Tens of millions of UK motorists will be able to access a digital version of their driving licence by the end of 2025, as the DVLA accelerates plans to digitise services through the new GOV.UK Wallet and app.
The move, part of Labour’s £45 billion strategy to boost efficiency and economic growth, will allow drivers to store a secure mobile licence on their smartphones while retaining the option of a physical photocard.
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology confirmed the mobile driving licence will be one of the first documents available in the GOV.UK Wallet, alongside a Digital Veteran Card. Users will also be able to prove their age in shops and online directly from their device.
The GOV.UK Wallet app, available on Apple and Android devices, will be piloted later this year. It forms part of the Government’s wider plan for all public services to offer a digital alternative alongside physical documents by the end of 2027.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander called the scheme “a game changer” for millions who use their driving licence as ID. “This innovation puts power back in the hands of the people, making everyday interactions faster, easier, and more secure,” she said.
The DVLA’s 2024–2025 Business Plan places digital services at the forefront of its operations, including the “Driver and vehicles account” platform and enhancements to vehicle and keeper records used by the police and Home Office.
The agency’s Centre of Digital Excellence is running 15 programmes offering academic qualifications, professional certifications and apprenticeships, with 13% of its digital and technology workforce currently in the training pipeline.
A beta version of the GOV.UK Wallet will be developed throughout the year, with Science Secretary Peter Kyle saying it will make it “easier to prove entitlement to benefits or check age when buying alcohol or DIY equipment, with more security and trust than ever before”.