AQW 26303/22-27

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 rationale for determining that DL1 forms should only be available from Post Offices rather than downloadable.

Answer:

The Driver and Vehicle Agency’s (DVA) Driving Licensing IT system uses Intelligent Character Recognition (ICR) and Optical Character Recognition (OCR) scanning software tools. To optimise the scanning results, the scanners are configured to recognise the layout of the DL1 application form, and read the answers provided by the applicant within the form. If the form were available as a downloadable form, individuals printing the document would be able to print on various paper sizes and orientation, meaning the ICR and OCR tools would not be able to read all the forms, increasing manual intervention and keying to the system and increasing processing times to determine an application.

The DVA has introduced a number of online application services which are available in place of paper-based applications. These include applications for a first provisional driving licence; to renew an existing driving licence; for a replacement driving licence; and to notify a change of address.