The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) has dismissed claims circulating on mainstream and social media that vehicle owners are required to rush to its offices to digitally register vehicles registered before 2023, describing such reports as misleading.
In a statement dated January 8, 2026, the Authority said it has issued no directive compelling vehicle owners to queue at DVLA premises or meet any strict deadline to complete the ongoing on-boarding exercise.
According to the DVLA, the confusion stems from its broader effort to digitise vehicle registration records nationwide. Since 2023, the Authority has been registering vehicles digitally, enabling those registered from that year onward to be issued with vehicle registration cards and vehicle titles.
The DVLA explained that alongside this process, it has continued to migrate older, manually registered vehicle records into digital formats. This migration has been carried out gradually for vehicle owners who voluntarily visit DVLA offices to access services.
The Authority refers to this migration of manually registered vehicles onto its digital system as “on-boarding”.
“As part of preparations to roll out the new number plate, once the necessary legislative amendments are successful, the registration process will be more seamless if existing vehicle details are already on the digital platform,” the statement said.
To ensure that vehicles registered prior to 2023 are eventually captured on the digital system, the DVLA said it has been encouraging owners of such vehicles to visit any DVLA office at their convenience to undertake the on-boarding process.
However, the Authority stressed that this public engagement should not be interpreted as compulsory or time-bound.
“This public appeal by DVLA has not placed any compulsion on any vehicle owner who registered a vehicle before 2023,” the statement emphasised. “Vehicle owners are encouraged to undertake this exercise at their convenience at any DVLA office.”
The DVLA further clarified that it does not expect a surge of vehicle owners at its offices as a result of the exercise. Instead, it plans to use existing processes, particularly roadworthy certificate renewal, as a key mechanism to migrate manually registered vehicles onto the digital platform over time.
According to the Authority, integrating the on-boarding process into routine services such as roadworthy certificate renewals will allow for a steady and orderly transition, without inconveniencing the public.
The DVLA said any suggestion that vehicle owners must immediately report to its offices to comply with a supposed directive is inaccurate and misrepresents its intentions.
“An attempt by the Authority to encourage vehicle owners to seize available opportunities to on-board cannot be construed as placing a strict timeline on vehicle owners to rush to DVLA offices,” the statement noted.
The Authority said the ongoing digitisation exercise forms part of its wider reforms aimed at improving road safety, ensuring accurate data on active vehicles and enabling easier retrieval of vehicle information when required.
It added that the reforms are designed to strengthen vehicle administration systems and enhance efficiency, while giving the general public ample time to comply.
The DVLA reiterated that it would continue to engage the public and use established processes to complete the migration exercise smoothly, without creating unnecessary pressure or confusion.
“The Authority does not anticipate a rush in this exercise,” it said, adding that it remains committed to implementing the reform in a manner that is convenient and beneficial to vehicle owners.
The DVLA urged the public to rely on official communications for accurate information and to disregard reports suggesting the existence of deadlines or compulsory mass on-boarding at its offices.