Medical Revocation of a Driving Licence

Section 92 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 requires drivers to notify the DVLA of any "relevant disability" — a medical condition that is, or is likely to become, a disability for driving. The DVLA publishes detailed medical standards in Assessing Fitness to Drive: a guide for medical professionals, updated annually.

Common notifiable conditions:

• Neurological — epilepsy, blackouts and syncope, narcolepsy, brain injury, multiple sclerosis, stroke and TIA.
• Cardiovascular — angina with symptoms while driving, certain arrhythmias, ICD implantation, recent heart attack (some restrictions for Group 2 only).
• Diabetes — diabetes treated with insulin requires notification; managed by tablets often requires notification if there have been hypoglycaemic events.
• Visual — visual acuity below the standard, visual field defects, diplopia, glaucoma with field loss.
• Mental health — psychotic disorders, severe depression with cognitive impairment, certain personality and behavioural disorders.
• Substance dependency — alcohol or drug dependence; managed substance-use disorder.
• Cancer — certain brain tumours, conditions affecting consciousness or motor function.

The full list is in the DVLA medical standards document. Healthcare professionals are generally not obliged to notify the DVLA themselves, but GMC guidance allows breach of confidentiality where a patient continues to drive against advice and there is a risk to public safety. The patient remains primarily responsible for notification.

The notification is made via the DVLA medical online service or by post (forms M1 / V1 / specific condition forms). Notification suspends the licence only when the DVLA issues a formal revocation; until then the driver may continue to drive unless a doctor specifically advises against it.

When a condition is notified, the DVLA Medical Group takes one of four routes:

1. Continue licence — the condition does not meet revocation criteria. The licence remains valid; the DVLA may ask for periodic review.
2. Issue restricted licence — for a defined period (1, 2, 3, or 5 years), often with conditions (e.g. annual review, automatic-only, no commercial driving).
3. Refuse, revoke, or refuse renewal — if the condition does not meet the licensing standard. The driver receives a decision letter explaining the medical reasons and the right of appeal.
4. Request further information — from the driver's GP, specialist, or by independent medical examination. The DVLA can engage a Medical Adviser to review.

The DVLA medical assessment is paper-based in most cases — records and reports are requested from the doctors involved. Where the picture is complex, the DVLA may commission an examination by a regional medical examiner or specialist. Decisions are reached based on whether the driver meets the published medical standards, not on individual case-by-case judgement.

Typical timeframes: 6 weeks for straightforward assessments; 3–6 months where specialist reports are needed; longer for evolving conditions where the prognosis is uncertain. The DVLA can issue interim licences while the assessment is pending in some cases.

If the DVLA revokes or refuses to issue a licence on medical grounds, the driver has a statutory right of appeal to the local magistrates' court (or, in Scotland, the sheriff court) under section 100 of the Road Traffic Act 1988.

Key features of the appeal:

• Time limit: 6 months from the date of the DVLA decision.
• Form: the appeal is by complaint to the magistrates' court for the area where the appellant lives. There is no specific prescribed form, but most courts use a "complaint" template.
• Standard: the court applies the same medical standards as the DVLA. The question is whether, on the medical evidence, the appellant meets the licensing standard.
• Evidence: the court will consider the medical reports the DVLA relied on, plus any new evidence the appellant brings. It is usual for the appellant's treating clinicians to be asked to provide updated reports.
• Outcome: the court can confirm the DVLA decision, set it aside, or remit with directions (e.g. to issue a restricted licence rather than a full revocation).

Costs: the appellant pays a small court fee (currently £20). Legal aid is not generally available for these appeals; some appellants represent themselves, others instruct a specialist road-traffic solicitor. Successful appeals usually involve fresh medical evidence not available to the DVLA at the time of the original decision.

An appeal is not the same as a judicial review. Judicial review challenges the DVLA's decision-making process; the section 100 appeal is a fresh hearing on the merits. Section 100 is the right route in nearly all medical revocation cases.

If your licence is revoked, you can re-apply when your medical situation improves or the qualifying time period expires. The DVLA standards specify, for each condition, when a re-application can be considered — for example, 6 months free of epileptic seizures, 12 months free of unexplained syncope, satisfactory diabetes control without hypoglycaemic incidents.

Group 2 (HGV/PSV) standards are significantly stricter — many conditions that allow Group 1 driving still disqualify Group 2. Professional drivers should familiarise themselves with the Group 2 standards before notifying.

While the assessment is pending and the licence has been notified but not revoked, the driver may generally continue to drive — but with two important exceptions:

• Where a doctor has specifically advised not to drive — for example after surgery, during a seizure investigation, or during diabetes adjustment. Continuing to drive against medical advice is a strong factor against the driver in any subsequent prosecution or appeal.
• Where insurance is invalidated — most motor insurance policies require disclosure of medical conditions. Driving without valid insurance is a separate offence under section 143 RTA 1988.

Failure to notify is a criminal offence under section 92 RTA 1988 (£1,000 fine on summary conviction) and invalidates insurance. A driver who has had an accident in those circumstances faces compounded difficulty — at minimum, an uninsured-driver claim handled by the Motor Insurers' Bureau and, in serious cases, criminal liability for causing death or injury by careless driving.