Can I stop the DVLA releasing my address to parking operators?

No. The DVLA is required to release keeper details to accredited parking operators under the regulatory framework supporting POFA 2012. As a vehicle keeper, you cannot opt out of this data sharing. Your vehicle registration certificate records are held by the DVLA for legitimate regulatory purposes including parking enforcement.

What if I was not the keeper at the time of the charge?

If you sold the vehicle before the charge date but were still the recorded DVLA keeper because the V5C transfer had not yet been processed, respond to the operator providing the name and address of the buyer and evidence of the sale date. You were not the keeper in fact even if you were still recorded as such. The operator should then pursue the actual keeper.

Can the DVLA release my data to non-accredited operators?

No. The DVLA's data sharing agreement with trade bodies restricts keeper data to BPA AOS and IPC members. A non-accredited operator cannot lawfully obtain your address via the DVLA. If a non-accredited operator somehow obtained your details and is pursuing you, this is potentially a breach of data protection law — report it to the ICO.

DVLA Keeper Details

By GetRighted Legal Research TeamLast updated July 2026

Summary

When a private parking operator cannot identify the driver of a vehicle, they apply to the DVLA for the registered keeper's name and address. The DVLA releases this data only to operators who are members of an accredited trade body — the BPA Approved Operator Scheme or the IPC. Without a valid accreditation, the DVLA will refuse the data request and the operator cannot pursue the registered keeper under POFA. The keeper's data is provided under the mandate of POFA 2012 and the Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) Regulations 2002. Its use is restricted to pursuing unpaid parking charges — misuse is unlawful.

How DVLA keeper data requests work

An accredited parking operator submits a keeper data request to the DVLA — typically via an online portal — providing the vehicle's registration number and the parking event details. The DVLA checks that the operator is a current BPA or IPC member in good standing. If so, the DVLA returns the registered keeper's name and address as recorded on the V5C (vehicle registration certificate) at the time of the request. The operator then uses this information to issue the Notice to Keeper. If the operator's accreditation has lapsed, the DVLA will not provide the data.

DVLA data accuracy and its limits

The DVLA record reflects the keeper as recorded on the V5C at the time of the data request. If a vehicle was recently sold and the V5C transfer had not been processed, the DVLA may return the previous keeper's details. If a keeper moved address and did not update their V5C, the operator receives the old address. These discrepancies are not the keeper's fault but they can cause incorrect notices to be issued. If you received a notice for a vehicle you no longer own, document the sale date and V5C transfer and challenge the notice on those grounds.

Checking whether the operator had valid DVLA access

You can verify whether an operator was a BPA or IPC member at the time of your charge by checking the BPA and IPC member registers online. If the operator was not a current member when they requested your DVLA data, the data was obtained without authority. Raise this in your appeal — it undermines the entire keeper liability chain.

DVLA keeper data — key points to check

✓Confirm the operator is a current BPA or IPC member using the online member registers.
✓If the notice went to a previous address, check when you updated your V5C with the DVLA — operators are expected to use DVLA data but cannot control V5C update delays.
✓If you sold the vehicle before the charge date, provide documentary evidence of the sale — handover receipt, insurance cancellation, V5C part returned — to confirm you were not the keeper.
✓A Subject Access Request (SAR) to the DVLA under UK GDPR will confirm what data they hold about your vehicle and when it was updated — useful where keeper identity is disputed.
✓If the operator obtained data without valid accreditation, report this to the DVLA and the relevant trade body.

Sources

Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) Regulations 2002
Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, Schedule 4
UK GDPR — Data Subject Access Request rights

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I stop the DVLA releasing my address to parking operators?: No. The DVLA is required to release keeper details to accredited parking operators under the regulatory framework supporting POFA 2012. As a vehicle keeper, you cannot opt out of this data sharing. Your vehicle registration certificate records are held by the DVLA for legitimate regulatory purposes including parking enforcement.
What if I was not the keeper at the time of the charge?: If you sold the vehicle before the charge date but were still the recorded DVLA keeper because the V5C transfer had not yet been processed, respond to the operator providing the name and address of the buyer and evidence of the sale date. You were not the keeper in fact even if you were still recorded as such. The operator should then pursue the actual keeper.
Can the DVLA release my data to non-accredited operators?: No. The DVLA's data sharing agreement with trade bodies restricts keeper data to BPA AOS and IPC members. A non-accredited operator cannot lawfully obtain your address via the DVLA. If a non-accredited operator somehow obtained your details and is pursuing you, this is potentially a breach of data protection law — report it to the ICO.

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