It’s common knowledge that fleet safety managers are required to monitor driving licence status of drivers in order to protect the drivers themselves, other road users, and the business. But the specifics of this responsibility aren’t as widely understood. For instance, how often should fleet managers be checking someone’s licence?

It seems like a simple question, but it’s more nuanced than you might think, and fleets often underperform in this area, significantly increasing risk exposure.

Read on to find out how often you should be checking your fleet drivers’ driving licences, the difference between licence checking as a box-ticking exercise and as a risk control strategy, and how to make the burden of licence checking more manageable.

What does the law say about the frequency of fleet driver licence checks?

You may be surprised to hear that no UK law states how often employers (fleets or otherwise) should check the driving licences of employees driving on behalf of the business.

Under the Road Traffic Act 1988, it is a criminal offence for an employer to “cause or permit” a person to drive a vehicle if they do not hold a valid licence for that specific category of vehicle. But no concrete licence checking frequency is given anywhere in UK legislation.

So, what do you do?

Well, some fleets default to a simple annual checking system, but, to be frank, this is not a responsible approach. 

Related – 7 common shortcomings in fleet risk management – and how to improve

Checking twice annually is marginally better, but a far superior programme uses a risk-based system to tailor licence check frequency to the risk level of individual drivers.

Not only is a risk-based approach considered the fleet industry standard, it’s also the method that most reputable insurers will expect you to have implemented – and will therefore impact your policy and premiums. 

What is the risk-based approach to fleet driver licence checking?

The risk-based approach to driver licence checks involves assigning each driver a risk level that dictates how often their diver’s licence status needs to be validated. It’s also often referred to as the 3-6-12 rule, as it suggests:

• High risk drivers should have their licence checked every 3 months

• Medium risk drivers (i.e. those with penalty points against their licence) should have their licence checked every 6 months
• Low risk drivers should have their licence checked every 12 months

Instead of the blanket approach of checking all your drivers’ licences once annually, this data-driven method enables you to implement commensurate measures that truly protect against real risks. Do note, though, this relies on accurate risk calculations, which can be complicated. Even DVLA data can easily be misinterpreted, skewing overall risk levels.

Now let’s take a look at an example of how the risk-based approach to licence checking can materially benefit your drivers and your fleet business.

The risk-based approach to fleet driving licence checks – in action

Consider two fleet companies: Company A (annual checks) and Company B (risk-based checks).

The Scenario: A delivery driver, Mark, currently has 9 points on his licence. In February, just one month after his annual check, he is caught speeding again, taking him to 12 points. He is summoned to court in April and receives a 6-month disqualification.

• Company A (The Fallout): Because they only check licences every January, Mark continues to drive for the company while disqualified for the next nine months. In June, Mark is involved in a minor collision. The insurance company discovers the ban, voids the policy, and the Directors of Company A face prosecution for “permitting” an unlicensed driver under Section 87 of the Road Traffic Act.
  
• Company B (The Intervention): Because Mark was flagged as “High Risk” due to his 9 points, he was scheduled for a check every 3 months. The system flagged his disqualification in May. Company B immediately suspended his driving duties, arranged for a non-driving role, and avoided a catastrophic legal and financial crisis.

How to manage the administrative burden of a risk-based licence checking plan

The one drawback of the 3-6-12 rule is that it’s more labour-intensive than an annual licence checking system. Trying to maintain the risk-based system manually can be challenging; large fleets with limited management teams may even find it impossible, especially with issues such as vehicle supply shortages currently taking up so much operational bandwidth.

But the truth is, no matter what licence checking plan you adhere to, manual checks are always going to introduce unnecessary risk. This includes potential for data loss, human error, and critical gaps in oversight that can leave your business legally exposed between scheduled checks.

The solution is to step away from manual licence checks and move to a digital system that either automatically monitors licence statuses at agreed intervals based on driver risk profile, or monitors continually, compiling key information into a database for easy-access, secure storage.

At Cardinus, we can provide this level of service, removing manual checks from your workload while ensuring safety and compliance. Our driving licence checking services are designed specifically for fleet managers, offering steadfast support to control fleet risk in a practical, cost-efficient way. Request a quote today.

Manage fleet risk with Cardinus

Outsourcing fleet driving licence checks is a reliable way to instantaneously reduce risk while minimising your administrative burden, but licence validation is just one aspect of effective and compliant fleet risk management.

If you’re looking for more support, our fleet risk management platform, Healthy Working: Safe Driving is an end-to-end solution comprising a suite of essential services to control driver risk and protect your business’s operational and financial posture.

Healthy Working: Safe Driving combines driver assessments, training and action plans; integration with 3rd party telematics systems, compliance checks, and a central management hub to create safer, more resilient fleets. Request a free trial to see the Safe Driving difference firsthand.