The new digital licences will be introduced later this year, the newspaper reported. It was estimated there were more than 34 million full driving licence holders in England in 2023, according to government data., externalThe digital licences are likely to be launched as part of a "wallet" within a new government app called Gov.uk. Other forms of identification, such as national insurance numbers, could also be added - but it is not thought physical identification will be replaced entirely. In 2016, the then-boss of the UK's Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) said digital licences were being developed. In the European Union, every member state is required to introduce at least one form of digital ID by 2026.

Source: The Times January 18, 2025 17:27 UTC