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  2. People with disabilities
  3. Motoring, travel and transport for people with disabilities

Driving and disability

Having a medical condition or disability does not necessarily mean you cannot or will not be allowed to drive. You must tell the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA) if you have, or have ever had, a medical condition or impairment that may affect your driving.

Medical conditions, disabilities and driving

If you hold a driving licence and have a 'notifiable' medical condition or disability, you must tell DVA right away. You should not wait until your licence is due for renewal.

You must also tell DVA if your medical condition or disability has become worse since your licence was issued or if you develop a new medical condition or disability.

Sometimes it's best to surrender your licence and reapply for its restoration at a later date.

'Notifiable' medical conditions and disabilities include:

  • epilepsy
  • strokes and other neurological conditions
  • mental health problems
  • physical disabilities
  • visual impairments 
  • How to tell DVA about a medical condition

The research charity RICA publishes booklets aimed at motorists with particular needs, including

  • motoring after amputation
  • receiving a brain injury
  • having a stroke
  • motoring with arthritis
  • cerebral palsy
  • multiple sclerosis
  • restricted growth
  • Mobility (RICA website)

New drivers and the provisional driving licence

Before you can learn to drive a car, moped or motorcycle, you must apply for a provisional driving licence. If you have a notifiable medical condition or disability you must declare it on the application form.

DVA aims to deliver your provisional driving licence to you within three weeks of receiving your application. It might take longer if they have to check on your health or personal details.

  • Applying for a provisional driving licence

Blue Badge Scheme

If you have been issued with a blue badge for your car, then you can use it here. There is no need to display a time clock when you use your Blue Badge in Northern Ireland.

Remember that a Blue Badge does not grant you permission to park anywhere. You still have to obey the rules of the road and should not park where it would endanger, inconvenience or obstruct pedestrians or other road users.

  • Blue Badge scheme
  • Accessible parking bays

Speed limits

Speed limits in Northern Ireland are in miles per hour (mph). In general, the speed limits are 30 mph in towns and 70 mph on motorways and dual carriageways, unless the signs say something different.

The national speed limit of 60 mph applies on most other roads, where signed. Roads will, however, have their speed limits displayed on signs on the road.

Some areas have other speed limits and these are shown in mph as you enter the area.

More information on speeds limits and the Highway Code can be found at the following link:

  • The Highway Code

Factsheet

The Inclusive Mobility Transport Advisory Committee (Imtac) has a factsheet for car users:

  • Useful information for car users factsheet

Disabled Motoring UK

Disabled Motoring UK is a charity for drivers with disabilities, passengers and Blue Badge holders.

  • Disabled Motoring UK

More useful links

  • Motoring 
  • The Highway Code
  • Contacting 08 and 03 numbers
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Motoring, travel and transport for people with disabilities

  • Accessible parking bays
  • Adapting your vehicle if you have a disability
  • Air travel and disability
  • Blue Badge scheme
  • Bus and train travel with a disability
  • Community transport and shopmobility schemes
  • Disability Action Transport Scheme (DATS)
  • Driving and disability
  • Ferry travel and disability
  • Free bus travel and concessions
  • Learning to drive with a disability
  • Planning a trip if you have a disability
  • Shopmobility Northern Ireland
  • The Motability Scheme
  • Travel accommodation and disability
  • Travel Safe – a guide for people with learning disabilities
  • Travelling by taxi with a disability
  • Vehicle tax for people with disabilities
  • Your rights - motoring and transport

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Comments or queries about angling can be emailed to anglingcorrespondence@daera-ni.gov.uk 

If you have a comment or query about benefits, you will need to contact the government department or agency which handles that benefit.  Contacts for common benefits are listed below.

Carer's Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912
Email 
dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

Discretionary support / Short-term benefit advance

Call 0800 587 2750 
Email 
customerservice.unit@communities-ni.gov.uk

Disability Living Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912 
Email dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

Employment and Support Allowance

Call 0800 587 1377

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Contact your local Jobs & Benefits office

Personal Independence Payment

Call 0800 587 0932

If your query is about another benefit, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

Comments or queries about the Blue Badge scheme can be emailed to bluebadges@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk or you can also call 0300 200 7818.

For queries or advice about careers, contact the Careers Service.

For queries or advice about Child Maintenance, contact the Child Maintenance Service.

For queries or advice about claiming compensation due to a road problem, contact DFI Roads claim unit.

If you can’t find the information you’re looking for in the Coronavirus (COVID-19) section, then for queries about:

  • Restrictions or regulations — contact the Department of Health
  • Travel advice (including self-isolation) — contact the Department of Health
  • Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations — contact the Department of Health or Public Health Agency

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk and for queries about your certificate, email covidcertni@hscni.net.

For queries or advice about criminal record checks, email ani@accessni.gov.uk

Application and payment queries can be emailed to ema_ni@slc.co.uk

For queries or advice about employment rights, contact the Labour Relations Agency.

For queries or advice about birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates and research, contact the General Register Office Northern Ireland (GRONI) by email gro_nisra@finance-ni.gov.uk

For queries about the High Street Spend Local Scheme,  email HSSS.mail@economy-ni.gov.uk.

For queries about:

  • Car tax, vehicle registration and SORN
    contact the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), Swansea
     
  • Driver licensing and tests, MOT and vehicle testing
    contact the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA), Northern Ireland

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk.

 

For queries or advice about passports, contact HM Passport Office.

For queries or advice about Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), including parking tickets and bus lane PCNs, email dcu@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about pensions, contact the Northern Ireland Pension Centre.

If you wish to report a problem with a road or street you can do so online in this section.

If you wish to check on a problem or fault you have already reported, contact DfI Roads.

For queries or advice about historical, social or cultural records relating to Northern Ireland, use the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) enquiry service.

For queries or advice about rates, email LPSCustomerTeam@lpsni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about  60+ and Senior Citizen SmartPasses (which can be used to get concessionary travel on public transport), contact Smartpass - Translink.

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