How do I find my DVLA API Key?

Register at the [**DVLA Developer portal**](https://developer-portal.driver-vehicle-licensing.api.gov.uk/), create an application, and you will receive your API Key. Copy and paste it below.

Does it support vehicles outside the UK?

No. The DVLA API only provides data for vehicles registered within the United Kingdom.

Can the agent check if a car has a valid MOT?

Yes. The `get_vehicle_mot_status` tool returns the current status and expiry date of the MOT for any specified registration number.

DVLA Vehicle API MCP Server for VS Code Copilot 6 tools — connect in under 2 minutes

Name: DVLA Vehicle API
Availability: InStock
Author: Vinkius

code.visualstudio.com/docs/copilot/chat/mcp-servers

Built by Vinkius GDPR 6 Tools IDE

GitHub Copilot in VS Code is the most widely adopted AI coding assistant, embedded directly into the world's most popular code editor. With MCP support in Agent mode, Copilot can access external data and APIs to generate context-aware code grounded in real-time information.

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Classic Setup·json

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

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About DVLA Vehicle API MCP Server

Empower your AI agent to orchestrate your entire automotive research and vehicle auditing workflow with DVLA Vehicle API, the official source for United Kingdom vehicle data. By connecting the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) API to your agent, you transform complex registration lookups into a natural conversation. Your agent can instantly verify tax and MOT statuses, audit vehicle specifications, and retrieve environmental metadata without you ever touching a government portal. Whether you are conducting fleet management or verifying a vehicle's history, your agent acts as a real-time automotive consultant, ensuring your data is always grounded in official, government-verified records.

GitHub Copilot Agent mode brings DVLA Vehicle API data directly into your VS Code workflow. With a project-scoped config, the entire team shares access to 6 tools. Copilot queries live data, generates typed code, and writes tests from actual API responses, all without leaving the editor.

What you can do

Vehicle Auditing — Retrieve comprehensive details for any UK-registered vehicle, including make, model, and registration metadata.
Status Oversight — Verify current tax and MOT status to maintain strict control over legal compliance and expiration dates.
Specification Intelligence — Query technical specs such as engine capacity, fuel type, and colour to assist in vehicle identification.
Environmental Monitoring — Retrieve CO2 emission data and fuel types to understand the environmental footprint of specific vehicles.
Operational Monitoring — Check API status to ensure your automotive research workflow is always operational.

The DVLA Vehicle API MCP Server exposes 6 tools through the Vinkius. Connect it to VS Code Copilot in under two minutes — no API keys to rotate, no infrastructure to provision, no vendor lock-in. Your configuration, your data, your control.

How to Connect DVLA Vehicle API to VS Code Copilot via MCP

Follow these steps to integrate the DVLA Vehicle API MCP Server with VS Code Copilot.

Create MCP config

Create a .vscode/mcp.json file in your project root

Add the server config

Paste the JSON configuration above

Enable Agent mode

Open GitHub Copilot Chat and switch to Agent mode using the dropdown

Start using DVLA Vehicle API

Ask Copilot: "Using DVLA Vehicle API, help me...". 6 tools available

Why Use VS Code Copilot with the DVLA Vehicle API MCP Server

GitHub Copilot for Visual Studio Code provides unique advantages when paired with DVLA Vehicle API through the Model Context Protocol.

VS Code is used by over 70% of developers. adding MCP tools to Copilot means your team can leverage external data without leaving their primary editor

Project-scoped MCP configs (`.vscode/mcp.json`) let you commit server configurations to your repository, ensuring the entire team shares the same tool access

Copilot's Agent mode integrates MCP tools seamlessly with file editing, terminal commands, and workspace search in a single agentic loop

GitHub's enterprise compliance and audit features extend to MCP tool usage, providing visibility into how AI interacts with external services

DVLA Vehicle API + VS Code Copilot Use Cases

Practical scenarios where VS Code Copilot combined with the DVLA Vehicle API MCP Server delivers measurable value.

Live API integration: Copilot can query an MCP server, inspect the response schema, and generate typed API client code in the same step

DevSecOps workflows: security teams can give developers access to domain intelligence tools directly in their editor for real-time vulnerability assessment during code review

Data pipeline development: Copilot fetches sample data via MCP and generates transformation scripts, validators, and test fixtures from actual API responses

Documentation generation: Copilot queries available tools and auto-generates README sections, API reference docs, and usage examples

DVLA Vehicle API MCP Tools for VS Code Copilot (6)

These 6 tools become available when you connect DVLA Vehicle API to VS Code Copilot via MCP:

check_api_status

Check if the DVLA Vehicle Enquiry API is operational

get_vehicle_details

Get comprehensive details for a UK vehicle by registration number

get_vehicle_environmental_data

Get CO2 emissions and fuel type details for a vehicle

get_vehicle_mot_status

Check the current MOT status and expiry date for a vehicle

get_vehicle_specifications

Get technical specifications (make, model, engine) for a vehicle

get_vehicle_tax_status

Check the current tax status and due date for a vehicle

Example Prompts for DVLA Vehicle API in VS Code Copilot

Ready-to-use prompts you can give your VS Code Copilot agent to start working with DVLA Vehicle API immediately.

"Get details for UK vehicle with registration 'AA11AAA' using DVLA Vehicle API."

"What is the MOT status for registration 'BB22BBB'?"

"Show specifications for car registration 'CC33CCC'."

Troubleshooting DVLA Vehicle API MCP Server with VS Code Copilot

Common issues when connecting DVLA Vehicle API to VS Code Copilot through the Vinkius, and how to resolve them.

MCP tools not available

Ensure you are in Agent mode in Copilot Chat. MCP tools only appear in Agent mode.

DVLA Vehicle API + VS Code Copilot FAQ

Common questions about integrating DVLA Vehicle API MCP Server with VS Code Copilot.

Which VS Code version supports MCP?

MCP support requires VS Code 1.99 or later with the GitHub Copilot extension. Ensure both are updated to the latest version. Older versions of Copilot may not expose the Agent mode toggle.

How do I switch to Agent mode?

Open the Copilot Chat panel and look for two mode options: "Ask" and "Agent". Click "Agent" to enable autonomous tool calling. In Ask mode, Copilot provides conversational answers but cannot invoke MCP tools.

Can I restrict which MCP tools Copilot can access?

Yes. VS Code shows a tool consent dialog before any MCP tool is invoked for the first time. You can also configure tool access policies at the organization level through GitHub Copilot settings.

Does MCP work in VS Code Remote or Codespaces?

Yes. MCP servers configured via .vscode/mcp.json work in Remote SSH, WSL, and GitHub Codespaces environments. The MCP connection is established from the remote host, so ensure the server URL is accessible from that environment.