Telling DVLA about a medical condition online — car and motorcycle licences
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Quick answer: If you hold a car or motorcycle licence in Great Britain, you can check around 1,600 conditions on GOV.UK and, where the rules require it, tell DVLA online — often up to 10 days faster than posting a paper form. Bus, coach and lorry licences still use paper. Northern Ireland uses the DVA, not DVLA. Not telling DVLA about a notifiable condition can mean a fine of up to £1,000 and can invalidate motor insurance.
Drivers must tell DVLA about some health conditions because they can affect safe driving. Until August 2026 many notifications still meant paper forms and postage. DVLA expanded its online medical service so car and motorcycle licence holders can check a condition and notify in the same GOV.UK journey, track the application, and in many cases renew a medical driving licence without posting a pack. Official checker: www.gov.uk/health-conditions-and-driving
Skip this if: Skip this if you only need to change the name or address on a licence, or if you live in Northern Ireland — use the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA) instead. This page is not medical advice and does not decide whether you are fit to drive.
Last reviewed:
Read the full cars & motoring guide →Primary source: www.gov.uk/health-conditions-and-driving
Can I tell DVLA about a medical condition online?
Yes if you have a car or motorcycle licence in Great Britain. GOV.UK’s health-conditions checker covers around 1,600 conditions. It tells you whether you must notify DVLA and, for group 1 licences, lets you report online in the same session. The service is available 24 hours a day. You have one hour once you start and cannot save and return later, so have your licence details, National Insurance number and clinician contact details ready.
DVLA said more than 60,000 drivers had already used the enhanced online medical service, with digital uptake up almost 50% over the previous year. Drivers have collectively avoided tens of thousands of pounds in postage compared with posting forms.
You must tell DVLA if you develop a notifiable condition or disability, or if a condition has got worse since you got your licence. Notifiable means anything that could affect safe driving — examples on GOV.UK include insulin-treated diabetes, syncope, some heart conditions, sleep apnoea, epilepsy, strokes and glaucoma. Check your own condition rather than guessing from a list.
| Licence / nation | How you notify | Watch out |
|---|---|---|
| Car or motorcycle in England, Scotland or Wales | Check and report online at gov.uk/health-conditions-and-driving | One-hour session; have licence, NI number and GP or consultant details |
| Bus, coach or lorry (group 2) | Paper form or questionnaire for that condition — address is on the form | Online medical notify is not available for these licences yet |
| Northern Ireland | Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA), not DVLA | nidirect sets the NI process — do not use the GB online service |
| First provisional, age-70 renewal, or a previously surrendered/revoked licence | Still asked on the application form; extra online medical notify on those journeys is planned later in 2026 | You still must declare notifiable conditions on the form |
What if I do not tell DVLA — and do I tell my insurer too?
You can be fined up to £1,000 if you do not tell DVLA about a condition that might affect safe driving. You can also be prosecuted if you then have an accident. If a doctor tells you to stop driving for three months or more, or you do not meet the medical standards, you must surrender the licence.
Telling DVLA is separate from telling your motor insurer. Policies ask about medical conditions that affect driving. Non-disclosure can void a claim — leaving you to pay damage, injury and any uninsured-driver consequences yourself. Report to DVLA first if the checker says you must, then tell the insurer using the same facts. A higher premium is cheaper than an unpaid claim.
Keeping a valid licence also protects income if you drive for work. A delayed paper application can mean weeks without a car or van. Online tracking does not guarantee a yes — DVLA may still refer you to a healthcare professional — but it usually starts that step sooner.
Who should still use paper, and what is coming next?
Group 2 drivers (bus, coach, lorry) must still send the condition-specific form. If you are not sure which form, check the A–Z on GOV.UK or contact DVLA. Paper remains available for group 1 drivers who cannot use the online service.
DVLA plans to add online medical notifications to age-70 renewals, first-time provisional applications, and customers whose licence was previously surrendered or revoked. Until those journeys go live, declare conditions on the application you are already completing — you do not notify separately if the form already asks.
Sight loss is a common notifiable issue: the legal driving standard uses visual acuity and visual field. Certificate of Vision Impairment registration is notifiable. See our CVI registration guide if you have a visual impairment. Motability and PIP mobility awards do not replace the duty to tell DVLA.
Common questions
Is the online service a fit-to-drive decision?
No. The checker tells you whether you must notify. DVLA decides whether you can keep, restrict or surrender the licence, sometimes after a medical report. Do not assume an online submission means you are cleared to drive.
What if my condition is not on the list?
Search GOV.UK’s A–Z and follow the condition page. If you still cannot find it, contact DVLA rather than staying silent — the £1,000 fine attaches to notifiable conditions that affect safe driving, not only to named headlines.
Does telling DVLA automatically tell my insurer?
No. Notify DVLA where required, then tell the insurer. Comparison quotes also ask medical questions — answer them accurately or a later claim can fail.
Can I renew a medical driving licence online?
Yes for many car and motorcycle medical licences in Great Britain, including more than one condition in the same session, and you can renew the photocard at the same time. Group 2 licences still use paper.