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Your drivers
These are people you choose to drive your Motability Scheme vehicle, like friends, family or carers.
Want to add or change your drivers?
You can do this quickly and easily through your online account if your driver is with you.
How your drivers work
You can insure up to three drivers on your vehicle and you can change these at any time.
When you order your next vehicle, you'll need to let your dealer know who you want to drive it, even if you're keeping the same drivers.
Your drivers will need to confirm they'll stick to the Scheme guidelines and acknowledge a declaration(opens in a new window) to have their licence checked.
All your drivers must hold a UK or EU driving licence. If you just have one driver, they need to hold a full licence, not a provisional licence.
Learn more about provisional licencesThe quickest way to add or change a driver during your lease is with a Motability Scheme online account.(opens in a new window)
If the driver passes our checks, we'll add them to your insurance and they can drive your vehicle straight away. We'll send you a letter to confirm and you’ll see a copy in your account the next day.
You can also call our insurance provider on 0300 037 3737 and they'll change your drivers for you. Only you, your appointee or nominee can ask for a driver to be changed and our insurance provider will need to speak to the new driver. So they need to be with you when you call.
Who can drive for you
- If none of your drivers live at the disabled person’s address, or the disabled person lives in a care home where several drivers have access to the vehicle, we might fit a location tracker to make sure the disabled person is benefitting. We'll always speak to you about this first
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Drivers under 25 can only get petrol, diesel or hybrid cars with an ABI Insurance Group of 16 or lower and a power output of 120 brake horsepower (BHP) or less. For electric cars, it’s an ABI Insurance Group of 21 or lower and 140 BHP or less. Before you choose a car, think about whether you’ll need someone under 25 to drive. Speak to your dealer or look at these details when you search for a car. There are no BHP restrictions on Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles (WAVWheelchair Accessible Vehicles)
- You can only have one driver under 21. This could be the disabled person or another driver living at the same address. As long as they meet a few conditions, provisional licence holders can also learn to drive in Scheme vehicles
- We'll only accept drivers who have a legally valid driving licence. We'll do extra checks on drivers who have a non-UK driving licence
Drivers with certain convictions, disqualifications or endorsements in the last five years cannot drive a Scheme vehicle. Speak to your dealer or Direct Line Motability (DLM)(opens in a new window) for more information.
Only drivers approved by DLM’s criteria and named under the 'permitted drivers' section of your Certificate of Motor Insurance are covered to drive your vehicle.
Drivers who have their own fully comprehensive insurance cover cannot drive your Scheme vehicle unless you've added them to your lease as a driver.
Driving licence restriction codes
If any of your drivers have driving licence restriction codes that mean adaptations need to be fitted to your car, your dealer will need to make sure these adaptations are added when you apply.
You cannot collect your car until the correct adaptations have been fitted. This is to make sure you're driving in line with Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) codes.
If you do not need restriction codes anymore, please call the DVLA on 0300 790 6801.
Renewing or updating your driving licence
The DVLA need you to renew your photocard driving licence every 10 years, or every three years if you are over 70 years old. If you do not renew your licence and continue to drive, you could receive a fine or penalty points on your licence.
If your licence expires, you will not be able to drive your Scheme vehicle until it's been renewed, so it's important you make sure it's up-to-date.
If it's going to expire within the next year, you can still join the Scheme or order a new vehicle, but make sure you renew your licence in plenty of time before it expires.
The DVLA should send you a reminder a couple of months before. You can renew online at gov.uk in a Post Office, or you can take a 'D1 pack' from the Post Office and send this to the DVLA. Renewing usually takes around three weeks.
If you're in Northern Ireland, visit nidirect.gov.uk for more information on how to renew your licence.
Once it's been renewed, contact our insurance provider on 0300 037 3737 to update your licence details with them.
Updating your driver information
- If your drivers move address during your lease, you need to let the DVLA(opens in a new window) know
- If a driver is convicted of a motoring offence during your lease, you need to tell our insurance provider straight away to make sure you're still covered
- Let the DVLA know about any change in any driver's mobility or health which might make driving unsafe, but if their GP has passed them to drive and the DVLA know about these changes you do not need to contact us
Emergency drivers
If someone needs to drive your car unexpectedly, you can add an emergency driver for up to five days. This is only for exceptional circumstances. You can use this option up to four times a year.
They always need to stick to the Scheme rules and use the vehicle for your benefit.
You cannot use emergency drivers as a substitute for a permanent driver. If you rely on this driver throughout the year, you'll need to include them on your Certificate of Motor Insurance as a permanent driver. Please call our insurance provider on 0300 037 3737 if you need more information.
If you already have three drivers, you'll need to remove one of them to make space for the new driver.
