Medical Conditions Need to Disclose to DVLA

If possessing a driving license and encountering a medical condition, disability, or a previously declared condition that has worsened since obtaining the license, it is necessary to disclose this information to the DVLA.

CRUCIAL: Drivers failing to reveal a condition that could potentially impair their safe driving abilities to the DVLA expose themselves to fines reaching £1,000, potential license suspension, or legal action in the event of an accident.

Presented here is a comprehensive guide to understanding the process of disclosing medical conditions to the DVLA.

Which medical conditions might disqualify you from driving?

If any of the following apply, you must relinquish your license to the DVLA:

Your doctor advises refraining from driving for a duration exceeding three months.
A medical condition adversely affecting your driving capability persists for three months or more.
Your medical condition prevents you from meeting the stipulated driving standards.

Once you fulfill the medical criteria for driving again, you can initiate the process of license reinstatement.

Which Medical Conditions declared to DVLA?

The DVLA has established a list of 118 medical conditions that drivers are required to disclose in order to avoid penalties and fines. Here is the comprehensive list organized in alphabetical order:

Absence seizures

Any epileptic seizures or blackouts must be declared, leading to an immediate cessation of driving.

Acoustic neuroma

Disclosure is necessary if sudden, incapacitating dizziness is experienced. Consultation with a doctor is advised for determining whether symptoms affecting driving should be reported.

Agoraphobia

It’s advisable to consult a doctor to assess if agoraphobia impacts driving.

Alcohol problems
Alzheimer’s disease
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
Amaurosis fugax

A halt in driving for at least a month after a transient ischaemic attack (TIA) or mini-stroke is mandatory, resuming only when deemed safe by a doctor.

Amputations

Any amputated limb should be declared.

Angiomas or cavernomas
Ankylosing spondylitis

Consult a doctor to assess its impact on driving.

Anxiety

Consult a doctor if anxiety affects driving capabilities.

Aortic aneurysm

Declaration is necessary if the aortic aneurysm measures 6 cm or more in diameter; driving should cease if it’s 6.5 cm or more.

Arachnoid cyst
Arrhythmia

Declare if arrhythmia results in distracting or disabling symptoms, or if control of the car is compromised.

Arteriovenous malformation
Arthritis

Special driving controls should be declared.

Asperger syndrome

Declare if the autistic spectrum condition affects driving safely.

Ataxia
ADHD

If ADHD or related medication influences driving, it should be declared.

AIDS
Bipolar disorder (manic depression)
Blackouts

Consult a doctor to evaluate their impact on driving abilities.

Blood clots

Declaration is required for brain clots, but not for those in the lungs.

Blood pressure

If blood pressure treatment affects driving, it should be declared.

Brachial plexus injury
Brain abscess, cyst, or encephalitis
Brain aneurysm
Brain haemorrhage
Traumatic brain injury
Brain tumour

It might be recommended by a doctor to surrender the license.

Broken limbs

If unable to drive for over three months due to a broken limb, it should be declared.

Brugada syndrome
Burr hole surgery

If burr hole surgery was performed to remove a brain clot, it should be declared.

Cancer

It’s not mandatory to inform the DVLA about having cancer, unless you experience issues related to your brain or nervous system. Additionally, if your doctor indicates that you might not be capable of driving, if you’re limited to specific vehicle types, if your vehicles are specially adapted, or if your medication results in side effects impacting your driving, then disclosure becomes necessary.

Cataracts

Only if both eyes are affected should it be declared.

Cataplexy
Central venous thrombosis

If problems persist a month after central venous thrombosis, declaration is required.

Cerebral palsy
Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT)
Cognitive problems
Congenital heart disease
Fits, seizures, or convulsions
Déjà vu

Seizures causing déjà vu should be declared.

Defibrillators

An implanted defibrillator (ICD) should be declared.

Dementia
Depression

If depression impacts driving, it should be declared.

Diabetes

It’s necessary to notify if your insulin treatment spans more than three months, if you had gestational diabetes with insulin treatment persisting beyond three months post-birth, if you experience incapacitating hypoglycemia, or if a medical expert cautions about the risk of developing it.

Diplopia (double vision)
Dizziness or vertigo

Sudden, disabling, or recurrent dizziness requires declaration.

Drug use

Illegal drugs or prescription drug misuse should be declared.

Eating disorder

If it affects driving, it should be declared.

Empyema (brain)
Essential tremor

If essential tremor affects driving, it should be declared.

Eye conditions

If both eyes are affected, it should be declared.

Guillain Barré syndrome
Serious head injuries
Heart attacks

Not necessary to declare if heart attack occurred, unless certain conditions apply.

Heart failure

If symptoms impact driving, it should be declared.

Heart palpitations
Hemianopia
Hodgkin’s lymphoma

Certain conditions necessitate declaration.

Huntington’s disease
Hydrocephalus

Declaration required if symptoms are present.

Hypoglycaemia
Hypoxic brain damage
Intracerebral haemorrhage

If problems persist a month after this type of haemorrhage, it should be declared.

Korsakoff’s syndrome
Labyrinthitis

If symptoms last for three months or more, it should be declared.

Learning disabilities

Only learning disabilities, not difficulties like dyslexia, need to be declared.

Lewy body dementia
Limb disability
Long QT syndrome
Lung cancer

Notification is required if any of the subsequent circumstances arise: issues emerge related to your brain or nervous system, your doctor suggests you might not meet driving fitness standards, limitations pertain to particular vehicle types or adaptations, or your medication induces side effects impacting your driving ability.

Lymphoma

Declaration is essential if any of these circumstances materialize: complications emerge concerning your brain or nervous system, your doctor expresses reservations about your driving suitability, driving is confined to specifically adapted or distinct vehicle types, or medication induces side effects potentially jeopardizing your driving safety.

Marfan’s syndrome
Medulloblastoma
Meningioma

If it affects driving, it should be declared.

Motor neurone disease
Muscular dystrophy
Myasthenia gravis
Myoclonus
Narcolepsy
Night blindness
Obsessive-compulsive disorder

If it affects driving, it should be declared.

Excessive sleepiness

You must declare it if you have confirmed moderate or severe obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome, with excessive sleepiness, either narcolepsy or cataplexy, or both, or any other sleep condition that has caused excessive sleepiness for at least three months (including suspected or confirmed mild OSAS).

You must not drive until you’re free from excessive sleepiness or your symptoms are controlled, and you’re strictly following any necessary treatment.

Optic atrophy
Pacemakers

Fitted pacemakers should be declared.

Paranoid schizophrenia
Paraplegia
Parkinson’s disease
Peripheral neuropathy
Personality disorder

If it affects driving, it should be declared.

Pituitary tumour
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Consult a doctor about its effect on driving.

Psychosis
Psychotic depression
Pulmonary arterial hypertension

Declare if receiving treatment from an NHS specialist centre.

Severe memory problems
Stroke

Declaration necessary if problems persist a month after the stroke.

Surgery

If an operation prevents driving three months later, it should be declared.

Syncope

If blackouts, fainting, or loss of consciousness are experienced, it should be declared.

Sleep apnoea

Certain sleep disorders, including confirmed moderate or severe obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome, should be declared. Medication causing excessive sleepiness for three months should also be reported.

Schizo-affective disorder
Schizophrenia
Scotoma
Severe communication disorders

If it affects driving, it should be declared.

Spinal conditions, injuries, or spinal surgery
Subarachnoid haemorrhage
Tachycardia
Tourette’s syndrome

If it affects driving, it should be declared.

Tunnel vision
Usher syndrome
Reduced visual activity
Vertigo

Sudden, disabling, or recurrent dizziness should be declared.

Visual field defect
VP shunts

Fitted VP shunts should be declared.

Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome

Can I inform DVLA of a medical condition online?

If you have a driving licence you can use DVLA’s online service to check if your condition needs to be reported. After that, you’ll be told how to report your condition. Depending on the condition you have, you will either fill out a form online or printing and send it.

Afterwards, you might be subject to a new driving licence, a limited-time one, or you might need to fit your car with special control to accommodate your condition, depending on the seriousness of your medical condition.

What medical conditions do I need to tell car insurance?

Depending on the insurer, you may or may not need to tell your insurance provider about your medical condition. Make sure to check this before taking out a policy.