The National Vehicle and Driver File (NVDF) is a database containing details of all 2.9 million registered vehicles and their owners as well as the 3.3 million licensed drivers in the country.
The system which is maintained and supported by the Driver and Vehicle Computer Services Division of the Department of Transport, located in Shannon, Co. Clare, is central to the processing of motor tax and driving licence business through which in excess of €1 billion is collected annually. The National Vehicle and Driver File also fulfills legal obligations in relation to the national driver and vehicle registers.
The National Vehicle and Driver File supports motor tax and driving licence services for all users across in motor tax offices and other outlets throughout the country, the internet based Motor Tax Services and Change of Vehicle Ownership Services and at Shannon where data processing of change of vehicle ownership notices takes place.
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
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:
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:
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.
1. Requests for access to NVDF data should be sent to transportdata@transport.gov.ie .
2. When DoT receives a request for data sharing for the NVDF, a form is sent to the requestor asking for details of the fields required and for the legal basis (if personal/sensitive data).
3. DoT will check if the requested data is available. If not, the requester is informed and the process ends.
4. If the data is available and is classified as open or non-personal data, the requester is directed towards published open data or is provided with the data.
5. If the requested data is personal or sensitive then DoT will verify the legal basis provided
6. If there is no legislative basis for the data then the requestor may discuss other options or DSGA if they wish, but the process ends here and a new process can begin.
7. If there is a legislative basis, then DoT will then deliberate on whether the data is appropriate to be provided.
8. If appropriate, the requestor will be asked to provide a detailed DPIA which DoT data governance board and DPU will consider.
9. No data will be provided until the legal basis and DPIA have been signed off by the DoT data governance board.
10. If after reviewing the form, access to the data can be granted, then a Data Sharing Agreement (DSA) is drafted and agreed.
It is the policy of the Data and Analytics Division (DAAD) to apply Statistical Disclosure Control (SDC) methods to any data to be published.
SDC will be applied to data prior to publishing when the following risks are determined to be in effect:
The policy of the DAAD will be to obfuscate individual cells with value Leave feedback