How to Use the DVLA Vehicle API MCP in Windsurf

Q: How do I configure the DVLA Vehicle API MCP Server inside Windsurf?

Open your /.codeium/windsurf/mcpconfig.json file and add the server configuration under the mcpServers key. Alternatively, use the Windsurf settings UI to connect the endpoint. Once saved, Windsurf immediately detects the new MCP tools.

Get live UK vehicle tax, MOT, and specs inside Windsurf with this MCP Server.

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Connect DVLA Vehicle API MCP to Windsurf

Create your Vinkius account to connect DVLA Vehicle API to Windsurf and route execution through our secure gateway. The platform manages server hosting, runtime updates, and security layers. Configuration requires no manual server provisioning.

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Setup DVLA Vehicle API with Windsurf

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Perplexity

Autonomous compliance checks with Windsurf

The tools `get_vehicle_tax_status` and `get_vehicle_mot_status` query the UK registry to verify if a fleet is roadworthy. Give Cascade a list of UK license plates. It does not just check them one by one; it maps out a plan to audit your entire fleet's roadworthiness in parallel. Your agent handles the rate limits and API states through the MCP connection. If a query fails, Cascade checks the system health using `check_api_status` to see if the DVLA registry is lagging or offline. It acts like a junior dev who just gets the job done.

Deep environmental and engine specs extraction

The tool `get_vehicle_environmental_data` extracts CO2 emissions and fuel types directly from government records. Feed a registration number to your workspace and watch the agent pull emissions profiles. By invoking this tool, the server grabs CO2 levels to help you calculate fleet carbon footprints instantly. It pairs this with physical build data. The tool `get_vehicle_specifications` extracts the exact engine size and chassis weight, letting you verify that your logistics database matches official government records.

Instant vehicle history verification

The tool `get_vehicle_details` fetches the complete registration history for any UK vehicle. Stop manually digging through government portals. Just ask your agent to pull a vehicle's full profile during your debugging or data entry tasks. Cascade reads the raw JSON payload, parses the registration date, and updates your local database fields. It maps the returned fields to your application schema without requiring manual copy-paste work.

Setup guide

Set up DVLA Vehicle API MCP in Windsurf

Prerequisites

Windsurf IDE installed (macOS, Windows, or Linux)
Active Vinkius subscription with a valid endpoint token

1

Open MCP configuration

Click the Cascade assistant icon in the sidebar, then click the hammer icon (🔨) at the top of the panel. Select "Configure" to open ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json.
2

Add the DVLA Vehicle API MCP

Paste the JSON snippet shown on the right into the mcpServers object. Replace [YOUR_TOKEN_HERE] with your endpoint token from cloud.vinkius.com.
3

Refresh MCPs

Go back to the hammer icon (🔨) in Cascade and click "Refresh". Windsurf will detect the new server. No full restart is needed — the connection is hot-reloaded.
4

Verify in Cascade

Start a new Cascade conversation and ask something like "Show my DVLA Vehicle API payment history." If connected, Cascade will call the DVLA Vehicle API tools directly. You will see a green dot next to the server name in the MCP panel.

mcp_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "dvla-vehicle-api-mcp": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp"
    }
  }
}

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Independent Platform Disclaimer: Vinkius is an independent platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, verified by, or otherwise authorized by DVLA Vehicle API. All third-party trademarks, logos, and brand names are the property of their respective owners. Their use on this website is strictly for informational purposes to identify service compatibility and interoperability.

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Common questions about DVLA Vehicle API MCP in Windsurf

Open your ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json file and add the server configuration under the mcpServers key. Alternatively, use the Windsurf settings UI to connect the endpoint. Once saved, Windsurf immediately detects the new MCP tools.

Yes, Cascade can process multiple plates autonomously. It chains `get_vehicle_tax_status` and `get_vehicle_mot_status` calls across your list. It compiles the results into a clean markdown table inside your chat panel.

The server returns standard rate limit headers which Cascade reads. You can ask the agent to build a retry loop or check the registry status with `check_api_status`. This prevents your session from freezing during large batch imports.

Yes, it queries the main UK registry. Any vehicle registered with the DVLA, including trucks, vans, and cars, will return data through `get_vehicle_details`. Just supply the standard UK registration plate format.

Your queries run through a secure, isolated V8 sandbox on Vinkius. We do not store or log the license plates or vehicle details you look up. The Vinkius MCP Server acts as a secure, ephemeral pass-through, meaning your fleet's compliance records remain entirely private.

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