Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)

Overview

The DVLA is the UK government agency responsible for maintaining the register of drivers and registered vehicles in Great Britain (DVA in Northern Ireland). It issues driving licences, processes vehicle tax, manages the V5C registration certificate, and assesses driver medical fitness. Disputes about licence revocation on medical grounds are appealable to the Magistrates' Court.

What it handles

• Driving licence applications, renewals, and revocations
• Medical fitness to drive assessments
• Vehicle registration (V5C) and Statutory Off-Road Notification (SORN)
• Personalised registration applications

Process

1. Step 1: Check if the condition is notifiable

   A licence holder must tell DVLA if they develop a 'notifiable' medical condition or disability, or if an existing condition or disability has got worse since the licence was issued.

2. Step 2: Report the condition to DVLA

   Car and motorcycle licence holders can check and report their condition through DVLA's online service; bus, coach or lorry licence holders must instead send the relevant paper form or questionnaire to DVLA.

3. Step 3: Surrender the licence if required

   A driver must surrender their licence to DVLA if a doctor says they should stop driving for 3 months or more, if their condition affects safe driving for 3 months or more, or if they no longer meet the medical standards for driving.

4. Step 4: DVLA assesses the case

   An application can take longer than usual if DVLA needs to refer it to a doctor, and a driver may be able to keep driving while DVLA considers the application, unless their own doctor or optician has told them not to drive.

5. Step 5: Reapply once fit to drive

   DVLA writes to say when a licence has been taken away or an application refused and, where a waiting period applies, the driver can reapply 8 weeks before the end of that period.

Appeals

Magistrates' Court (medical revocation, s.100 Road Traffic Act 1988).

Official sources