Motoring – Check Your Employees’ Driving Licences

Appendix B – Annotated Sample Driving Licence

1. Surname
These are the names recorded on the driver’s record.

2. Forenames
These are the forenames recorded on the driver’s record.

3. Date of birth; place of birth
These are the details recorded on the driver’s record.

4. Date of licence issue, photo expiry, issuing authority
The date shown in 4a is the date the photocard was issued. 4b is the date on which the photocard must be renewed. The authority that issued the licence is shown in 4c. In Great Britain that is DVLA.

1. First 5 characters of surname. If the surname is less than 5 characters the remaining spaces will be made up using the figure 9. (e.g. MAN99).
2. First and last numbers are the year of birth. Second and third numbers are month of birth. (Note: in the case of female licence holders ‘5’ is added to the second digit, this means that the second digit will be 5 or 6). The fourth and fifth digits are the day of the month of your birth.
3. The first two initials of your forenames. If you have only one initial then the second character will be a ‘9’.
4. Computer check digits.
5. Licence numbers.

6. Holder’s photograph
This is digitally reproduced from the photograph provided by the applicant.

7. Holder’s signature
This is digitally reproduced from the signature provided on the application form.

8 Holder’s address
This shows the driver’s permanent address in Great Britain.

9 Entitlement categories
The letters in capitals show the categories of entitlement covered by the European Community Directive. National categories are shown in smaller letters.

10 Issuing Authority roundel
This shows the stamp of the EC authority that issued the licence.

11 Ghost image of photograph
This ghosted image of the holder’s photograph is a security feature.

12 Production barcode
Used to link a photocard with its counterpart document ready for despatch.

13 14
Not used

15 Pictograms
These illustrations are representations of types of vehicles in those categories shown.

17 Information codes
The code numbers printed in this area indicate what (if any) restrictions the entitlement is subject to.

18 Other information codes
Codes relating to such things as eyesight correction will be shown here.