Privacy Policy
This statement covers the services provided by the DVLA web site:
www.dvla.gov.uk
The Data Controller for this web site is the Department for Transport (DfT). The purpose of this statement is to inform users of the DVLA web site, which is managed by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, about the information that is collected from them when they visit this site, how this information is used, if it is disclosed and the ways in which we protect users' privacy.
Data Protection Act 1998
The Data Protection Act 1998 establishes rights for individuals whose personal data is processed by a third party. Any organisation which processes information about living individuals is a data controller for the purposes of the Act. DfT, as data controller, is required by the Act to ensure that individual data subjects are aware of how their personal data may be used, the purpose/purposes for processing that data and to whom, if anybody, that data may be disclosed.
What information do we collect?
Some areas of the site require you to actively submit information in order for you to benefit from specific features (such as our range of online services). You will be informed at each information collection point what information is required and what information is optional. Some of this information may be personal (information that can be uniquely identified with you, such as your full name, address, email address, phone number etc.) We only collect such information when you choose to supply it to us.
Information is also gathered without you actively providing it, through the use of cookies. This method does not collect or store personal information. Information from visitors to the DVLA web site can be collected in the following areas:
- comments, questions and feedback;
- online ordering and reporting;
- site usage information, using cookies.
Email Enquiries
If you send an enquiry by e-mail to either a specific contact or a general enquiry, we will only use your personal details obtained from your enquiry to respond to your query. In some instances, it may not be possible for the DVLA to provide the information requested directly. In such circumstances we may pass your enquiry to another government department so that they can fulfil your information request. If you submit a general enquiry we will retain your contact details for the sole purpose of helping us to improve the quality of our services.
Site usage information
Cookie policy
Cookies are pieces of data that are often created when you visit a web site and are stored in the cookie directory of your own computer. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can set your browser not to accept cookies. If you do not know how to do this, contact us, giving details on the type of browser you are using, and we will do our best to help.
There are three areas within dvla.gov.uk where cookies may be created.
When entering the site for the first time this will generate an Urchin Tracking Monitor cookie, which is a private identifier that will be used to generate accurate tracking of the user throughout the site. This enables DVLA to collect more accurate statistics of the web site usage which we use solely to make improvements to the layout of the site and to the information on it, based on the way that visitors navigate around it. We do not make any other use of this information, nor do we pass it on to any other organisation.
The second area where a cookie is activated is when registered users enter our secure pages, governed by the access and identity management system. This cookie will store information in the form of a session identification that does not personally identify the user. The session cookie is stored in temporary memory and is not retained after the browser is closed.
The final area where a cookie may be activated is when selecting a different language preference on the web site. This cookie stores information on your preferred language to ensure continuity when navigating through the web site, no other details are stored in this cookie.
No Cookie creates a record on the Agency’s web site or its computers and thus they do not contain any personal information about you, nor can they be used to identify individual users.
What happens when I link to another site?
Email replies may contain links to other web sites, both of government departments and of other organisations. This privacy policy applies only to our site, so you should always be aware when you are moving to another site and read the privacy statement of any other site(s), which collect personal information about you. We do not pass on any personal information you have given us to any other site.
Your Rights as a Data Subject
As a data subject, you have various rights under the Act, including a right of access to any personal data being held about you by DVLA as data controller. DVLA will supply you with details of personal data we are holding about you if you submit subject access request. Our Release of Information section provides details of whom to contact.
Changes to this privacy policy
If this privacy policy changes in any way, we will place an updated version on this page. Regular updating of this page ensures you are always aware of what information we collect, how we use it and under what circumstances, if any, we will share it with other parties.
