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Ready to Pass?

Ready to Pass? campaign: privacy notice

1. About this service or activity

The Ready to Pass? campaign supports learner drivers preparing for their car theory and driving tests. By sending important information and reminders to learner drivers at key stages in their learning journey; including before and after their theory and driving tests.

The campaign:

  • helps learners develop the skills needed to pass their test
  • encourages learners to take their test only when they are ready
  • helps to improves driving test preparedness
  • helps reduces avoidable test failures and cancellations
  • helps reduce missed appointments and tests that cannot proceed because of unsuitable vehicles or missing documentation
  • helps improve access to driving tests by reducing wasted test appointments
  • contributes to safer roads

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is an executive agency of the Department for Transport.

The data controller for DVSA is DfT – a data controller determines the reasons and how personal data is processed. For more information, see the Information Commission’s Office (ICO) Data Protection Public Register. DfT’s registration number is Z7122992.

2. What data we need

We use the personal data we collect when you book a theory or driving test, this includes:

  • full name
  • email address
  • theory test reference number
  • driving test reference number
  • test date
  • test time
  • test location
  • test outcome (pass, fail, fail to attend, unsuitable vehicle)

We do not process special category personal data as part of this campaign.

How we obtain your information

The information is sourced from DVSA testing systems and associated reporting processes used to administer theory and practical driving tests.

Our lawful basis for processing

Under Article 6(1)(e) of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the lawful basis for processing is:

Public Task – The processing is necessary for the performance of tasks carried out in the public interest andvin the exercise of official authority vested in the Secretary of State and exercised by DVSA.

These functions arise from the statutory framework governing driver licensing and testing, including the Road Traffic Act 1988, the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1999 and related road safety legislation.

The Ready to Pass? campaign supports DVSA’s statutory responsibilities by helping learners prepare for a car theory and driving tests, reducing avoidable test failures and wasted appointments, improving the efficiency of the driver testing service and contributing to road safety objectives.

The Ready to Pass? campaign helps learner drivers prepare for their tests, reduces avoidable failures and cancellations, and minimises wasted driving test appointments. By improving test readiness and access, it supports efforts to reduce waiting times and promote road safety.

Occasionally, we may send you marketing emails about services, tools or other resources that may help you prepare for your driving test. Receiving emails of this nature is optional, and you can choose not to receive them by following the unsubscribe or opt-out instructions provided within those emails. This will not affect your driving test booking or any services we provide to you.

Opting out of marketing communications will not affect our ability to send you emails that are necessary for the administration of the Ready to Pass? campaign or any related complaint, where those communications are required for us to carry out our public task.

3. Why we need it

We use your personal information to:

  • send Ready to Pass? campaign emails
  • provide reminders about upcoming theory and practical tests
  • provide guidance and learning resources
  • encourage learners to develop their driving skills and readiness
  • remind learners about important information needed for their test
  • invite learners to complete voluntary surveys following test outcomes
  • understand learner experiences and improve the campaign

The campaign communications may include information about:

  • driving lessons
  • mock tests
  • private practice
  • managing test-day nerves
  • tracking progress against the 27 essential driving skills
  • test readiness checklists
  • theory and practical test reminders
  • optional surveys following test outcomes or cancellations

4. What we do with it

We collect, use and store the data you give us for the reasons set out in this policy.

Your information is used by authorised DVSA staff involved in operating the Ready to Pass? campaign.

To send campaign communications, DVSA uses:

We do not sell your information to third parties.

We will not:

  • sell or rent your data to third parties
  • share your data with third parties for marketing purposes

We will share your data if required to do so by law – for example, by court order, or to prevent fraud or other crime.

5. How long we keep your data

We’ll only keep your personal data for as long as it is needed for the reasons set out in this policy or as long as is required by law.

Data extracts used to send campaign emails are deleted after use.

Information uploaded to GOV.UK Notify is automatically removed after 7 days, and campaign processing data is retained only for the time required to complete the communication process.

For the Ready to Pass? campaign, personal information is generally retained for a maximum of 14 days within campaign processing activities.

6. Where it might go

Our IT infrastructure and technology has been checked to make sure it’s safe and secure.

All your data is held on DVSA servers based in the UK or hosted within cloud servers (Amazon Web Services) in Ireland.

We may use GOV.UK Notify to send you emails or text messages about your test. This is a service provided by the Government Digital Service, which is part of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). We are the data controller for your data within that service. DCMS is the data processor.

7. Protecting your data and your rights

The DVSA personal information charter sets out what steps are taken to protect your data, and the rights you have over your data.

8. Automated decision making and profiling

You can find further information about automated decision making and profiling, on the Information Commission’s website or by contacting the DVSA Information Management and Security team.

DVSA Information Management and Security team
information.handling@dvsa.gov.uk

The Ready to Pass? campaign uses automated processes to identify candidates who should receive campaign communications based on information such as:

  • the type of test booked
  • the date of the test
  • the outcome of the test

No automated decisions are made that produce legal effects or similarly significant effects on individuals.

9. Changes to this notice

We may change this privacy notice at our discretion at any time.

When we change this notice, the date on the page will be updated. Any changes to this privacy notice will be applied to you and your data as of the revision date.

We encourage you to periodically review this privacy notice to be informed about how your data is protected.

10. How to contact us

If you have any questions about anything in this document or if you consider that your personal data has been misused or mishandled you can contact the DVSA data protection manager

Data Protection Manager
DVSA
1 Unity Square
Nottingham
NG2 1AY

Contact DVSA customer services if you have a query that is not about how your personal data is used.

You may also make a complaint to the Information Commission, which is an independent regulator.

Last updated: 20 October 2026