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DVLA GUIDE - Unofficial Guide to the DVLA Medical Rules for Drivers

Driving With Medical Conditions

In this section of dvlaguide.com, you will find a vast array of information on driving with a medical condition in the UK as well as the Blue Badge Scheme.

The most import piece of information about driving with a medical condition is that failing to notify the DVLA is a criminal offence and is punishable by a fine of up to £1000. The DVLA have a very clear notification process.

If you’ve had, or currently suffer from a medical condition or disability that may affect your driving you have to inform the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). You will also need to provide details if you develop a new condition or disability or one that has become worse since your licence was issued.

Your legal driving obligations

Voluntarily Surrendering your Driving Licence

The medical standards of fitness to drive are available to all medical practitioners. If your doctor has advised you that you should not drive you may wish to surrender your licence. You can reapply for its restoration at a later date. Surrendering your licence has an advantage, if and when you decide to reapply.

How to Voluntarily Surrender Your Licence and Return to Driving Later

If you’re Applying for a Driving Licence

All driving licence application forms contain a series of health questions for you to complete when telling DVLA of the medical condition or disability that you have.

You can download and complete the appropriate medical questionnaire(s) and enclose them with your application. This will help to speed up the processing of your driving licence when the documents are received at DVLA.

Get Medical Forms for Car or Motorcycle

Get Medical Forms for LGV or Passenger Carrying Licence

If You Have a Driving Licence

If you already have a driving licence and need to tell DVLA of a medical condition or disability, you have to tell them right away and not wait until your licence is due for renewal.

Get Medical Forms for Car or Motorcycle

Get Medical Forms for LGV or Passenger Carrying Licence

Rules for Driver’s of Larger Vehicles Over 3,500kgs like Minibuses and Buses

In this case you need a D4 medical report form, completed by a medical practitioner to be included with your application to the DVLA. Remember, drivers already holding entitlement to drive vehicles of category C1 and or D1 and who have passed a car test before 1 January 1997, will only be required to meet the higher medical standards when the licence is next renewed.

Get D4 Medical Forms for Larger Vehicles Over 3,500kgs like Minibuses and Buses

Contact DVLA

Return your documents or contact the DVLA in the following ways:

By Post

You can send your documents to DVLA at the following address:
Drivers Medical Group
DVLA
Swansea
SA99 1TU

By Fax

Fax: 0845 850 0095

By Email

Contact point: Drivers Medical Group
Email:

Telephone: 0870 600 0301

(Monday to Friday, 8.00 am to 5.30 pm and Saturday, 8.00 am to 1.00 pm)

You will need to provide full name, date of birth and or driver number (if known). You must also give details of your specific medical condition or disability in order that you can be sent the appropriate medical questionnaire.


What Happens After You Tell the DVLA About Your Medical Condition?

After you tell the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) of a medical condition or disability, the DVLA medical advisers will decide whether or not you can satisfy the national medical guidelines and the requirements of the law. Based on this process your licence will be issued, revoked or refused.

How Long Do Medical Enquiries Take?

If the DVLA can make a decision based on the information you originally provided, they aim to make a decision on 88 per cent of cases within 15 working days.

If they need more information about your medical condition, or if you are applying for a lorry or bus licence, DVLA aims to make a decision on 85 per cent of cases within 90 working days.

Four Decisions Can Be Made About Your Driving Licence

Decisions will be made in accordance with the medical standards of fitness to drive.

The four decisions that can be made are:

1. You can keep your licence or be issued with a new driving licence.
2. 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.
3. You may be issued a driving licence which indicates that special controls need to be fitted to the vehicles you drive to enable you to overcome the effects of a physical disability.
4. Your licence may be revoked or your application refused. DVLA will only do this when their enquiries confirm that as a result of your medical condition you are unable to meet the required medical standards of fitness to drive.

The Blue Badge Parking Scheme

The Blue Badge offers parking concessions for people with severe mobility problems who have difficulty using public transport. The scheme operates throughout the UK.

About the Blue Badge

Apply to on-street parking and include free use of parking meters and pay-and-display bays, badge holders may also be exempt from limits on parking times imposed on others and can park for up to three hours on single and double yellow lines as long as they are not causing an obstruction (except where there is a ban on loading or unloading or other restrictions). The Blue Badge is does not apply to car parks and parking bays such as supermarkets, these are privately owned.

Do You Qualify for a Blue Badge?

You are automatically eligible to apply for a badge if you are over two years old and either:

• receive the Higher Rate of the Mobility Component of the Disability Living Allowance
• are registered blind
• receive a War Pensioner’s Mobility Supplement

You may also be eligible for a badge if you are over two years old and either:

• have a permanent and sustainable disability which means you cannot walk, or which makes walking very difficult
• drive a motor vehicle regularly, have a severe disability in both arms, and are unable to operate all or some types of parking meter (or would find it very difficult to operate them)

If you are a parent of a child who is less than two years old, you may apply for a badge for your child if they have a specific medical condition which means that they either:

• must always be accompanied by bulky medical equipment which cannot be carried around without great difficulty
• need to be kept near a vehicle at all times, so that they can, if necessary, be treated in the vehicle, or quickly driven to a place where they can be treated, such as a hospital

Applying For a Blue Badge Parking Permit

Blue Badge parking permits are issued by local council. Please contact your local council office for more information.

Blue Badge Map

Use Directgov’s interactive tool, Blue Badge Map, to find Blue Badge parking across the UK.

London Congestion Charge

Blue Badge holders are 100 per cent exempt from the London Congestion Charge. Blue badge holders must must register with Transport for London (TfL) at least 10 days before your journey and pay a one-off £10 registration fee.

You can download a registration form.

Telephone: 0845 900 1234

Here are links to similar versions in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland:

Blue Badge Wales
Blue Badge Scotland
Blue Badge Northern Ireland

Misusing the Blue Badge

Local councils can take away a badge if the badge holder misuses it. The blue badge can only be used for the badge holder’s benefit. If a trip is for someone else and you are a passenger and staying in the vehicle, you cannot use the badge simply to let them benefit from free parking. You cannot allow other people to use it. If a person’s disability improves they are no longer eligible for the scheme. Blue Badges need to be properly issued and displayed. It is an offence if a badge is not removed from a vehicle and people other than the badge holder take advantage of the parking concessions under the scheme.

Misuse of the badge itself by a non-disabled person is an offence. The maximum fine if someone is convicted is £1,000 plus any additional penalty for the related parking offence.

View the Road Traffic Act to find out more:

The Disabled Persons Regulations 2000

Using Your Blue Badge Abroad

Blue Badge – Parking In Europe

Motoring and Transport Contacts for Disabled People

Blue Badge Network

The Blue Badge Network has information about parking regulations, legislation directly affecting their users/members and related disability issues.

Forum of Mobility Centres

A network of 17 independent organisations across the UK offering professional information, advice and assessment to people who have a disability or medical condition which may affect their ability to use a motor vehicle.

Mobilise

Mobilise is a UK charity that promotes mobility for disabled people. They represent the interests of disabled drivers, passengers, scooter & wheelchair users, as well as their friends, families and carers. By leading in the fight to improve mobility and access Mobilise seeks to promote a better way of life for all disabled people irrespective of age, gender or race; and to end discrimination and segregation.

Mobility Information Service

A resource for physically disabled people who drive or want to drive. It is mostly run by volunteers, the majority of whom are themselves disabled and have a desire to help others overcome their mobility problems. Mobility Information Service’s mission is to be the UK’s foremost resource for physically disabled #people who drive or want to drive.

Motability

Motability is a national charity which helps disabled people and their families with their mobility needs. It also directs and oversees the Motability Scheme, which enables disabled people to obtain a car, powered wheelchair or scooter using their mobility allowances.

National Association for Bikers with a Disability (NABD)

Provides help, in the form of grants, learner machines and obtaining discounted insurance for disabled people who wish to ride motorcycles.

National Rail

National Rail provides travel assistance and information on train travel for disabled passengers and people with reduced mobility.

Ricability (RICA: Research Institute for Consumer Affairs)

Ricability is an independent research charity that provides unbiased, practical information for older and disabled consumers. Its motoring information for people with particular needs includes an online search guide and car model fact sheets.

Transport for London

Transport for London (TfL) provides information on transport accessibility across the whole of London.

Disabled Persons Railcard

If you have a disability that makes traveling by train difficult you may qualify for the Disabled Persons Railcard. The Railcard allows you, and an adult companion with you, to get a 1/3 off most Standard and first class fares throughout Great Britain.