Drivers with certain medical problems must declare them to the DVLA or risk being hit with hefty fines - and a possible licence surrender.
The licensing authority currently lists 118 conditions that must be reported and failure to do so could mean a £1,000 fine, or possible prosecution if an accident occurs. It comes as DVLA is set to update its guidance relating to eye conditions in the coming weeks.
Last year, the DVLA made amendments to the medical portion of the application process, making it easier for people to declare health conditions when applying or updating a licence.
Previously, only a doctor could assist in filling out an applicant's medical questionnaire, but this ability has been extended to specialist nurses and opticians, reports the Daily Record.
The DVLA has confirmed that there are 118 medical conditions that you need to tell the agency about if you want to get behind the wheel. A medical condition doesn't automatically require a licence surrender, but it may need to be handed over in certain situations that are deemed unsafe.
If you develop a condition that needs to be declared to the DVLA, you will have to fill in certain forms or questionnaires which will depend on your condition. The agency will assess your situation and decide what the best next steps are.
You may have to get a new driving licence, which could include a shorter licence - for one, two, three or five years. You may also need to fit your car with special controls to accommodate your condition.
If your medical condition isn't on the list, you can check on the government's A to Z list or fill out this questionnaire. You are also encouraged to check with your doctor if you're unsure.
Conditions you must report to the DVLA
Absence seizures
You must tell DVLA if you’ve had any epileptic seizures or blackouts. You must stop driving straight away.
Acoustic neuroma
You must tell DVLA if you experience sudden and disabling dizziness.
Talk to your doctor if you’re not sure if your acoustic neuroma causes other symptoms that will affect your driving, or if you must tell DVLA about them. Fill in forms B1 and DIZ1 and send them to DVLA. The address is on the form.
Agoraphobia
You must tell DVLA if agoraphobia affects your ability to drive safely. Ask your doctor if you’re not sure if your agoraphobia will affect your driving.
Alcohol problems
You must tell DVLA if you have an alcohol problem.
Alzheimer’s disease
You must tell DVLA if you have Alzheimer’s disease.
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
You must tell DVLA if you have motor neurone disease - also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
Amaurosis fugax
You must stop driving for at least one month after a transient ischaemic attack (TIA) or mini-stroke. This includes amaurosis fugax or retinal artery fugax.
You can restart only when your doctor tells you it is safe.
Amputations
You must tell DVLA if you’ve had a limb amputated.
Angiomas or cavernomas
A cavernoma is a cluster of abnormal blood vessels, usually found in the brain and spinal cord. They're sometimes known as cavernous angiomas.
You must tell DVLA if you have angiomas or cavernomas.
Ankylosing spondylitis
Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a long-term condition in which the spine and other areas of the body become inflamed.
You must tell DVLA if your ankylosing spondylitis affects your ability to drive safely.
Anxiety
You must tell DVLA if you experience anxiety and it affects your ability to drive safely. Ask your doctor if you’re not sure if your anxiety will affect your driving.
Aortic aneurysm
You must tell DVLA if your aortic aneurysm is 6 centimetres or more in diameter despite treatment. You must not drive if your aortic aneurysm is 6.5 centimetres or more in diameter.
Ask your doctor or consultant if you’re not sure.
Arachnoid cyst
Arachnoid cysts are the most common type of brain cyst. You must tell DVLA if you have an arachnoid cyst.
Arrhythmia
You must tell DVLA about your arrhythmia if one of the following applies:
you have distracting or disabling symptoms
your arrhythmia means you might not be able to safely stop or control a vehicle
Talk to your doctor if you’re not sure if your arrhythmia causes other symptoms that will affect your driving, or if you must tell DVLA about them.
You must tell DVLA if your arrhythmia affects your driving.
Arteriovenous malformation
You must tell DVLA if you have an arteriovenous malformation.
Arthritis
You must tell the DVLA if you use special controls for driving. Fill in form G1 and send it to DVLA. The address is on the form. Talk to your doctor if you’re not sure if your arthritis will affect your driving, or if you must tell DVLA about it.
Asperger syndrome
You must tell DVLA if your autistic spectrum condition (ASC) affects your ability to drive safely. This includes Asperger syndrome.
Ataxia
Ataxia is a term for a group of disorders that affect co-ordination, balance and speech.
You must tell DVLA if you have ataxia (including Friedrich’s ataxia).
ADHD
You must tell DVLA if your attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or your ADHD medication affects your ability to drive safely.
AIDS
You must tell DVLA if you have AIDS.
Bipolar disorder (manic depression)
You must tell DVLA if you have bipolar disorder.
Blackouts
You must tell DVLA if your condition affects your driving. Ask your doctor if your blackouts, fainting (syncope) or loss of consciousness affects your ability behind the wheel.
If so, you must fill in form FEP1 and send it to DVLA. The address is on the form.
Blood clots
You must tell DVLA if you have a blood clot in the brain. However, you don’t have to tell DVLA if you have a blood clot in your lung.
Blood pressure
Ask your doctor if you’re not sure if your blood pressure treatment will affect your driving. You must tell DVLA about your condition if your treatment causes side effects that could affect your driving.
Brachial plexus injury
The brachial plexus is the network of nerves that sends signals from your spinal cord to your shoulder, arm and hand. You must tell DVLA if you have a brachial plexus injury.
Brain abscess, cyst or encephalitis
You must tell DVLA if you have a brain abscess, cyst or encephalitis.
Brain aneurysm
You must tell DVLA if you have a brain aneurysm.
Brain haemorrhage
You must tell DVLA if you have a brain haemorrhage.
Traumatic brain injury
You must tell DVLA if you have a traumatic brain injury.
Brain tumour
You must tell DVLA if you have a brain tumour. You must also speak to your doctor, who might tell you to surrender your licence.
Broken limbs
You must tell DVLA if you’ll be unable to drive for more than 3 months because of a broken limb.
Ask your doctor if you’re not sure how long you’ll be unable to drive.
Brugada syndrome
Brugada syndrome is a rare but serious condition that affects the way electrical signals pass through the heart.
You must tell DVLA if you have Brugada syndrome.
Burr hole surgery
You must tell DVLA if you’ve had burr hole surgery to remove a clot from around your brain.
Cancer
You do not need to tell DVLA if you have cancer, unless:
you develop problems with your brain or nervous system
your doctor says you might not be fit to drive
you’re restricted to certain types of vehicles or vehicles that have been adapted for you
your medication causes side effects which could affect your driving
Ask your doctor if you’re not sure if your cancer will affect your driving.
Cataracts
You must tell DVLA about your eye condition if it affects both of your eyes. If you only have sight in one eye, you must tell DVLA if you have a condition affecting that eye.
Cataplexy
You must tell DVLA if you experience cataplexy.
Central venous thrombosis
You only need to tell DVLA if you’re still having problems 1 month after a central venous thrombosis.
Cerebral palsy
You must tell DVLA if you have cerebral palsy.
Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT)
You must tell DVLA if you have Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease an inherited condition that effects the peripheral nerves.
It's also known as hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy (HMSN) or peroneal muscular atrophy (PMA).
Cognitive problems
You must tell DVLA if you have cognitive problems.
Congenital heart disease
You must tell DVLA if you have congenital heart disease and have symptoms that affect safe driving (for example angina, palpitations, shortness of breath, or symptoms related to uncontrolled hypertension, heart failure or heart valve disease).
Fits, seizures or convulsions
You must tell DVLA if you have fits, seizures or convulsions.
Déjà vu
You must tell DVLA if you have seizures or epilepsy that cause déjà vu.
Defibrillators
You must tell DVLA if you have an implanted defibrillator, also known as an ‘ICD’ (Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator).
Dementia
You must tell DVLA if you have dementia. Alzheimer's is the most common form, but the umbrella term refers to a number of conditions that affect the brain.
Depression
You must tell DVLA if your depression affects your ability to drive safely.
Diabetes
You need to tell DVLA if:
your insulin treatment lasts (or will last) over 3 months
you had gestational diabetes (diabetes associated with pregnancy) and your insulin treatment lasts over 3 months after the birth
you get disabling hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) - or a medical professional has told you that you’re at risk of developing it.
Diplopia (double vision)
You must tell DVLA if you have diplopia (double vision).
Dizziness or vertigo
You must tell DVLA if you experience dizziness that is sudden, disabling or recurrent.
Drug use
You must tell DVLA if you’ve used illegal drugs or misused prescription drugs.
Eating disorder
You must tell DVLA if you have an eating disorder (for example anorexia nervosa) and it affects your ability to drive safely.
Ask your doctor if you’re not sure if your eating disorder will affect your driving.
Empyema (brain)
You must tell DVLA if you have a brain empyema.
Essential tremor
You must tell DVLA if your essential tremor affects your ability to drive safely.
Eye conditions
You must tell DVLA about your eye condition if it affects both of your eyes.
There are dozens of eye conditions that must be declared to DVLA, check the government's website to see if yours falls under the list. If you only have sight in one eye, you must tell DVLA if you have a condition affecting that eye.
Guillain Barré syndrome
You must tell DVLA if you have Guillain Barré syndrome.
Head injury
You must tell DVLA if you have a serious head injury.
Heart attacks
You don’t need to tell DVLA if you’ve had a heart attack (myocardial infarction) or a heart, cardiac or coronary angioplasty.
However, you should stop driving for:
1 week if you had angioplasty, it was successful and you don’t need any more surgery
4 weeks if you had angioplasty after a heart attack but it wasn’t successful
4 weeks if you had a heart attack but didn’t have angioplasty
Check with your doctor to find out when it’s safe for you to start driving again.
Heart failure
You need to tell DVLA about your heart failure if you have symptoms and they:
affect your ability to drive safely
distract you when driving
happen when you’re not doing any activity (‘at rest’)
Heart palpitations
If you regularly have heart palpitations, which are heartbeats that suddenly become more noticeable and may feel like pounding, fluttering, or irregular beating, the DVLA requires you to inform them.
Other conditions may also need to be reported to the DVLA.
Hemianopia
You must tell DVLA if you have hemianopia, which is also called hemianopsia.
Hodgkin’s lymphoma
You must tell DVLA if you have Hodgkin’s lymphoma and any of the following also apply:
you develop problems with your brain or nervous system
your doctor says you might not be fit to drive
you’re restricted to certain types of vehicles or vehicles that have been adapted for you
your medication causes side effects which could affect your driving
Huntington's disease
You must tell DVLA if you have Huntington’s disease and it causes any symptoms.
Hydrocephalus
You must tell DVLA if you have hydrocephalus with symptoms. Fill in form B1 and send it to DVLA. The address is on the form.
If you have hydrocephalus without symptoms, you do not need to tell DVLA about your condition.
Hypoglycaemia
You must tell DVLA if you have hypoglycaemia.
Hypoxic brain damage
You must tell DVLA about your hypoxic brain damage.
Intracerebral haemorrhage
You must tell DVLA if you’re still having problems a month after an intracerebral haemorrhage.
Korsakoff's syndrome
You must tell DVLA if you have Korsakoff’s syndrome.
Labyrinthitis
You must tell DVLA if you have labyrinthitis symptoms for 3 months or more.
Learning disabilities
You must tell DVLA if you have a learning disability. You do not need to tell DVLA if you have learning difficulties, for example dyslexia.
Lewy body dementia
You must tell DVLA if you have Lewy body dementia.
Limb disability
You must tell DVLA if you have a limb disability.
Long QT syndrome
You must tell DVLA if you have Long QT syndrome.
Lung cancer
You must tell DVLA if you have lung cancer and any of the following apply:
you develop problems with your brain or nervous system
your doctor says you might not be fit to drive
you’re restricted to certain types of vehicles or vehicles that have been adapted for you
your medication causes side effects which could affect your driving
Lymphoma
You must tell DVLA about your lymphoma if:
you develop problems with your brain or nervous system
your doctor has expressed concerns about your fitness to drive
you can only drive a specially adapted vehicle or a certain type of vehicle
your medication causes side effects that might make it unsafe for you to drive
Marfan's syndrome
You must tell DVLA if you have Marfan’s syndrome.
Medulloblastoma
You must tell DVLA if you have a medulloblastoma.
Meningioma
You must tell DVLA you have meningioma if it affects your driving. Ask your doctor if you’re not sure.
Motor neurone disease
You must tell DVLA if you have motor neurone disease - also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
Muscular dystrophy
You must tell DVLA if you have muscular dystrophy.
Myasthenia gravis
You must tell DVLA if you have myasthenia gravis.
Myoclonus
You must tell DVLA if you have myoclonus.
Narcolepsy
You must tell DVLA if you have narcolepsy.
Night blindness
You must tell DVLA if you have night blindness.
Obsessive compulsive disorder
You must tell DVLA if your obsessive compulsive disorder affects your driving.
Excessive sleepiness
Excessive sleepiness means that you have had difficulty concentrating and have found yourself falling asleep - for example while at work, watching television or when driving.
You must tell DVLA if you have:
confirmed moderate or severe obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS), with excessive sleepiness
either narcolepsy or cataplexy, or both
any other sleep condition that has caused excessive sleepiness for at least 3 months - including suspected or confirmed mild OSAS
You must not drive until you’re free from excessive sleepiness or until your symptoms are under control and you’re strictly following any necessary treatment.
Optic atrophy
You must tell DVLA if you have optic atrophy.
Pacemakers
You must tell DVLA if you have been fitted with a pacemaker.
You do not need to tell DVLA if you have had a pacemaker battery change. This is also known as a ‘box’ change.
Paranoid schizophrenia
You must tell DVLA if you have paranoid schizophrenia.
Paraplegia
You must tell DVLA if you are paraplegic.
Parkinson’s disease
You must tell DVLA if you have Parkinson’s disease.
Peripheral neuropathy
You must tell DVLA if you have peripheral neuropathy.
Personality disorder
You must tell DVLA if you have a personality disorder and it affects your driving.
Pituitary tumour
You must tell DVLA if you have a pituitary tumour.
Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Ask your doctor if you’re not sure if your post traumatic stress disorder will affect your driving.
Psychosis
You must tell DVLA if you experience psychosis.
Psychotic depression
You must tell DVLA if you have psychotic depression.
Pulmonary arterial hypertension
You must tell DVLA if you have pulmonary arterial hypertension and you’re receiving treatment from an NHS specialist centre.
Severe memory problems
You must tell DVLA if you have severe memory problems.
Stroke
You only need to tell DVLA if you’re still having problems 1 month after the stroke.
Download the leaflet ‘Car or motorcycle drivers who have had a stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA)’ to find out if you need to tell DVLA about your stroke.
Surgery
You must tell DVLA if you’ve had an operation and you’re still unable to drive 3 months later.
This includes a caesarean section.
Syncope
If you suffer from blackouts, fainting (syncope), loss of consciousness and driving, you must inform the DVLA.
This applies to car, motorcycle, bus, coach and lorry drivers.
Seizures/epilepsy
You must tell DVLA if you have seizures or epilepsy that cause déjà vu.
Déjà vu is a neurological anomaly related to epileptic electrical discharge in the brain, creating a strong sensation that an event or experience currently being experienced has already been experienced in the past.
You should talk to your doctor if you’re not sure if your déjà vu is related to seizures or epilepsy.
Sleep apnoea
There are several sleep disorders that you should tell DVLA about, including confirmed moderate or severe obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS), narcolepsy, cataplexy, and any other sleep condition that has caused excessive sleepiness for at least three months.
You should also notify them if you’re taking medication that has caused excessive sleepiness for three months.
Schizo-affective disorder
You must tell DVLA if you have a schizo-affective disorder.
Schizophrenia
You must tell DVLA if you have schizophrenia.
Scotoma
You must tell DVLA if you have scotoma.
Severe communication disorders
You must tell DVLA if your severe communication disorder affects your ability to drive safely.
Spinal conditions, injuries or spinal surgery
You must tell DVLA if you have a spinal condition or an injury to your spine.
Subarachnoid haemorrhage
You must tell DVLA if you have suffered a subarachnoid haemorrhage.
Tachycardia
You might need to tell DVLA if you have tachycardia.
Tourette's syndrome
You must tell DVLA if your Tourette’s syndrome affects your ability to drive safely.
Tunnel vision
You must tell DVLA if you have tunnel vision.
Usher syndrome
You must tell DVLA if you have Usher syndrome.
Reduced visual acuity
You must tell DVLA if you have reduced visual acuity.
Vertigo
If you experience dizziness that is sudden, disabling, or recurrent, you must tell DVLA.
This applies to car, motorcycle, bus, coach and lorry drivers.
Visual field defect
You must tell DVLA if you have a visual field defect.
VP shunts
You must tell DVLA if you’ve had a VP shunt fitted.
