When you tell DVA about a medical condition

If you don't tell DVA about a medical condition

It is an offence if you do not tell the DVA about a medical condition that may impact your ability to drive and is punishable, on conviction, of a fine of up to £1,000.

It is also an offence to drive after making a false declaration about your health to the DVA and is punishable, on conviction, of a fine of up to £2,500.

Assessing fitness to drive

When you tell the DVA about a medical condition, the DVA will send you a medical form for you to fill in or for you to take to your doctor or other medical specialist to have it filled in.  

You must sign the consent declaration on the form to allow your doctor to release your medical information to the DVA. 

When this information is returned to the DVA, your medical condition will be assessed against the relevant medical standard. To do this, the DVA and the DVA’s medical advisors use the guidance on fitness to drive. This standard is used to help drivers and healthcare professionals advise their patients. 

• Assessing fitness to drive: a guide for medical professionals

What happens next

The medical questionnaire that you use to tell DVA allows you to give specific details about your medical condition or disability. 

If at all possible a decision will be made on the information you give. However, if more information is needed, the medical adviser may:

• ask you to get more information from your doctor and/ or consultant
• arrange for you to be examined by a locally appointed medical officer, local consultant or specialist
• ask you to undergo a driving assessment, eyesight or driving test

There is more information on driving licences and driving assessments at the links below:

• Information leaflet on driving licences
• Disability Action

How long will medical enquiries take

The DVA aim to finish their enquiries as quickly as possible. The time they take to deal with your case will depend on the medical condition you have and the information they need to gather.

If the DVA can make a decision based on the information you originally gave, they aim to make this decision within three to four weeks.

However, if they need more information about your medical condition, either from you and your doctor, or from other sources, or if you are applying for a lorry or bus licence, a decision may take longer.

The decision 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 taken about your driving licence in line with the medical standards of fitness to drive. The decisions that can be taken are:

• you may be able to keep 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 needed in the future
• you may be issued a driving licence which shows that special controls need to be fitted to the vehicles you drive to allow you to overcome the effects of a physical disability
• your licence may be revoked or your application refused; DVA will only do this when their enquiries confirm that as a result of your medical condition you are unable to meet the legal medical standards of fitness to drive

If your driving licence is revoked or refused you have the right to appeal the decision.

How to appeal

You have the right to appeal to a court in the petty sessions district in which you live but you must give notice of your intention to do so to the Department.

An appeal must be lodged with the proper Clerk of Petty Sessions within three months of the date of the issue of refusal/ revocation letter being issued to you.

You must send a copy of the Notice of Appeal to the following address at least 14 days before the date of hearing:

Before taking this course of action, DVA suggest that you talk to your doctor.

More useful links

• Motoring, travel and transport for people with disabilities
• At a glance guide to the current standards of fitness to drive - GOV.UK