A Guide if your Doctor tells you to Stop Driving because of a Medical Condition or Disability and Informing the DVLA.
Having a medical condition or disability that makes driving unsafe your doctor may tell you to stop driving immediately. If this is the case you should surrender your driving licence to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). Your doctor will advise you when you are well enough to start driving again.
How to tell the DVLA that you have stopped or need to stop driving
What happens after you have told DVLA about your medical condition
Renewing your driving licence if it was revoked or surrendered
Special needs and the practical driving test
Medical renewals
Taking your theory test if you have special needs
How to tell the DVLA that you have stopped or need to stop driving.
Surrendering your driving licence
Surrendering your licence removes the need for the DVLA to make formal medical enquiries into your fitness to drive. If medical enquiries are made and these confirm that you cannot meet the required medical standards of fitness to drive, your licence will have to be revoked.For the type of licence you hold please see the relevant section below.
Benefits of voluntary surrender
f in the future you wish to resume driving, you will have cover to drive under Section 88 of the Road Traffic Act, 1988 as soon as your application is received at DVLA, providing you meet the following criteria:
- a valid application is held at the DVLA
- you are able to meet the medical standards of fitness to drive. These standards are set down in ‘At a glance guide to the current standards of fitness to drive’. All medical practitioners have access to this publication, therefore if you are in any doubt about your ability to meet these standards, you should check with you doctor before resuming driving
- you must have held a GB or Northern Ireland licence issued since 1 January 1976 or another exchangeable licence
- you keep to any special conditions which may apply to you, and to your licence
- you are not disqualified from driving
- if you surrender your driving licence you will not be required to take another driving test
Car or motorcycle driving licence holders
If you want to surrender your car or motorcycle licence then you will need to:
- print the ‘Declaration of voluntary surrender’ Form
- fill in the form
- send the form to DVLA enclosing your current driving licence
What happens after you have told DVLA about your medical condition
After telling the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) about your medical condition or disability, DVLA’s medical advisers decide if a licence can be issued. Find out what happens once you have told DVLA about your medical condition and how they make a decision.
After you have told DVLA about your medical condition or disability
The medical questionnaire that you use to tell DVLA allows you to provide specific details about your medical condition or disability. The questionnaire also asks you to give consent for a DVLA medical adviser to request medical information from your doctor. DVLA aim to make a decision from the information you provide.
However, if further information is required, the medical adviser may:
- contact your own doctor or consultant
- arrange for you to be examined by a locally appointed medical officer or local consultant or specialist
- ask you to undergo a driving assessment, eyesight or driving test
How long your medical enquiry will take
DVLA aims to finish its enquiries as quickly as possible. The time taken by DVLA to deal with your medical enquiry will depend on the medical condition you have and the information that DVLA needs to gather. If a decision can be made based on the information you originally provided, DVLA aims to make a decision within three weeks.
If DVLA need more information about your medical condition, they aim to make a decision within 90 working days.
To do this they may need more information from:
- you
- your doctor
- other sources
Decisions that can be made about your driving licence
Once the medical adviser is satisfied that all the relevant medical information is available, a decision will be made about your driving licence. They will use the medical standards of fitness to drive to help with the decision.
The decisions that can be taken are:
- you may be able to retain your licence or be issued with a new driving licence
- you may be issued with a driving licence for a period of one, two or three years if the medical adviser decides that a review of your medical fitness is required in the future
- you may be issued a driving licence which indicates that special controls need to be fitted to the vehicle you drive to enable you to overcome the effects of a physical disability
- DVLA will tell you to stop driving if medical enquiries confirm that you are not fit to drive until your condition improves
If your driving licence is revoked or refused by the medical adviser at DVLA you will be:
- provided with a medical explanation of why this decision was taken (wherever possible DVLA will advise you when you can re-apply for your licence)
- sent a notice that explains your right of appeal to a Magistrates Court if you live in England or Wales, or to a Sheriff Court if you live in Scotland
Renewing your driving licence if it was revoked or surrendered
You must renew your driving licence after surrendering or having it revoked by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) before you start driving again. Find out what you need to do to re-apply for your driving licence.
Checking your health
You should check with your doctor that you can meet the medical standards of fitness to drive before you re-apply for your driving licence. These standards are set out in the ‘At a glance guide to the current standards of fitness to drive’. All medical practitioners have access to this publication.
How to re-apply for your car or motorcycle driving licence
You’ll need to fill in a D1 application form and the medical questionnaire relevant to your condition. The D1 form is available from DVLA’s form ordering service or Post Office branches. You can search the DVLA medical A to Z to find your medical condition and the correct questionnaire for you.
How to re-apply for your lorry or bus driving licence
You’ll need to fill in a D2 application form and the medical questionnaire relevant to your condition. The D2 form is available from DVLA’s form ordering service You can search the DVLA medical A to Z to find your medical condition and the correct questionnaire for you.
If you are aged 45 to 65, then you only need to submit a D4 if you have not done so in the last five years. From the age 65, licences are issued for one year and each renewal must be accompanied by a completed medical report form D4.
Special needs and the practical driving test
You should let the the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) know when you book your practical test if you have any hearing problems, language difficulties, movement restrictions or adaptations fitted to your vehicle.
Contact them at: https://www.gov.uk/contact-dvsa
When booking your practical test, please let the DSA know if you:
- are deaf or have severe hearing difficulties
- are in any way restricted in your movements
- have any physical disability
No matter how serious your disability might be, you will still take the same driving test as every other test candidate. However, more time is allowed for the test. This is to allow the examiner to talk to you about your disability and any adaptations fitted to your vehicle.
Using an interpreter
You may bring your own interpreter for your practical test as long as they are over 16 years of age. Your approved driving instructor can be your interpreter.
You will be responsible for arranging your interpreter and for any necessary fees.
Medical renewals
If you are the holder of a short period driving licence that needs to be reviewed due to a medical condition, you’ll receive a reminder application from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) before your licence expires.
Renewing your photocard driving licence
DVLA will send you your reminder application 90 days before your licence is due to expire.
Car and motorcycle licence holders
Car and motorcycle licence holders will receive a D42 ‘driver licence expiry reminder and application form’ and a medical questionnaire relevant to you.
You’ll need to:
- fill in the D42 form
- fill in the medical questionnaire
- include a new passport type photo if necessary
- send your documents in the prepaid envelope provided
You don’t need to enclose any identification, or fee. You’ll also be sent a driving licence photo renewal form if your photo is due for renewal.
Lorry and bus driving licence holders
For the renewal of lorry, minibus or bus entitlement you’ll be sent a D48 ‘driver licence expiry reminder and application form’, a D4 ‘medical examination report’ and a medical questionnaire relevant to you.
You’ll need to:
- fill in the D48 form
- fill in the medical questionnaire
- include a new passport type photo if necessary
- send your documents in the prepaid envelope provided
You don’t need to enclose any identification, or fee.
If you are aged between 45-65, then you only need to submit a D4 if you have not done so in the last five years. From the age 65, licences are issued for one year and each renewal must be accompanied by a completed medical report form D4.
Change of name
If your name has changed since your last licence was issued, you’ll also need to complete an application form. For a car or motorcycle licence you must fill in a D1 form. For a lorry, minibus or bus licence you must fill in a D2 form. The D1 and D2 forms are available from DVLA’s form ordering service while the D1 is also available at Post Office® branches. You must also enclose original documents confirming your change of name.
What to do if you don’t receive your forms
If you don’t receive the reminder application forms, you need to fill in the correct form for your driving entitlement.
Car or motorcycle licence holders
You will need to fill in a D1 application form and the medical questionnaire relevant to you. D1 application forms are available from DVLA’s form ordering service (link ablove). You can download the relevant medical questionnaire from the medical conditions A to Z.
Lorry and bus driving licence holders
You will need to fill in a D2 application form and the medical questionnaire relevant to you. D2 application forms are available from DVLA’s form ordering service. You can download the relevant medical questionnaire from the medical conditions A to Z.
You’ll also need to check the expiry date of your photo on your driving licence. If your photo is due to expire very soon, it’ll need to be renewed before the date of expiry. The expiry date of your photo is shown in section 4b on the front of your driving licence.
When to expect your licence
DVLA aims to finish its enquiries as quickly as possible. The time taken by DVLA to deal with your medical enquiry will depend on the medical condition you have and the information that DVLA needs to gather. If a decision can be made based on the information you originally provided, DVLA aims to make a decision within three weeks.
If DVLA needs more information about your medical condition, it aims to make a decision within 90 working days.
To do this DVLA may need more information from:
- you
- your doctor
- other sources
What to do if you do not want to renew your driving licence
If you do not want to renew your driving licence then there is no need to return any forms to DVLA. Your driving licence will expire on the date stated on the renewal forms and you will no longer hold any legal entitlement to drive.
Taking your theory test if you have special needs
The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) provides a number of facilities for those people with special requirements, including foreign language voiceovers, extra time, British Sign Language interpretation and translator assisted tests.
How do candidates with special requirements take the theory test?
The following facilities are available for candidates with special requirements. All of the facilities need to be requested at the time of booking.
Facilities for those whose first language is not English
If your first language is not English, or you can not read or understand written English well, you can request a voiceover in one of 21 languages. A voiceover allows you to hear the theory test instructions and questions through headphones. The questions will automatically be read out to you, you can hear the answer options by touching the text on the screen. You can hear the questions as many times as you like, you simply need to touch the text of the question onscreen again.
Foreign language voiceovers are available in the following languages:
Albanian, Arabic, Bengali, Cantonese, Dari, English, Farsi, Gujarati, Hindi, Kashmiri, Kurdish, Mirpuri, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Pushto, Spanish, Tamil, Turkish, Urdu, Welsh
Translator assisted tests
If there is no voiceover provided in the language you require, you can request to have a translator assisted theory test. The call centre agent should be able to tell you the names and contact details of the relevant DSA approved translators. It is your responsibility to arrange a test date with the translator and to pay any fees involved.
Facilities for those with reading difficulties
If you have dyslexia or other reading difficulties you can ask for an English or Welsh voiceover. You can also request to have up to double time for the multiple choice part of the theory test. If you require more than the standard time of 40 minutes for the multiple choice part you will need to send in evidence of your reading difficulty to the theory test booking customer services.
Facilities for those with hearing difficulties
If you are deaf or have hearing difficulties you can ask to take the theory test in British sign language (BSL). The BSL interpretation will run alongside the standard test questions and answers. If you do not use BSL, an interpreter can be taken into the test centre, this facility needs to be arranged through the theory test customer services section. There is no extra fee for either facility.
Other special requirements
If you have a special need that is not met by the facilities above, you can contact the theory test customer services section who can discuss your requirements and the facilities available.