Cost is the most common worry we hear about driver licence checks, so here is the short version: checking a driver's licence never uses a credit, and neither does any DVLA or MOT lookup. A credit is only ever spent on the finished, signed document you produce at the end. This article explains exactly what is free, what costs a credit, and why we set it up that way.
Do driver licence checks cost a credit?
No. Driver licence checks are free and unlimited on every account. Run as many as you need, as often as you need — there is no per-check charge and no cap.
That is true whether you run a single check on one new hirer or work through a whole fleet of regular drivers re-confirming their entitlements before a renewal. You will never see your credit balance move because of a licence check. If you want the full walkthrough of how to run one, see running a driver licence check.
So what actually uses a credit?
Only two things, and only at the very end, once the document is finished:
- Signing off an inspection report — 1 credit (about £1).
- Signing a rental agreement — 1 credit (about £1).
That is the complete list. The credit is for producing the locked, customer-facing PDF — the durable record you can rely on later. Everything that leads up to that moment is free. For the full breakdown of paid versus free, see understanding credits.
New accounts also start with around 10 free welcome credits, so you can produce your first reports and agreements before ever topping up.
What about DVLA and MOT lookups?
Also free. Pulling a vehicle's registration, tax and MOT data never uses a credit — whether you do it when adding a vehicle by registration, when you refresh a vehicle's details, or when those details are pulled into a report you are building.
A DVLA lookup populates the make, model, colour, fuel type, tax and MOT status, and the latest recorded MOT mileage. None of that touches your credit balance. Run it as often as you like.
Is everything else in vehReports free too?
Almost everything, yes. The only two actions that ever cost a credit are signing off a report and signing a rental agreement. Everything else is free and unlimited, including:
- Driver licence checks, DVLA lookups and MOT history.
- Adding and editing vehicles, customers, templates and team members.
- Building a report or rental agreement, including capturing damage, walkaround photos, tyre, fuel and mileage readings, and running through the checklist.
- Previewing a draft before you commit to it.
You only pay when you sign off the finished document.
Why is it set up this way?
You should be able to do the right thing — verify a driver, confirm a vehicle's details, work through an inspection properly — without watching a meter tick. Checking is risk reduction; it should never be something you skip to save a few pence.
So the credit sits only on the finished, signed output: the locked report or the signed agreement that becomes your durable, customer-facing record. Up to that point, build, check and re-check as much as you need.
Can I run a licence check before I have any credits?
Yes. Running out of credits never blocks a licence check, a DVLA lookup, or an MOT pull — those are always free. Being out of credits only stops you signing off a report or signing a rental agreement.
Even then, you are not locked out: you can keep building drafts, run checks and add records. We simply save the draft and prompt you to top up when you are ready to sign off. Top-ups are quick — see credits, pricing, top-ups and subscriptions.
Does saving or sharing a licence-check summary cost anything?
No. After a successful check you can save a summary and share it, with no charge. The summary is free, as is the check itself.
Does running a check through the API cost a credit?
No. Driver licence checks run through the API are free, exactly as they are in the app. Through the API, only creating an inspection or a rental agreement uses a credit; every other call — including licence checks and all read operations — is free. The in-app API documentation marks which calls are free, and there is a credit-balance endpoint so you can check your balance programmatically. See using the vehReports API.
What do I need to run a check, since it's free?
Free does not mean no setup. To run a licence check you need:
- The driver's licence number.
- A DVLA share code — 8 characters, generated by the driver at gov.uk/view-driving-licence. Share codes are case-sensitive, so enter it exactly as shown.
- A confirmation that you have the driver's permission and a lawful basis to verify their licence with DVLA. This confirmation is required before any check can run.
You run a check from a customer record or from inside a rental agreement; there is no standalone menu item for it. The full step-by-step is in running a driver licence check.
What does a free check actually return?
A successful check returns the driver's driving status, the categories they are entitled to (held in full or provisionally), any endorsements and penalty points, and the photocard and licence expiry dates. If the licence expires within three months, that is flagged so you can plan a re-check. The result is saved against the customer and, where relevant, the agreement — at no cost.
Are checks for Northern Ireland licences free too?
Northern Ireland licence checks are not available yet — they are coming soon. When they arrive, they will follow the same principle as every other check: free and unlimited, with a credit only ever spent on a signed report or a signed agreement.