Do I have to tell the DVLA about a medical condition?

The duty to tell the DVLA sits with you, the driver — not with your GP. Doctors will usually encourage you to notify and will supply supporting evidence, but their advice is not a legal authorisation to keep driving. Section 92 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 requires you to declare any "relevant disability": a condition that is, or is likely to become, a problem for safe driving.

Conditions that must be declared

• Neurological — epilepsy, blackouts, stroke or TIA, brain tumour, multiple sclerosis, narcolepsy.
• Cardiovascular — heart attack, arrhythmias, heart failure and some valve conditions.
• Diabetes treated with insulin, and some cases managed on tablets where there have been hypoglycaemic episodes.
• Vision — visual acuity below 6/12 (Snellen) in the better eye, visual field defects, double vision.
• Mental health — psychosis, bipolar disorder during acute episodes, severe anxiety or depression affecting driving.
• Sleep disorders — untreated obstructive sleep apnoea or excessive daytime sleepiness.
• Alcohol or drug dependency.

This list is not exhaustive. The DVLA's Assessing Fitness to Drive guidance sets out every notifiable condition and the licensing criteria for each.

How to notify, and what happens next

Notify online at gov.uk/health-conditions-and-driving, by phone on the DVLA medical enquiry line 0300 790 6806, or by post to DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1TU. Many conditions have their own form. Keep a copy of everything you send, and chase if you have not heard within 3 weeks. The DVLA may ask your GP or specialist for a report, with your consent, then take one of four routes: leave your licence alone; issue a short-period licence of 1, 2, 3 or 5 years with periodic review; ask for more information; or revoke. Straightforward cases take about 6 weeks, and those needing specialist reports 3 to 6 months. You may usually keep driving while the assessment runs, unless the DVLA tells you to stop or your doctor advises against it.

Tell your insurer at the same time — it is a separate duty, and driving with an undisclosed condition can void the policy and leave the Motor Insurers' Bureau pursuing you personally for third-party damages. Group 2 (lorry and bus) medical standards are far stricter than Group 1, so professional drivers should get specialist advice immediately. If your licence is revoked you can appeal to a magistrates' court within 6 months under section 100 of the Road Traffic Act 1988; the court fee is £20, and the hearing reassesses the medical evidence rather than reviewing the DVLA's process — see our guide to medical revocation.