Digital Driving Licences to be Introduced Later This Year

Call 0345 872 6666


Digital Driving Licences to be Introduced Later This Year

Digital driving licences are to be introduced in the UK later this year as part of a Government initiative to launch a GOV.UK Wallet and App to simplify access to official documents.

A digital driving licence is expected to be one of the first digital documents available in a GOV.UK Wallet (after a digital Veteran Card) launching this Summer and will allow people to prove their entitlement to drive from their phone.

The GOV.UK Wallet will allow individuals to securely store government-issued documents on their phone and use them easily when needed. The technology will use features found on many smartphones, such as facial recognition, fingerprint checks and multifactor authentication (similar to those used when people pay using a digital bank card), to ensure digital documents are secure, even if a device is lost.

Traditional physical documents will remain available for those who prefer them.

The GOV.UK Wallet is expected to expand to include a wide array of government-issued credentials, such as DBS checks, with all Government services required to offer digital alternatives to paper/card credentials by the end of 2027, but it is not thought physical identification will be replaced entirely.

Virtual driving licences are already in use in some European countries and every EU member state is required to introduce at least one form of digital ID by 2026; however, the Government’s announcement only extends to the use of digital driving licences within the UK. International lorry and coach drivers are therefore advised to still carry their physical driving licence, as there is no guarantee that a digital driving licence will be recognised or accepted by European enforcement agencies. 

Talk to us

You can contact JMW's Commercial Road Transport team by calling 0345 872 6666 or by completing our online enquiry form.

Did you find this post interesting? Share it on:

Related Posts