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  • Breadcrumb

    1. Home
    2. Motoring
    3. Driving licences
    4. Medical conditions

    Reapply for your driving licence when medically fit

    You must renew your driving licence after surrendering it or having it revoked by the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA) before you start driving again. Find out what you need to do to reapply for your driving licence.

    Checking your health

    You should check with your doctor that you can meet the medical standards of fitness to drive before you reapply for your driving licence. These standards are set out in the 'Assessing fitness to drive: a guide for medical professionals'. All medical practitioners have access to this publication.

    How to re-apply for your car or motorcycle driving licence

    When your doctor advises you that you are fit to drive and you decide to apply for the restoration of your driving licence, medical enquiries will need to be made.

    Following voluntary surrender, the law gives cover to drive while these enquiries are being carried out. This means that as soon as your application is received by DVA you may resume driving as long as you meet the criteria which is outlined at the link below:

    • How to surrender your driving licence and return to driving at a later date

    If your licence was revoked by DVA, you will have to wait until all medical enquiries are finished and your licence is issued before getting behind the wheel.

    To apply you'll need to apply online or by post by filling in a DL1 application form. The DL1 application form is available from main Post Office® branches.

    Any relevant Medical Questionnaires will be issued by the medical section once the DL1 form has been received.

    You can also ask for the forms by phone or email, see contact details at the link below:

    • DVA - driver licensing contact page

    How to reapply for your lorry or bus driving licence

    You'll need to apply online or by post by filling in a DL2 application form and the medical questionnaire relevant to your condition.

    When you apply online, the DVA will contact you if you need a DLM1 and will tell you how to send DVA the DLM1 form.

    The DL2 application form is available from main Post Office® branches, or you can ask the DVA - driver licensing contact page for the form by phone or email.

    The DLM1 form is available from the DVA - driver licensing contact page or can be downloaded at the following link.

    • Group 2 (lorry or bus) licence (DLM1) medical report 

    Until the age of 65 you need to send a DLM1 medical form every five years. From the age of 65, licences are issued for one year and each renewal must be sent with a filled in medical report form DLM1.

    If you don’t tell DVA about a medical condition

    It is an offence if you do not tell the DVA about a medical condition that may impact your ability to drive and is punishable, on conviction, of a fine of up to £1,000.

    It is also an offence to drive after making a false declaration about your health to the DVA and is punishable, on conviction, of a fine of up to £2,500.

    Change of name

    If your name has changed since your last licence was issued, you'll need to give evidence of your change of name.

    The details you give must show a clear link between the name on your identity document and your current name.

    • Keeping your driving licence up-to-date

    Where to send your paper application

    You can send your filled in application to the DVA by post to the address at the link below.

    • Driver & Vehicle Agency - driver licensing contact page 

    More useful links

    • Assessing fitness to drive: a guide for medical professionals
    • Driving licence application DL1 - guidance notes
    • Driving licence application DL2 - guidance notes
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    Medical conditions

    • A guide for car or motorcycle drivers with diabetes
    • A guide for drivers with heart conditions
    • A guide to visual standards for drivers
    • Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and driving
    • Autistic spectrum condition (ASC) and driving
    • Car and motorcycle medical questionnaires
    • Drivers with diabetes on insulin or other medication
    • Driving after stroke, cerebral thrombosis, amaurosis
    • How to tell DVA about a medical condition
    • Lorry and bus licence medical questionnaires
    • Medical driving licence renewals
    • Reapply for your driving licence when medically fit
    • Severe communication disorders and driving
    • Surrendering your driving licence and when to reapply
    • Tourette's syndrome and driving
    • When you tell DVA about a medical condition

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