Driving law changes launching in February will see new petrol station rules and digital ID updates

With new rules being introduced over the coming weeks, GB News has rounded up the most important driving law changes in February 2026 that could impact you.

Fuel prices

The Government's long-awaited Fuel Finder scheme will receive another update in February, with massive savings for drivers on the horizon.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves unveiled plans for the Fuel Finder scheme in the 2024 Budget, with hopes that the scheme would help petrol and diesel drivers save when filling up.

The tool requires filling stations to report live fuel prices and the unavailability of fuel within 30 minutes of a change, which could slash the price massively for hard-pressed motorists.

Forecasts from the Government indicated that the average driver could save between one and six pence per litre after they've used the scheme.

All retailers must register their forecourts that they are responsible for before price reporting requirements begin on February 2, 2026.

Forecourts must report their prices if they run a petrol station of any size in the UK, operate a chain or franchise, manage unmanned or automated stations, sell fuel as part of another business or are a multi-site operator.

Prices do not need to be reported if they only sell fuel business-to-business, sell fuel in jerry cans, only sell red diesel for agricultural use, or operate HGV depot sales based on pre-arranged logistics.

Driving licence

In mid-January, the Government Digital Service team confirmed that the digital driving licence service had started private testing.

The partnership with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is designed to improve digital services for motorists.

The Government announced that the digital driving licence had been trialled among a small group of colleagues within the GDS and DVLA.

A further rollout of the digital driving licence is expected in the coming months, allowing drivers to have their licences on their phones.

The Government Digital Service stated that the launch of the digital driving licence was the "culmination of the team's efforts in building, stress-testing, designing, iterating, as well as speaking to users, all done through partnership with the DVLA".

"It represents a real milestone in the development of this credential and will help us learn how users interact with it in their GOV.UK One Login app," it added.

Tariffs

US President Donald Trump had originally promised hefty tariffs of 25 per cent on all foreign imports in response to backlash to his plans to buy or take Greenland via military strength.

Experts had warned that the UK car market would be hammered by the imposition of a fresh 25 per cent tariff, noting that up to 25,000 British manufacturing jobs could be at risk.

President Trump had demanded the "complete and total purchase of Greenland" amid his concerns about national security.

When the tariffs were announced, Pranesh Narayanan, a research fellow at the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), warned that 25,000 jobs could be at risk.

He said: "With tariffs that could go up to 35 per cent, we are once again looking at a potentially massive drop in market share that threatens the viability of the big British manufacturers."

President Trump has since called off the tariffs, given a "very productive meeting" with the Secretary General of NATO, Mark Rutte, regarding the future of Greenland.

Posting on social media site Truth Social, Mr Trump said: "This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America, and all NATO Nations. Based upon this understanding, I will not be imposing the Tariffs that were scheduled to go into effect on February 1."