AQW 26302/22-27

Ms Paula Bradshaw
Alliance Party
South Belfast

Tabled Date: 29/04/2025
Answered On Date: 09/05/2025
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for Infrastructure to detail the grounds on which the Driver and Vehicle Agency ceased to provide public-facing services from its head office.

Answer:

Counter services at the Driver and Vehicle Agency’s (DVA) Driver Licensing head office in County Hall Coleraine have been closed since March 2020 as a response to the Covid-19 pandemic. At this time, the closure of all DVA counter services was already under consideration following the introduction and promotion of digital and online services. These new systems supported more transactions being carried out online, cashless electronic payments and a reduced reliance on paper-based processes.

A decision to permanently close all DVA counter services, including those at County Hall Coleraine, was approved by Minister O’Dowd in July 2022.

For customers that are not able to avail of the online services, the DVA continues to accept postal applications. Information on the services is available through the NI Direct Website at Driving licences | nidirect and through the DVA Call Centre on Telephone number 0300 200 7861.