The Driver & Vehicle Licencing Agency (DVLA) has issued a three-month deadline for employers of fleet drivers to ensure they are compliant with the new guidelines regarding licence-checking consent forms.
More than 2 million fleet drivers are expected to have to sign the new forms. By giving consent, drivers allow their employers to validate their personal information to comply with the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR).
Previously known as the D796, the updated form accords with the new rules coming into force on 25th May. Now named the D906 Fair Processing Declaration, the document ensures consent remains valid after the changes are enforced.
Failure to comply could result in severe fines for firms of all sizes.
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“In readiness for the introduction of GDPR, DVLA has reviewed the Access to Driver Data and Driver Licence Check services which allow employers and other third parties to request driving licence data.
“Consent will no longer be the basis upon which DVLA releases data under GDPR.
“Requests for driving licence data via these services must be supported by a completed and signed D906 Fair Processing Declaration. These forms ensure that drivers understand who is requesting their driving licence data, what the data is, how it is being requested, and for what reason.”
Echoing the concerns of business, the Association for Driving Licence Verification (ADLV), regarded the undertaking as a “mammoth task in a short time-frame”.
Technical Director of the ADLV, Kevin Curtis, reinforced this view. He said:
“This is a huge shift for the DVLA and, indeed, the driving licence checking industry as a whole.
“From a technical and compliance perspective, all employers and third parties who are responsible for licence checking will need to be able to demonstrate that the new fair processing declaration has been signed by the driver. This will need to be stored in a way that can be audited to ensure compliance with the new GDPR legislation.”
Those concerned about how GDPR is changing the licence consent form, and about the new laws’ wider ramifications for the road freight sector, are invited to share their questions on an upcoming webinar. These webinars, hosted by Chris Allen, are open forum-style sessions in which the audience can get their queries answered with straightforward, actionable advice. Upcoming dates are listed here:
