A driver background check in Pakistan should cover five things: the original CNIC, a valid driving licence of the right category verified with the issuing authority, at least two employer references you call yourself, a police character certificate where available, and a supervised trial drive in your own car.
- Core documents
- CNIC, driving licence
- References
- At least two, called by you
- Licence for a private car
- Car/jeep licence; LTV/HTV for commercial
- Extra check
- Police character certificate
The driver background check checklist
- Identity: original CNIC, name and photo match the person, CNIC not expired.
- Driving licence: original licence, correct category, valid dates, verified online or with the issuing authority.
- Employment history: last two or three employers with dates and reasons for leaving.
- References: you personally call at least two previous employers.
- Police character certificate: requested where available.
- Address: current residential address and a family contact.
- Health and fitness: the driver confirms they are fit to drive long hours; ask about eyesight.
- Trial drive: supervised, on your real route, in your car.
- Written agreement: signed before the first day.
What documents should a family driver provide?
Ask for originals and keep copies only with the driver’s consent. The minimum set is the CNIC and the driving licence. Add employer reference letters or phone numbers, a police character certificate if available, and passport-size photographs for any society or school registration. For families, school-gate and housing-society registration often needs copies of the CNIC and licence, so ask the driver to bring spares.
- CNIC (original and copy)
- Driving licence (original and copy)
- Two employer references with phone numbers
- Police character certificate, where available
- Two recent photographs
- Emergency contact for a family member
How to check a driver’s driving licence
Never rely on a photocopy. Look at the original card and then verify the licence number with the issuing authority. In Islamabad, licences are issued by Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP), which offers online licence verification. In Punjab, the police driving licence system (DLIMS) offers online verification. In Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, check with the provincial police licensing branch.
- Match the name and CNIC number on the licence
- Check the category covers your vehicle
- Check issue and expiry dates
- Verify the number with the issuing authority
- Ask how long the driver has held the licence
What licence is needed for a family driver?
For a private family car, the driver needs a valid licence for that class of vehicle, usually a car or jeep licence. Commercial vehicles have their own categories: an LTV (light transport vehicle) licence for vans and pickups used commercially, and an HTV (heavy transport vehicle) licence for buses and trucks. Many professional drivers hold an LTV licence even when they drive private cars, which is a good sign of experience, but the key point is that the licence matches the vehicle and is current.
Family driver reference check: what to ask
A reference call takes five minutes and is the most informative check you can do. Call the previous employer yourself; do not rely on a letter alone.
- How long did the driver work for you, and in what role?
- Why did the job end?
- Was the driver punctual and reliable?
- How did they handle children or elderly passengers?
- Did you ever have concerns about honesty or behaviour?
- How did they look after the car?
- Would you hire them again?
How to verify a personal driver’s background
Verification means confirming facts with an independent source. The licence is verified with the issuing authority, employment with the previous employer, and identity with the original CNIC. A police character certificate adds a further check where it is available: in Punjab, these are available through Punjab Police Khidmat Markaz centres, and other provinces have their own police procedures.
Be wary of any claim that a driver is “fully verified” without details. Ask which checks were done, by whom and when, and see the results yourself where possible.
The trial drive: the check that matters most
- Smooth starts, braking and turns
- Use of mirrors and indicators
- Safe following distance
- Calm in traffic and at junctions
- Parking in a tight space
- Knowledge of your car’s controls and warning lights
- Respect for your instructions
Handling documents respectfully
Background checks should be thorough and respectful. Explain what you are checking and why, keep copies securely, share them only with people who need them (such as the society office or school), and return or destroy copies if the person is not hired.
How HireDriver.pk helps
We shortlist drivers against your brief and share their experience and references so you can run your own checks. You interview, verify and trial before deciding. Call or WhatsApp 0339 1222233 to start.
Red flags during background checks
- References who cannot be reached or are always “abroad”
- A licence category that does not match your vehicle
- Gaps in employment that the driver will not explain
- Reluctance to show the original CNIC or licence
- Stories that change between the interview and the reference call
- Pressure to start immediately without checks
Keep a simple record
Write down what you checked, when and with whom: the date you saw the original CNIC, the date you verified the licence, the names and numbers of the references you called and what they said. If you ever need to rely on that information, a written record is far more useful than memory.
Key terms explained
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Placement agency | A business that finds and shortlists candidates for an employer. The employer interviews, chooses and employs the driver directly. |
| Full-time placement | A permanent driving job on a monthly salary, usually a full day six days a week, as opposed to a daily or hourly booking. |
| Placement fee | The amount paid to the agency for a successful placement. At HireDriver.pk it is charged once and equals the driver’s first monthly salary. |
| Replacement guarantee | A promise to find another driver without a new fee if the placed driver leaves within a set period. Ours is six months, for any reason. |
| Minimum wage | The lowest lawful monthly pay for full-time work, set by each province or territory for 26 working days. |
| CNIC | The Computerised National Identity Card issued by NADRA; the basic identity document every driver should show in original. |
| LTV licence | A licence for light transport vehicles such as vans and pickups used commercially. |
| HTV licence | A licence for heavy transport vehicles such as buses and trucks. |
| Police character certificate | A certificate issued by the police confirming a person’s record, available through provincial police services. |
| Probation | A short trial period at the start of employment, often one month, with a simple notice rule for both sides. |
| Overtime | Work beyond the agreed normal hours, paid at an agreed rate or fixed amount per late evening. |
| Live-in / live-out | A live-in driver stays at or near the employer’s home; a live-out driver commutes daily. Hours and pay should be agreed either way. |
Knowing these terms makes it easier to compare agencies, read an employment agreement and ask the right questions before a driver starts.
How to hire a driver in Pakistan
How to check driver driving license. Call or WhatsApp 0339 1222233 with your requirements and we will explain availability, salary expectations and next steps.
Personal and private drivers for your own car in Pakistan
How to verify a personal driver background. Your car stays your car: you set the rules on personal use, parking and fuel, and the driver keeps a simple expense record.
Family and domestic drivers in Pakistan
What licence needed for family driver. We start with your household routine in Pakistan, including school bell times, tuition, clinic visits and weekend plans, and shortlist drivers who have already worked with families.
Hiring a driver through HireDriver.pk
HireDriver.pk is a driver placement agency at Chandni Chowk, Rawalpindi. We place full-time drivers for your own car in Islamabad, Rawalpindi and 13 other cities. You share your brief, we shortlist suitable drivers, you interview them and take a trial drive in your own car, and you employ the driver directly on a monthly salary. Our fee is charged once and equals the first monthly salary; there is no monthly commission. If the driver we place leaves for any reason within six months, we provide a replacement without an additional agency fee.
To start, call or WhatsApp 0339 1222233 with your area, your car, the duty hours and the kind of driving you need, or use the enquiry form on our website. We will explain realistic salary expectations for the role and the next steps before any shortlist is prepared.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most important background check?
Calling previous employers yourself, followed by verifying the licence and a supervised trial drive.
What documents should a family driver provide?
CNIC, driving licence, employer references and, where available, a police character certificate.
How do I check a driving licence?
Verify the number with the issuing authority, for example ITP in Islamabad or DLIMS in Punjab.
What licence is needed for a family driver?
A valid licence for the vehicle class, usually car/jeep; LTV or HTV for commercial vehicles.
Is a police character certificate required?
It is a useful extra check where available, not a replacement for references.