Which conditions you must report — the notifiable list
You must tell DVLA if you hold a driving licence and you develop a notifiable medical condition — or a condition you already told them about gets worse. Notifiable means anything that could affect your ability to drive safely. GOV.UK’s own headline examples:
- Diabetes — especially if treated with insulin
- Epilepsy and seizures
- Syncope — fainting and blackouts
- Sleep apnoea
- Heart conditions — including atrial fibrillation and pacemakers
- Strokes (including TIAs — check your specific diagnosis on the A to Z)
- Glaucoma and other eye conditions
That list is far from complete — there are hundreds of entries on the official GOV.UK A to Z of conditions and driving, from anxiety to vertigo. Each entry tells you in plain terms whether your situation needs reporting. Two minutes there settles it.
Eyesight has its own rule: you must tell DVLA about any problem affecting both eyes (or your remaining eye, if you only have one). Being short-sighted, long-sighted or colour blind does not count, and nor does corrected short sight after surgery if you meet the standards. The baseline everyone must meet: reading a number plate from 20 metres — about five parked cars — with glasses or lenses if you need them, plus visual acuity of at least 0.5 (6/12) on the Snellen scale and an adequate field of vision.
Applying for your first licence, or renewing at 70 or over? You declare notifiable conditions in the application form itself — no separate contact needed. (Renewal at 70 is free — see our driving licence renewal guide.)
Breathe — telling DVLA rarely means losing your licence
This is the fear that keeps people silent, and it is mostly unfounded. After you report, DVLA may simply note the condition and leave your licence untouched, issue a short-period medical review licence (typically 1, 2, 3 or 5 years, renewed free), or ask for more information first. Licences are only taken away when the medical standards for safe driving genuinely are not met — and even then, there is a route back. Most people who tell DVLA keep driving.
What silence costs — the £1,000 rule
Not telling DVLA is the expensive option
GOV.UK is explicit: you can be fined up to £1,000 if you do not tell DVLA about a condition that might affect your ability to drive safely — and you could be prosecuted if you have an accident. There is a third cost insurers rarely shout about: car insurance relies on you meeting the legal conditions for holding a licence, so an undeclared notifiable condition can give your insurer grounds to refuse a claim — leaving you personally exposed after a crash. Reporting is free and usually changes very little. Silence risks everything.
And to be clear the other way round: if a doctor or optician has told you to stop driving, or you know you are not safe, do not drive — no rule on this page overrides that.
How to tell DVLA — free, online, in minutes
- Look up your condition on the GOV.UK A to Z. It tells you whether yours is notifiable and links the exact form or questionnaire.
- Car or motorcycle licence: most conditions can be checked and reported online through the GOV.UK service. Otherwise there is a paper questionnaire for your specific condition — the address is on the form.
- Bus, coach or lorry licence: use the A to Z list to find the right form — the professional-driver medical standards are stricter.
- Not sure? Contact DVLA and ask — asking is free and protects you.
Northern Ireland
DVLA covers England, Scotland and Wales only. In Northern Ireland you tell the
DVA (Driver and Vehicle Agency) instead, via
nidirect — the duty to report is just as real.
What happens after you tell them — and driving in the meantime
DVLA’s Drivers Medical Group looks at what you send. Depending on the condition they may contact your doctor or consultant, arrange a free eyesight test with their contracted optician, or ask you to have an examination. Medical investigations are thorough and can take months — that is normal, not a bad sign. The outcomes:
| Outcome | What it means |
|---|
| Keep your full licence | The condition is noted; nothing else changes. |
| Short-period medical licence | A licence reviewed more often — typically 1, 2, 3 or 5 years — renewed free with an updated medical check. |
| Licence with conditions | For example, driving an adapted vehicle. |
| Revocation or refusal | Only where the medical standards are not met. The letter explains why, and when you can reapply. |
The Section 88 rule — driving while DVLA decides
Under Section 88 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, if you hold a current driving licence and your doctor or optician has not told you to stop driving, you may be able to keep driving while DVLA considers your application or notification. GOV.UK’s leaflet INF188/6 “Can I drive while my application is with DVLA?” sets out the conditions — read it before relying on this, because it only protects you while you actually meet the medical standards. If you have been told to stop, or you do not feel safe, the rule does not apply: don’t drive.
Surrendering your licence — and the road back
Sometimes the answer is to hand the licence in yourself. You must voluntarily surrender your licence to DVLA if any of these are true:
- your doctor tells you to stop driving for 3 months or more
- your condition affects your ability to drive safely and lasts 3 months or more
- you do not meet the required medical standards for driving
Surrendering is not the end. You can apply to get your licence back as soon as you meet the medical standards again — and the rules for restarting after a voluntary surrender are different from (and generally kinder than) those after a revocation. Staying in control of the decision matters.
Reapplying after a revocation: DVLA’s letter tells you if there is a waiting period — you can reapply from 8 weeks before it ends. For a car or motorcycle licence, send the medical form for your condition plus a D1 form (from a Post Office that offers DVLA services) to Drivers Medical Group, DVLA, Swansea SA99 1TU. Bus and lorry drivers use a D2 plus the condition form (and a D4 medical report if aged 45–65 and not done in the past 5 years). Check with your doctor first that you meet the standards — it saves a refused application.
Do this now
Have a diagnosis — or care for someone who does? Spend two minutes on the GOV.UK condition checker tonight. If the condition is notifiable, report it free online today — the protection starts the moment you tell them.
While you’re at it: can you still read a number plate from 20 metres? Test it on your street. If a health change is making driving harder, check whether it also unlocks help — a Blue Badge, or Attendance Allowance for over-65s who need care or supervision.