The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is the UK government authority responsible for issuing and maintaining driving and vehicle records in the United Kingdom. The DVLA covers England, Wales, and Scotland; the Northern Irish counterpart is the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA).
During the Covid-19 pandemic, the DVLA built up a significant backlog of paperwork, test bookings, and unanswered queries and requests. Planned driving examiner strikes and low staffing levels have compounded the issues, which has made it difficult to contact the DVLA.
If you have any general queries related to your driving license or vehicle, you should be able to find most answers on the DVLA website. If you need to contact them directly and speak to someone, the best option is to call the appropriate department during their opening hours. You can also contact them by email, webchat, or post.
We are going to take a look at the different ways to contact the DVLA and find out which department you should call to ensure your query is answered as quickly as possible.
The DVLA has different phone lines for different inquiries. For general inquiries about your driving license or to be directed to another department, call 0300 780 6801, Monday to Friday between 8 am and 7 pm, or on Saturdays between 8 am and 2 pm.
You can also contact the DVLA by email, post, or via their webchat. We will explore each of these options in detail later.
So let's jump in and find out which DVLA department you should call with your query.
There is not only one DVLA contact number. Instead, the DVLA has several different numbers you can call depending on the subject of your query.
It is important that you call the right department to help ensure the phone lines are kept clear, and you get a response to your query as quickly as possible.
The table below outlines the numbers you should call for the different types of inquiry.
| Inquiry | Number | Opening hours | What can they help with? |
| Driving license | 0300 780 6801 | Monday to Friday, 8 am to 7 pm Saturday, 8 am to 2 pm | Changing your name or address on your driving licenseOrdering a new driving licenseChecking on the status of your driving license application. |
| Vehicle tax Registration Statutory Off-Road Notification (SORN) | 0300 790 6802 | Monday to Friday, 8 am to 7 pm Saturday, 8 am to 2 pm | Assistance paying your vehicle taxChecking if your vehicle is taxedChanging the tax class of your vehicle Getting a vehicle log book (V5C) and registering a new vehicle. Taking your vehicle off-road and no longer paying tax or insurance, which requires a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN).Getting a personalised number plate. Importing or exporting a vehicle. |
| Medical issues | 0300 790 6806 | Monday to Friday, 8 am to 5:30 pmSaturday, 8 am to 1 pm | Recording any medical conditions or disabilities you have that may affect your drivingReapplying for a driving license if you’ve had one rescinded or denied because of a medical condition. |
| Driving records | 0300 083 0013 | Monday to Friday, 8am to 7 pmSaturday, 8 am to 2 pm | Checking what vehicles you’re allowed to driveChecking whether you have any penalty points or disqualifications on your recordSharing your driving record with others by creating a shareable check code. |
| Welsh language inquiries | 0300 790 6819 | Monday to Friday, 8 am to 7 pm Saturday, 8 am to 2 pm | If you speak Welsh and cannot speak English, you can get Welsh language assistance with any DVLA-related issue. |
If you are unable to get through to the DVLA over the phone, or you don't want to talk on the phone, and your query cannot wait for a postal or email response, you can use the webchat on the DVLA website.
Webchat allows you to talk with real online assistants using an instant messaging service. You can use webchat to:
- Make a payment
- Discuss medical applications or inquiries
- Order a new driving license
The webchat opening hours are:
- Monday to Friday from 8 am to 7 pm
- Saturdays 8 am to 2 pm
If you use the webchat outside the opening hours, you will connect to an automated service that can only help with general information.
You can save a transcript of your webchat by selecting the 'Save Chat' button at the top left of the screen.
If you do not need an immediate answer to your query, you can also contact the DVLA by email.
As with the DVLA phone services, there are different emails to contact and email forms to fill out depending on the subject of your inquiry.
| Inquiry | Email form | What can they help you with? |
| Vehicle Inquiries | Vehicle Inquiries email form | questions about your vehiclehelp with vehicle taxesbuying or selling a vehicleapplying for registration numberschanging your vehicle information importing or exporting vehicles getting a SORN for a vehicle that is off the road. |
| Drivers Inquiries | Drivers Inquiries email form | questions about your driving statusquestions about your driving licensequestions about your driving test. |
| Medical Inquiries | Medical Inquiries email form | questions regarding driving and medical issuesnotifying the DVLA of a medical condition that you haverenewing or reapplying for a driving license following a medical condition diagnosis or break from drivingapplying for a bus pass if your license was taken from you because of a medical conditionhanding in your license due to a medical conditionreporting someone unfit to drive due to a medical condition. |
Once you have found the right email form for your query, click on the link, and there should be a list of options to clarify your inquiry, such as, 'How do I make a SORN?'. Select the option most relevant to your query and click 'continue.'
You then need to enter your details (name, date of birth, street address, email address, and vehicle information) and a detailed description of your inquiry. You can also upload any necessary attachments, files, photos, or documents to support your query. Remember, the more information you upload to begin with, the less likely it is that you will have to send a second email and wait for a second response.
Once you have sent your email inquiry, you should receive a receipt to the email address you provided. You will also get a reference number, which you should make an additional note of. If you have not received a confirmation email, check your junk box. If, after 24 hours, you still have not received a confirmation email, you may have to resend the inquiry.
The response time of the DVLA varies depending on the time of year, how busy they are, and the complexity of your request. It could take several weeks to hear back from them.
If you do not hear back from them at all, contact them again with the reference number from your original inquiry.
If your query is not urgent and you don't want to communicate with the DVLA via email, you can also contact them by post. Again, you must send your letter to the right department to ensure the best and quickest response.
Make sure you include all the relevant information to your query in the letter. It could take up to several weeks to get a response, depending on how busy the DVLA is at the time and the complexity of your issue.
| Inquiry | Department address | What can they help you with? |
| Vehicle Inquiries | Vehicle Customer Services, DVLA, Swansea, SA99, 1AR | assistance with vehicle taxesvehicle registration vehicle log books (V5C) making a SORN. |
| Driving Inquiries | Drivers Customer Services, Correspondence Team, DVLA, Swansea, SA6 7JL | driving license applicationsmaking updates to your license replacing a lost license. |
| Driver Medical Inquiries | Drivers' Medical Enquiries, DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1TU | updating the DVLA on any medical conditions or disabilities, you have appealing a recent decision about your health or condition reapplying for your driving license if it was revoked because of a medical condition. |
| DVLA Complaints Team | Complaints Team, DVLA, Swansea, SA6 7JL | if you are not satisfied with the service you have received from the DVLA, you can submit a formal complaint. |
There are several ways to contact DVLA. Whether you choose to contact them via phone, post, email, or webchat, make sure you communicate with the right department to ensure your query is responded to as quickly and efficiently as possible.
There are different departments for queries regarding your driving licence, vehicle, SORN applications, complaints, and medical issues. Depending on the complexity of your query and how busy the DVLA are at the time, you may have to wait a while to receive a response.
