The UK government is rolling out digital driving licences through the GOV.UK Wallet app — the first time British drivers have been able to carry an official, verifiable licence on their phone. The wider public trial launched in February 2026, and a full rollout is expected by 2027. Here's how it works, where you can use it, and whether it's worth signing up now.
What is the digital driving licence?
It's an electronic version of your photocard licence, stored in the GOV.UK Wallet — a new digital wallet built into the GOV.UK One Login app. It contains the same information as your physical card: your name, photograph, licence number, date of birth, address, expiry date, and driving entitlements (including categories, restrictions, and any medical conditions).
The key difference? It updates in real time. If you change your address, pick up penalty points, or renew your licence, the digital version reflects it immediately — no waiting for a new plastic card in the post.
This isn't Apple Wallet
The digital driving licence lives in the GOV.UK Wallet — a separate, government-built app. It doesn't sit in Apple Wallet or Google Wallet. You'll need to download the GOV.UK One Login app from the App Store or Google Play.
How to set it up
The process takes about 10 minutes. You'll need your smartphone, your existing photocard licence or passport, and a decent internet connection.
Download the app
Get the GOV.UK One Login app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. It's free.
Create or log into your account
Use your existing GOV.UK One Login credentials, or set up a new account with your email address.
Verify your identity
Scan your existing photocard licence or passport using your phone's camera, then complete a facial recognition check to confirm it's you.
Set up security
Enable biometric authentication — Face ID, Touch ID, or fingerprint — plus a backup PIN. The app uses AES-256 encryption, the same standard used by banks.
Access your licence
Your digital driving licence appears in the GOV.UK Wallet immediately. It works offline too — useful for areas with poor signal.
Where can you actually use it?
This is the practical question most drivers want answered. The short version: it works in most official situations, but not everywhere yet.
| Situation | Accepted? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Police roadside checks | ✓ Yes | Officers scan a secure QR code generated by the app |
| Car hire / rental | ✓ Yes | Major UK rental companies accept it |
| Age verification (pubs, shops) | ✓ Yes | Works for age-restricted purchases |
| Government services | ✓ Yes | All GOV.UK services accept the digital version |
| Some private businesses | ● Varies | Some haven't updated their systems yet |
| Driving abroad | ✗ No | Not recognised outside the UK — carry your photocard |
| As your only form of ID | ✗ Not yet | DVLA advises keeping your physical card as backup |
During roadside checks, police officers get more comprehensive information from the digital licence than from a visual inspection of your plastic card — they can instantly see endorsement history, licence validity, and entitlement details by scanning the QR code.
Keep your physical card
The DVLA is clear: the digital licence doesn't replace your photocard yet. Keep your plastic card safe, especially if you drive abroad or deal with businesses that haven't adopted the digital system. The government expects full parity by 2028 at the earliest.
What about privacy?
This is where it gets more nuanced. The government says the GOV.UK Wallet doesn't track your location, doesn't store behavioural analytics, and uses encrypted, privacy-preserving protocols for verification. When a police officer scans your QR code, they see your licence details — not your location history or app usage.
However, privacy groups have raised concerns. Big Brother Watch has called the move towards digital ID credentials "one of the biggest assaults on privacy ever seen in the UK." The specific worry? The Crime and Policing Bill contains provisions that could allow police to access the DVLA's driving licence database for facial recognition watchlists — a significant expansion of surveillance powers that goes well beyond simply showing your licence at a traffic stop.
The practical reality for most drivers: using the digital licence itself doesn't create new privacy risks beyond what the DVLA already holds. The broader database access question is a separate policy issue — and one worth watching.
How does the UK compare?
The UK isn't the first to go digital. Norway launched a nationwide digital driving licence in 2019, and Austria, Denmark, France, and several other European countries have their own versions. The European Parliament approved a standardised EU digital driving licence in October 2025, built on the same ISO standard the UK system uses.
The main difference? EU digital licences will be valid across all member states. The UK's version is domestic only — it won't work if you're driving abroad.
The pros and cons right now
Worth it
- Real-time updates — address changes, endorsements, renewals reflected instantly
- No more paper check codes for car hire
- Works offline for roadside checks
- Bank-level AES-256 encryption and biometric security
- Faster police verification via QR code
Not yet
- Doesn't replace your physical card — you still need it
- Not accepted abroad
- Some private businesses haven't caught up
- Requires a smartphone with biometric capability
- Privacy concerns around broader database access
Should you sign up now?
If you already use the GOV.UK One Login for other services — tax returns, benefits, passport renewal — adding your driving licence takes 10 minutes and costs nothing. It's a useful backup if you forget your wallet, and it makes car hire significantly less painful (no more digging up DVLA check codes).
If you're uncomfortable with digital ID, there's no rush. The physical photocard remains fully valid, and the DVLA has committed to supporting it until at least 2030. Nothing changes for you if you don't sign up.
One less thing to forget
The digital licence is most useful as a backup. You can't lose your phone and your wallet at the same time (well, you can — but it's less likely). If you're stopped and don't have your photocard, the digital version on your phone is a valid alternative during UK roadside checks.
What else is changing for drivers in 2026?
The digital driving licence is just one of several major changes hitting UK motorists this year. Speed limiters become mandatory on all new cars from July, fuel duty starts rising in September, and road tax rates jump in April. For the full rundown, see our complete guide to every driving law change in 2026.
If you're focused on keeping costs down, the Fuel Finder scheme — which launched the same month as the digital licence trial — makes it easier to compare prices at every UK forecourt. Use Fuelwise to find the cheapest fuel near you and see how prices compare across London, Manchester, Birmingham, and 264 other locations.
For more on the costs you're already paying, our true cost of running a car in 2026 breaks down every expense from fuel to insurance to depreciation.