1. About this service
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) provides this service as part of its responsibilities to ensure that motor vehicles are kept roadworthy. The MOT reminders service allows individuals and organisations who subscribe to the service to receive reminder notices by email, text message or both to tell them that their vehicle is due for an MOT test.
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 Commissioner’s Office (ICO) Data Protection Public Register. DfT’s registration number is Z7122992.
We use GOV.UK Notify to send you emails, text messages or both about when your vehicle is due for an MOT test. This is a service provided by the Government Digital Service, which is part of the Cabinet Office. We are the data controller for your data within that service. The Cabinet Office is the data processor.
2. What data we need
The personal data we collect from you will include:
- email address (if you provide this information)
- phone number (if you provide this information)
- vehicle registration mark
- questions or feedback you provide
The data we collect which will not be identifiable to you will include:
- details of which version of web browser you used
- IP address
- information on how you use the site
- use of cookies
- page tagging techniques to improve the service
Lawful Basis for processing this data is consent.
MOT reminders service is part of MOT testing service (MTS). MTS allows interested parties and the wider public to view the MOT status and history of vehicles to establish their background. All services use a subset of the MTS database.
We have no statutory obligation to provide MOT reminder services. They do, however contribute to improved road safety by identifying – and prompting – the need for vehicle roadworthiness.
If you have subscribed to MOT reminders but no longer wish to receive these reminders, you should follow the instructions in the text message or by clicking the unsubscribe link in the email you’ve been sent. If you’ve subscribed to receive information by both text and email, you’ll need to unsubscribe to both separately to stop receiving reminders. You can also use the stop MOT reminders service to unsubscribe from text and email reminders.
It may take up to 28 days to remove your data.
All personal data entered for MOT reminders is given by the user on account creation and, if not registered, will not receive the services.
3. Why we need it
We need the personal data we collect from you to:
- provide MOT reminders by text, email or both at the time periods stated when you signed up
- provide road safety relevant updates which are related to the registered vehicle
4. What we do with it
We collect, use and store the data you give us for the reasons set out in this policy.
We will not:
- sell or rent your data to third parties
- share your data with third parties for marketing purposes
We use SmartSurvey to gather feedback on the MOT reminders service. The service is anonymous, so we cannot identify you.
We may share some data which does not include your personally identifiable information with vehicle manufacturers for the purpose of improving road safety.
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.
We will hold your personal data:
- until we’re notified that the vehicle has been scrapped
- for up to 50 months for anonymous user data
- for 6 years after you subscribe for subscription data
- for up to 30 days from when you unsubscribe
6. Where it might go
MOT reminders data is held on cloud services, hosted in the European Union and as such meets security safeguards equivalent to those required by Data Protection Legislation.
SmartSurvey is hosted in the UK. You can read their privacy notice.
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
Your data is not subject to automated decision making or profiling as defined in data protection legislation.
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 apply 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
DVSA data protection manager
Data Protection Manager
Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
1 Unity Square
Queensbridge Road
Nottingham
NG2 1AY
Email information.handling@dvsa.gov.uk
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 Commissioner, who is an independent regulator.