Drivers can save up to 10 days by notifying DVLA of a medical condition online

Car and motorcycle licence holders can now notify DVLA of a wider range of medical conditions online, saving up to 10 days for a decision compared with paper applications.

More than 60,000 drivers have already used DVLA’s enhanced online medical service, benefiting from a quicker, easier alternative to paper applications. 

Drivers can now visit GOV.UK to check how around 1,600 medical conditions may affect their driving and, where required, notify DVLA online. DVLA is currently seeing exceptionally high demand for applications from customers with medical conditions. For many customers, using the online service can reduce processing times compared with paper applications, with some applications processed up to 10 days faster. In many cases, DVLA can also take the first action on an application, such as referring it to a healthcare professional, within 24 hours.

Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, the service guides customers through every step of the process and allows them to track the progress of their application online, giving greater visibility and convenience. 

The expansion means millions more drivers can now benefit from DVLA’s digital services. Drivers with multiple medical conditions can now renew their driving licence online for the first time, while medical licence holders can also renew their driving licence photo at the same time, reducing paperwork and the need for separate transactions. 

The service is proving increasingly popular, with almost 50% growth in digital uptake over the last year. 

Further improvements planned this year will extend online medical notifications into additional customer journeys. This will allow drivers renewing their licence at age 70, first-time provisional licence applicants, and customers whose licence was previously surrendered or revoked, to benefit from online medical notifications as part of those transactions. 

Drivers can check whether they need to tell DVLA about a medical condition and access the service at GOV.UK.