Onboarding checklist for self-employed drivers and contractors

Print it. The narrative of why each gate exists is in how to onboard delivery drivers. A firm that sends you drivers is a different list: the subcontractor onboarding checklist.

The checklist

Item	Collect this	Where the rule sits	What Zerity stores
Identity	A photo document you can match to the person in front of you.	Your depot standard.	The copy and the expiry date.
Right to work	Follow the Home Office employer guide when the driver is an employee. For a self-employed courier, read that guide and the carrier contract before you treat the check as optional.	Home Office, on GOV.UK.	Zerity stores the right to work record, the date it was checked and the expiry.
Driving licence	A DVLA check code, viewed on GOV.UK, showing category and photocard expiry.	DVLA: view or share your driving licence.	Zerity stores the licence record, the date it was checked and the expiry. Track every expiry date in one place.
Endorsements	The points and codes shown on that same check-code result.	DVLA, on the check you have just viewed.	What you saw, dated.
Motor insurance	A policy that covers carrying goods for hire or reward. A social, domestic and pleasure policy is the wrong product. Read the schedule.	The insurer. GOV.UK explains classes of vehicle insurance.	The schedule and the expiry. Zerity does not call the insurer.
Goods in transit	The cover your customer or carrier contract asks for, if it is separate from the motor policy.	The contract.	The certificate and the expiry.
Their van, if they use one	MOT certificate and V5C, when the van is theirs rather than yours.	GOV.UK vehicle records.	The documents and the expiry dates.
Pay details	Bank details, and a UTR when you will self-bill a self-employed driver. HMRC sets the conditions for a self-billing agreement.	HMRC: VAT self-billing arrangements.	The agreement and the details you pay against.
Policy acknowledgement	A dated note that they have read the depot rules.	Your own policy.	The acknowledgement.
Named approver	The person at the depot who says this driver may go out.	Your process.	The name and the date.
Review date	The next date you will look at the licence, visa, insurance or MOT.	Your insurer or carrier contract.	The reminder on the file.

Where to read the official guidance

• Home Office: Right to work checks: an employer's guide.
• DVLA: View or share your driving licence information, then check a code at Check someone's driving licence information.
• HMRC: VAT: self-billing arrangements. The arrangement needs a self-billing agreement.
• DVSA: a daily van walkaround is a separate check from this file. See Carry out van daily walkaround checks.

What Zerity stores, and what it does not do

Onboarding in Zerity keeps the documents, the named approver and the expiry dates on one driver record. Zerity stores the licence record, the date it was checked and the expiry. Track every expiry date in one place. Zerity stores the right to work record, the date it was checked and the expiry. Someone at the depot still views the check code and decides the person may go out. The driver licence check guide lists the fields to write down. Right-to-work checks for self-employed couriers is the longer note on that duty. The daily defect check lives with vehicle inspections, not on this list.

Questions

What documents do I collect before a driver goes out?

Identity, right to work, a licence you have actually viewed, insurance that covers courier work, and the pay details you will self-bill against.

Is a right-to-work check required for a self-employed courier?

If they are your employee, follow the Home Office check before they start. If they are self-employed, read the Home Office guidance and the carrier contract before you treat the check as optional.

How do I check a British licence?

Ask the driver for a DVLA check code and view the licence on GOV.UK. File the result and the expiry. Zerity stores the licence record, the date it was checked and the expiry. Track every expiry date in one place.

How often do I look again?

At least when the licence, visa, insurance or MOT expires, and on the cadence your insurer or carrier contract sets.