Goods Vehicle Operator Licensing Northern Ireland – Privacy Notice

Data Controller:

• Telephone: 028 9054 1410
• Email: tru@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk

The UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) is a UK law which came into effect on 1st January 2021 and this Privacy Notice incorporates requirements and outlines how we collect, use, share and store your personal information.

Why are you processing my personal information?

The information you provide is for the purpose of processing applications for, and the regulation of, goods vehicle operator’s licences, under the Goods Vehicles (Licensing of Operators) Act (Northern Ireland) 2010 [hereafter referred to as ‘the Act’].

Applications for Goods Vehicle Operator’s Licences are processed by the Northern Ireland Central Licensing Office, and the regulation of goods vehicle operators is implemented by the Transport Regulation Unit, on behalf of the Department for Infrastructure. Further information is available on Transport Regulation Unit and the Act.

What categories of personal data are you processing?

The information processed is collected from your completed application form and contains the following:

Personal Information:

• Your name
• Your contact details including addresses, telephone numbers and email address 
• Vehicle details
• Financial history when we ask for evidence of financial standing such as bank statements
• Details of where you keep your vehicles
• Goods Vehicle Operator’s Licence history

Special Category:

• Relevant convictions
• Medical details

Where do you get my personal data from?

We get your personal data from the information you provide to enable us to process your application for, or changes to, a goods vehicle operator’s licence, and to assess your compliance with the requirements of a goods vehicle operator’s licence.

• New applications are made online via the Operator Self-Service system or on a GV(NI)79 application form, or on an INT(NI)1 interim licence application form.
• Operators wishing to change vehicles on their licence may do so online, or on a GV(NI)80 application form.
• Operators wishing to vary or change their licence type or transport manager may do so online, or on a GV(NI)80a application form.
• Operators wishing to make a change to authorised vehicles and/or trailers, operating centres or any conditions or undertakings recorded on their licence may do so online, or on a GV(NI)81 application form.
• Applications to add a transport manager to a licence can be made online, or using a TM(NI)1 application form.
• An application to transfer an Operating Centre is made on a GV(NI)72 form
• Operators wishing to change the address of a licence may do so online.
• Form Regulation 29 is used to apply to carry on the trade or business and continue to operate an existing licence under Regulation 29 of the Goods Vehicles (Licensing of Operators) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012.
• Operators wishing to add a director to a licence may do so online.
• Operators wishing to apply to surrender a licence may do so online.

Information about relevant penalties, infringements and convictions may be received or sought from various organisations including but not limited to, the Driver and Vehicle Agency, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, the Police Service for Northern Ireland, Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, the Office of the Traffic Commissioner, relevant EU authorities, etc.

District councils and the police may provide your personal data if they complain or object to your application for an operating centre or for an increase in the number of authorised vehicles using an operating centre.

The legal basis for processing your personal data is Article 6 (1) (e) of the UK GDPR whereby the processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller and in accordance with the Act and associated Regulations.

Do you share my personal data with anyone else?

We may share it with:

• other government Departments
• enforcement agencies
• The Traffic Commissioners for GB
• Department for Transport
• Driver And Vehicle Standards Agency
• Driver and Vehicle Agency
• relevant EU authorities
• If you apply for a standard licence we’re legally required to add your details to a national register, and operators to comply with retained Regulation (EC) No 1071/2009 and retained Regulation (EC) 1072/2009.

How long do you keep my personal data?

We will only retain your data only for as long as it is required for the purposes noted above, after which it is securely destroyed.

It is possible to start an application for a licence or to change a licence but not to submit it for consideration. Applications which are started but not submitted will not be processed unless you specifically ask for assistance. Applications that are started but not submitted will be deleted in accordance with the Department for Infrastructure’s data retention policy.

We do not use automated decision making based upon the data you provide nor do we use your data for marketing purposes.

The data you provide will be kept and destroyed in accordance with the Department for Infrastructure’s data retention schedule.

What rights do I have?

You have the right to:

• obtain confirmation that your data is being processed, and access to your personal data;
• have personal data rectified if it is inaccurate or incomplete;
• You have the right to object to the processing, in specific circumstances.

If you would like to request a copy of your personal data please contact us at TRU@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk.

How do I complain if I am not happy?

If you are unhappy with any aspect of this privacy notice, or how your personal information is being processed, please contact the Department’s Data Protection Officer at:

• Telephone: 028 9054 0806
• Email: DFIGDPR@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk

If you are still not happy, or if you think there is a problem with how we are handling your data, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO):

• Telephone: 0303 123 1113
• Email: casework@ico.org.uk
• Web: https://ico.org.uk/global/contact-us/

Updates to our Privacy Policy

We may change this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be published as a new version of this policy.

Last updated June 2024