Motortax: Data Protection and Data exchange

The National Vehicle Driver File (NVDF) is the system of record for all vehicle records and driver records in the state.

Vehicle Records

Vehicle records include vehicle owner records and motor tax records. Vehicle record data is collected via the following existing methods

• Vehicle Registration: Registered vehicle records and the associated registered ownership information is collected and provided to the NVDF by the Revenue Commissioners.
• Motor Tax/Change of Vehicle Ownership: Motor Tax and changes of vehicle ownership are notified to the NVDF via postal and online processes at the Department and at Motor Tax Offices (MTOs) throughout the country

Driver Records

Driver records include driver licence and learner permit information, personal driver data and road traffic endorsements such as penalty point offences and driver disqualifications. Driver record data is collected via the following methods:

• Driver Licence/Learner Permit Application/Renewal: Driver licence and Learner Permit records are collected and provided to the NVDF by the National Driver Licence Service (NDLS) operated by the Road Safety Authority (RSA).
• Penalty Point Offence Endorsement: Penalty Point offence records are collected and provided to the NVDF by An Garda Síochána and the Courts Service
• Fixed Charge Disqualifications: Fixed Charge Disqualification records are collected and provided to the NVDF by An Garda Síochána
• Court Disqualifications: Court Disqualification records are collected and provided to the NVDF by the Courts Service via the NDLS

NVDF Data is provided to approved third parties according to Section 60(3) of the Finance Act 1993, as amended, and the NVDF Access Regulations made thereunder, S.I. No. 287/2015 - National Vehicle and Driver File (Access) (No. 2) Regulations 2015, as amended.

NVDF Data is also provided to approved third parties under the following provisions:

• Road Traffic Act 1961, Section 22 (4)
• Roads Act 1993, Section 64A(1)
• Road Traffic Act 2014, Section 5(1) The department's data protection policy has

The department's data protection policy has been updated in line with the General Data Protection Regulations. There are downloadable privacy notices available for every motor tax form and for every trailer licence form.

Requests to licensing authorities (motor tax offices) for basic driver data may be made under S.I. No. 537 of 2006- Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) Regulations 2006, Section 56- Information and inspection of records. Requests to licensing authorities for vehicle data may be made under S.I. No.277/1994 –Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations, Section 3. All requests for disclosure which rely on these regulations require the payment of a fee (€6) and should be made to your local Motor Taxation Office. Certain conditions imposed in the interest of data protection apply to the release of data in these circumstances and further details are available from your local motor tax office.

Requests to the department or licensing authorities for a copy of an individual’s own driver and/or vehicle data may be made under Section 4 of the Data Protection Acts 1988 & 2003. All requests under Section 4 must be accompanied by a payment of €6. Such requests may include sensitive items such as licence history, penalty points and disqualifications and in the case of vehicles may include previous owner history.

Given the sensitivity of NVDF data full details of either driver licensing or vehicle data will only be issued through the post to the data subject or provided to his/her legal representative.

Please see the department's data protection pages for more information.

Pending the development of EU-wide data exchange arrangements an arrangement has been put in place between the Dept of Transport and counterparts in the UK for a Pilot Project facilitating the exchange of vehicle owner information with Northern Ireland. Under the agreement data will be released to specific named parties for the purposes of traffic enforcement, including in particular, parking offences/ contraventions, toll evasion and bus lane contraventions.

The pilot scheme and the data exchange arrangements associated with it, which commenced in March 2010, operated extremely well and has proved very successful. The scheme has been extended for a further period in order that cross border enforcement proceedings can be carried out and the full effectiveness of the scheme evaluated.

Data will be only be directly exchanged between the relevant vehicle registration and licensing authorities- the Driver and Vehicle Computer Services Division of the Department of Transport in Ireland who are responsible for the National Vehicle and Driver File (NVDF) in Shannon, and the DVA (Driver and Vehicle Agency) of the Department of the Environment in Northern Ireland acting on behalf of the Secretary of State for Transport.