History Of The Dvla In The Uk

By Author: Martyn Davies
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The DVLA is the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency in the United Kingdom. It is the organization responsible for issuing drivers' licenses, vehicle licenses, collecting road excise duty - more commonly known as road tax and road fund license--and maintaining a database of registered vehicles and drivers in the UK. Officially, it was an centralized organization created in 1965; however, its origins date back to soon after the invention of the automobile.

The Dawn of a New Era

In 1888 when Karl Benz designed the first petrol-driven motor vehicle, it had quite an effect on the transport mode of the day. Pedestrians used to listening out for the clip clop of horses hooves suddenly found themselves in danger of being run over by a far more ominous machine. The seemingly loud noise of the motor driven engine also seemed to startle horses. After what can only be imagined to have been quite a few accidents, a number of laws to regulate motor vehicles were passed. One of these almost negated the advantages of the faster transport speed that the vehicle offered. The law stated that the vehicle had to be operated by at ...
... least three people. One of which had to walk in front of the vehicle with a red flag to warn oncoming traffic and passersby. It may seem laughable now but remember that in the late-1800s, the invention of the motor vehicle was quite a mind shift for most people.

The Foundations of Automobile Regulations

By 1903, local councils were given the responsibility of licensing drivers and their vehicles. Interestingly enough, a license was given to anyone who applied. No proficiency or medical tests were performed at this time. Drivers simply completed an application and paid the five shillings. Thereafter, they were registered. The minimum designated age for driving a motor vehicle was 17 years of age, and for motorcycles it was 14 years old. At the same time, fines were introduced for unlicensed vehicles. In 1910, it became necessary to renew vehicle licenses quarterly and annually. At the same time, the first road tax was introduced.

In 1935, driving tests were introduced and made a compulsory requirement for obtaining a driver's license. The test cost seven shillings. In the years that followed, special drivers' licenses for heavy goods vehicles were introduced. During the Second World War, drivers competency tests were suspended and only resumed again in 1946. In the late-1950s, the annual license renewal was replaced with a three-year renewal policy. In 1963, the use of an alphabetical letter was introduced to help cope with the volumes of vehicles wanting registration. By 1965, it became obvious that a central registration agency was necessary, and so the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency was born.

Developments at the DVLA Over the Years

Following the plans to centralize driver and vehicle registration in the UK, the government started to formalize the registration process. By 1969, they had designated Swansea in Wales at the central location for the DVLC which was supported by 81 LVLOs, otherwise known as Local Vehicle Licensing Offices. The DVLC was responsible for issuing driving licenses and vehicle registration documents, and maintaining the central database of vehicle and license records. The LVLOs were responsible for the registration of new and imported vehicles, thereby enforcing registration laws. In 1974, reflective license plates were made compulsory and the red license book was replaced with a computer-generated document. In 1976, the validity of drivers' licenses was extended so that they remained valid until a person’s 70th birthday.

In 1983, the alphabetical suffix was dropped in favor of a prefix letter format. A year later, a new computer system installed in Swansea helped to improve efficiency in vehicle registration and licensing. At the same time, the LVLOs were reduced to 53 offices and renamed Vehicle Registration Offices, also known as VROs. In addition, by 1985, almost 95 percent of all vehicle license applications were now being processed through the Post Office. Through the late-1980s, the department continued to restructure itself and improve its efficiency and in 1993, the DVLA was awarded the Charter Mark for excellence in delivery of a public service on behalf of the entire agency. A year later, the agency also received the accolade of being Employer of the Year because of its family-friendly policies.

By 1995, an Automated First Registration and Licensing system allowed car dealers to issue a license when selling a new vehicle. In 1996, the DVLA received the Charter Mark for the second time and the third time in 1999. In the 2000s, the DVLA has seen many computer and structural developments, all aimed at improving efficiency and systems. In 2005, the DVLA received the Charter Mark for the fifth time.
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