly registered vehicles from 15 August and all relicensed vehicles, or those subject to a statutory off-road notification (SORN), after July 2011. The DVLA says the move will help protect motorists from being sold vehicles with false documentation. The new V5Cs have a predominantly red cover, replacing the current blue, and carry a statement confirming that a V5C is not proof of ownership. The old and new V5Cs can be compared on the Directgov website.

The BVRLA will be working with the DVLA to find a solution to reduce the administration burden members will face when the new style V5C starts being issued to members when they relicense and SORN vehicles. Suggestions so far include supressing issuance of the V5C to members with a DVLA fleet code until the registered keeper changes or bulk replace the V5C's in a controlled manner. If member's have any other suggestions of how the impact of this change can be minimised contact legal services executive Amanda Brandon.

Contact:
Amanda Brandon, amanda@bvrla.co.uk  
01494 545701

Products and services directorate

The BVRLA has been working with the DVLA and its products and services directorate to develop electronic solutions for members and has held a workshop with members and DVLA to develop the early thinking on these solutions.The discussions have proved to be very positive, with the DVLA setting out its timescale for a September 2010 move to its new IT platform for fleet relicensing. The DVLA believes the new IT platform would give it scope to provide other electronic services in the future, such as bulk relicensing of cars over three years old, refunding vehicle excise duty and accepting statutory offroad notification (SORN) and notice of vehicle disposals.

Whilst some of these services were acknowledged as longer-term goals, the DVLA is looking at accepting electronic SORN and disposal notifications by email and file transfer in the near future.

Other topics discussed which will require further work included the removal of the need to issue paper V5 documentation, multi-year vehicle excise duty, and fleet relicensing of heavy goods and passenger service vehicles.

To participate in future discussions with the DVLA, contact legal services executive Amanda Brandon. 

Contact:
Amanda Brandon, amanda@bvrla.co.uk
01494 545701

Online driver licence check facility

The DVLA was trialing with members an online service which allowed members to access driver licence details.  The service was very useful for circumstances where the customer arrived at the rental desk without the paper counterpart to their driving licence.

Unfortunately, due to the dramatic fall in vehicle registrations the DVLA has had to halt all work on the service indefinitely.

We have lobbied DVLA to consider alternatives which include the BVRLA hosting an online solution and are at the early stages of discussions.  We will keep members informed of how this progresses.

Continuous insurance enforcement

The Department for Transport (DfT), DVLA and the Motor Insurance Bureau (MIB) have developed a proposal to allow enforcement of motor insurance from the DVLA vehicles record. The DfT have run a consultation on this subject and further information, including our response can be accessed from the link below:

Lobbying - continuous insurance enforcement

Futher information

If members would like to make suggestions about any lobbying we should be doing with DVLA please email Amanda Brandon, amanda@bvrla.co.uk  or call 01494 545701.