The characters in a driving licence number specify certain details about the owner, if any of this information conflicts with what has been entered into the application form the licence number will not be accepted.
Step-by-Step Troubleshooting Guide
Follow these steps to resolve driving licence-related errors in DBS applications:
Check and Correct the Licence Number Format:
Edit the driving licence number to remove the last two characters that appear after the space at the end of the number.
Navigate to the application form, go to the ID Check section, and select "Edit" in the Additional Driving Licence Information section. Save the changes and reattempt approval.
Verify and Align Personal Details:
Ensure that middle names, if present on the licence, are included in the application form.
Confirm that the date of birth on the application matches the DOB encoded in the licence number.
Verify that the declared gender matches the gender encoded in the licence number.
Resubmit the Licence:
After making the necessary corrections, resubmit the driving licence details for approval.
Use an Alternative Form of ID (if necessary):
If the driving licence still does not match the declared legal name or other details, consider using another acceptable form of ID to complete the DBS application.
You will need to check whether the driving licence contains any middle name(s) that have not been declared on the application. If it does, then this information needs to be included on the application form. The date of birth will also need to match correctly as this is included within the licence number, as is the gender of the licence holder. Please do not include the last two digits on the driving licence after the space. If the licence does not have a middle name declared but this name has been included in the first part of the application it will also show as an error; you will then need another form of ID as the licence does not support the current legal name details declared.
If issues persist despite corrections, consider using an alternative form of ID to complete the DBS application process.
Common Errors and Their Causes
Here are the most common errors related to driving licence details in DBS applications and their causes:
Driver Licence Number Format Error:
The error message "DriverLicenceNumber does NOT match required format" occurs when the licence number includes characters that are not accepted. Specifically, the last two digits after the space at the end of the licence number should not be included.
Mismatch in Personal Details:
Middle Names: If the driving licence includes middle names, they must also be included in the application form. Conversely, if the licence does not include middle names but the application does, the licence will not be accepted.
Date of Birth (DOB): The DOB on the application must match the DOB encoded in the licence number.
Gender: The declared gender in the application must match the gender encoded in the licence number.
What do the letters and numbers mean?
Common errors include mismatches in middle names, date of birth, and gender, as well as incorrect licence number formatting.
Using this sample image you can see an explanation of the driving licence number format below.
MORGA – The first five letters of the surname. If a surname is less than five characters in length, the remaining spaces will comprise of the digit 9.
753116 – First and last numbers are the year of birth. The second and third numbers are the month of birth. (Note: in the case of female driving licence holders, ‘5’ is added to the second digit, this means that the second digit will be 5 or 6). The fourth and fifth numbers are the day of the month of your birth.
SM – The first initials of your forename and middle name. If you have only one initial then the second character will be a ‘9’. If you have more than one middle name the initials of these are not displayed.
9IJ – Computer check digits.
35 - Licence numbers (these vary on all licences).