The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) could be scrapped as a standalone body under proposals being considered by Prime Minister Andy Burnham, according to reports published on 9 November 2026.

The Daily Telegraph reports that Mr Burnham is considering merging the DVLA with the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), bringing the two motoring agencies under one roof. The reports were covered by Car Dealer Magazine on 9 November and updated on 10 November, and no formal decision has been made.

The DVLA, based in Swansea, is responsible for driving licences and vehicle records. It has been issuing driving licences since 1965, so a merger would end more than 60 years of the agency operating as a separate organisation.

What a merger would combine

A combined body would join the DVLA's licensing and vehicle registration work with the DVSA's oversight of driving tests, vehicle testing and MOTs. Both organisations have faced criticism in recent years over delays affecting motorists and professional drivers, and reports say drivers wait on average more than 19 weeks for a driving test.

It remains unclear how a merger would affect waiting times, fees or the day-to-day services drivers use. The reports do not set out a timetable for any change, and the DVLA's services continue to operate as normal while the idea is considered.

Part of a wider Whitehall shake-up

The proposal forms part of Mr Burnham's plans to reduce the number of government agencies and overhaul how Whitehall operates. Government departments have reportedly been asked to identify arm's-length public bodies that could be abolished, merged or have responsibilities transferred to regional mayors.

Mr Burnham has vowed to reshape the public sector and to transfer more decision-making powers away from Westminster towards regional mayors. The DVLA proposal is expected to feature in his ten-year vision for Britain, which is due to be unveiled in December 2026 or January 2027.

That plan is being overseen by former New Labour adviser Peter Hyman and is also expected to cover areas including the UK's relationship with the EU and social care reform. The Prime Minister has said the speech setting out the vision may slip into the new year.

No decision yet

Ministers have not confirmed that the DVLA will be merged or abolished. The reports describe a proposal under consideration, not an announced government decision, and there is no published plan explaining how a combined organisation would work.

For drivers, the practical message for now is unchanged: licences, vehicle tax and registration remain with the DVLA, and driving tests and MOTs remain with the DVSA. Any change would need to be set out formally by the Government before it could take effect, and motorists will be watching the Prime Minister's ten-year plan for confirmation of whether the Swansea agency's future is on the agenda.

Sources: Car Dealer Magazine and British Bulletin.