Medical conditions and driving in Britain: what to tell DVLA and the £1,000 fine

If you hold a driving licence and develop - or worsen - a condition that may affect your driving, you must tell DVLA. ONLYWAY NEWS explains what to report, the penalty for staying silent and how DVLA decides your case.

Which conditions must you report to DVLA?

You must report so-called notifiable conditions - those that could affect safe driving. Examples given by GOV.UK include diabetes or taking insulin, fainting (syncope), heart conditions including atrial fibrillation and pacemakers, sleep apnoea, epilepsy, strokes and glaucoma. You must report both a new condition and an existing one that has got worse.

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What happens if you do not tell them?

You can be fined up to £1,000 if you fail to report a condition that affects your driving. You could also be prosecuted if you have an accident. So staying silent costs more than reporting in good time.

How do you report a condition?

First check your condition using the GOV.UK tool called Check if a health condition affects your driving. Car and motorcycle licence holders can report online. Bus, coach and lorry licence holders must send DVLA a form or questionnaire; the address is on the form itself. In Northern Ireland you contact the DVA instead of DVLA.

When must you give up your licence?

You must surrender your licence to DVLA if:

• your doctor tells you to stop driving for 3 months or more;
• your condition affects safe driving and lasts 3 months or more;
• you do not meet the required medical driving standards.

You must also disclose conditions when applying for a first licence and when renewing your licence at age 70 or over - the form asks about this, so you do not need to contact DVLA separately.

What will DVLA decide?

After assessing your case, DVLA may let you keep your licence, issue a shorter licence - for 1, 2, 3 or 5 years, require your car to be adapted with special controls, or tell you to stop driving and give up your licence. If you are told to stop, DVLA sends a letter with the medical reason and any period before you can reapply; you can reapply 8 weeks before the end of that period.

Can you challenge the decision?

Yes. You can appeal: in England and Wales by contacting the magistrates' court within 6 months and telling DVLA in writing, and in Scotland by contacting the sheriff's court within 21 days and also telling DVLA. You can also simply send more medical evidence that you meet the driving standards, quoting the reference number from your decision letter. Every figure comes from the official GOV.UK pages.