Frequently Asked Questions

We are live on the DVLA's new vehicle keeper lookup service. The DVLA are still migrating our customers; those it has yet to do will use the legacy service until they are migrated.
This will not have an impact on the connections our customers make to us whether they connect with EDI, API, SFTP or our Desktop Client.

Prospective customers who would like to use our service as their link provider should contact the DVLA and arrange a data-sharing agreement with them. Once the data sharing agreement is in place, we can enrol you onto our service so that you can make vehicle keeper enquiries.

22nd May 2025

If your question has not been answered here, drop us a line at kadoe.info@valcon.com and we will do our best to answer it.

Business questions

Is my Company eligible for the KADOE service?: You are eligible for the KADOE service if you are eligible to use vehicle keeper data. The DVLA vet all applications before they allow access to the data. In the first instance, you should make a Data Request to the DVLA.
How much does the service cost?: We charge you a one-time setup fee and an ongoing charge depending on the number of enquiries you expect to make. We also charge for any customisation that you may need. The DVLA also charge a one-time setup fee and a charge for each enquiry that you make.
How long does it take to enrol on to the KADOE service?: This depends on how long the business processes take. Straight forward enrolments, assuming you have signed contracts with us and the DVLA, can be completed in 1-3 days. If you have not signed contracts, or if your technical requirements are complex, we can discuss the likely timeline based on our long experience providing the service.
Are you the DVLA?: No we are not. We are authorised by the DVLA to act as Intermediary for the transfer of data between enquirers and themselves. We are regularly vetted by the DVLA for technical, security and data management competence.
Why do we have to have contracts with your service and the DVLA?: Your Company needs a contract with the DVLA because it controls who has access to their data and to what purpose it is being used. Your Company has a contract with us to cover the KADOE managed service.
What is a DVLA Audit?: As a customer of the DVLA, you will, from time to time, be audited on the way you are collecting and using the vehicle keeper data. We are not party to this process. Indeed, the DVLA periodically audit us.
What management reports do you provide on our use of your service?: We regularly provide usage reports to our customers. If you would like other repots either ad-hoc or regularly, please raise a support ticket to let us know and we will do our best to accommodate you.
How are we billed for the service?: The one-time setup fee is billed on commencement of setup. The ongoing charge is billed annually on the commencement of each service year.
What happens if we exceed the number enquires in our banding?: We continually monitor the volumes of enquiries that we receive and review usage vs banding on a monthly basis. If a customer frequently exceeds their banding the customer will be invoiced pro-rata for the next band until the end of the service year.

Technical questions

How long does it take to get responses to vehicle enquiries?: Normally you will receive responses to vehicle enquiries on the following day if your responses reach us before 3:30pm. The DVLA does not process enquiries over the weekend or on Bank Holidays so there is a delay of at least a day when enquiries are sent at these times. Also, for technical reasons, either the DVLA or ourselves may not be able to return responses to you on time. In this case, we will email you with a service update.
Can we change the way we connect to the KADOE service after we have enrolled?: Yes. Please raise a support ticket to discuss your requirements.
What happens if we have problems with our connection?: You should report it to us using our support portal.
How are connections made between us and the KADOE service?: Connections made by the Desktop Client and applications using the REST API, connect using HTTPS. Customers using the SFTP gateway connect using SSH, and customers using EDI use the secure connection methods of their EDI network supplier.

Desktop Client

Do I have to pay for the Desktop Client?: We do not charge an additional fee for use of the software on the assumption the customer is responsible for installation.
Can I install as many copies of the Desktop Client as I need?: Yes. If you are going to install more than one copy, please consider how it will be used. If you keep the installations separate, but connect from both, data sent by one copy of the program could be downloaded by the other. The Desktop Client has a number ways it can safely be used in a multi-user environment.
Will the Desktop Client run on Apple computers?: No, the Desktop Client runs on Microsoft Windows.
Will the Desktop Client run on all versions of Windows?: Yes. We have tested the Desktop Client on Windows XP and Windows 7 to Windows 10 and on versions of Windows server. In some cases it has been necessary to set the compatibility mode of the kadoe.exe program to Windows XP, service pack 3. The Desktop Client will need access to the internet to make the connections to the service.
Can the Desktop Client be run without someone looking over it?: Yes. The Desktop Client can be left to run unattended, making connections at predetermined times. It can also be called by a Windows scheduled task, to start, do a transfer and then close down.

REST API

Is the REST API something we should consider?: You should consider using the REST API if you are able to add programming to your systems. Our high volume customers with the ability to write their own software have found the API an ideal way to integrate their back-office with the service. You may like to consider the SFTP gateway as an alternative way of transferring data between your back-office and the KADOE service, as this may require less programming on your part.
How can we implement the REST API on our back-office: You can implement the API in any programming language that supports HTTPS connections. We know it has been implemented in Java, C#, Visual Basic and Python.
Is the REST API secure?: Yes. Connections are made over HTTPS and each message has credentials in its header.
How do we test our integration?: We have a test environment that you can use. This returns predictable response data to you.

Secure File Transfer (SFTP) Gateway

Is the SFTP Gateway something I should consider?: The SFTP gateway is the most flexible way to connect to the KADOE service. You exchange text based files with the service by transferring them manually, using a back-office program to transfer them, or by running a script.
How can I implement the SFTP Gateway on our back-office: You can use any programming language that supports SFTP connections. There are desktop programs which are free to download (for example Filezilla or WinSCP), or there are libraries for established programming languages.
Is the SFTP Gateway secure?: Yes. SFTP is a secure file transfer protocols. If you use this connection, you will also have your own credentials to our SFTP server in addition to the credentials for the KADOE service. Our firewall will include your IP address as a trusted client.

The KADOE service uses Secure File Transfer (SFTP). This is not the familiar and insecure FTP, nor its secure equivalent FTPS