Compliance
Drivers Licence Points Check for UK Fleets
A drivers licence points check lists current endorsements before a courier takes a route. Record the total, the codes and the date you saw the DVLA record.
24 September 2026 · Zerity editorial team
A drivers licence points check is a dated read of current penalty points and the endorsements behind them, taken from the DVLA record. Twelve or more points within three years can mean a totting-up ban. An insurer can set a lower limit in the schedule.
Reviewed 25 September 2026. People also search for a driver's licence points check. It is the same job: read the DVLA record, date it, and compare it with the policy.
- What to record
- When points stop the route
- How this differs from validation
- Frequently asked questions
What to record
| Field | Why it is on the file |
|---|---|
| Total points | Not a yes or no. The number is what the schedule uses. |
| Each endorsement code | GOV.UK explains what the codes mean. Record the code. Do not copy the code book onto the file. |
| Offence date | Totting-up looks at points within three years, not at lifetime points. |
| Ban current or pending | A driver who is already disqualified must not be rostered. |
| Date of the DVLA view | Points are added after conviction. An undated screenshot is not a check. |
GOV.UK's penalty points guidance is the list of codes. GOV.UK's driving disqualifications page states that 12 or more penalty points within 3 years can lead to a ban, commonly six months for a first totting-up disqualification. Do not treat a blog summary as a substitute for that page.
The driver creates a check code on GOV.UK. The code is valid for 21 days. Points are not printed on the photocard in a way you can trust. The DVLA view is the record. The DVLA resources page links the official services.
When points stop the route
Two limits apply, and they are not the same number.
The legal limit is the court's. GOV.UK describes a totting-up disqualification at 12 or more points within three years. A driver under that line can still be legal to drive.
The commercial limit is the insurance schedule. The schedule sets the number at which cover is refused, restricted or repriced. Write that number into the same policy as the driver licence check. Do not borrow a figure from another fleet. A driver who is legal to drive and outside the schedule is uninsured under your policy, which is an operator problem.
A screenshot from last year is not enough. Look at a current DVLA view and file the date you looked.
How this differs from validation
Points answer "what is on the record?". A driver licence validation check answers "does the photocard match the person, the category and the dates?". Keep the two results on the same driver file in driver compliance software and Compliance software for your self-employed workforce so a new endorsement is visible before the next route. The software stores the total you entered. Zerity stores the licence record, the date it was checked and the expiry. Track every expiry date in one place.
Frequently asked questions
What is a drivers licence points check?
It is a dated read of current penalty points and the endorsements behind them, taken from the DVLA record rather than from the driver's memory.
When do points stop a courier driving for you?
At the legal ban, often 12 or more points within three years for totting-up, and earlier if your insurance schedule says so. Write the insurance number into the same policy as the licence check. The schedule, not a rule of thumb, sets the commercial limit.
Is a screenshot from last year enough?
No. Points are added after conviction. Look at a current DVLA view and file the date you looked. A check code from GOV.UK is valid for 21 days.
Written by
Zerity editorial team
The Zerity team writes about fleet management, compliance, and scaling logistics businesses for UK operators running a self-employed or subcontracted workforce across one or more sites.