Driver Vehicle Licensing Agency
January 15
11:30
2024
| ?- Must not drive | ! - May continue to drive subject to medical advice and/or notifying DVLA | ?- May continue to drive and need not notify DVLA |
Excessive sleepiness including obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome
Excessive sleepiness having, or likely to have, an adverse effect on driving includes:
- obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome of any severity
- any other condition or medication that may cause excessive sleepiness
- see also guidance on primary/central hypersomnias, including narcolepsy
Legislation states that objective sleep study measurements for driving assessment purposes should use the apnoea-hypopnoea index (AHI). Recognising that not all sleep services use AHI, DVLA will accept results of equivalent objective tests.
The Tiredness can kill leaflet (INF159) is for drivers concerned about excessive sleepiness.
| Group 1 car and motorcycle | Group 2 bus and lorry | |
|---|---|---|
| Excessive sleepiness due to a medical condition (see relevant section) including mild obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (AHI below 15) or medication | ?- Must not drive. Driving may resume only after satisfactory symptom control. If symptom control cannot be achieved in 3 months DVLA must be notified. | ?- Must not drive. Driving may resume only after satisfactory symptom control. If symptom control cannot be achieved in 3 months DVLA must be notified. |
| Excessive sleepiness due to obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome moderate and severe: ? AHI 15 to 29 (moderate) ? AHI 30 or more (severe) on the apnoea-hypopnoea index or equivalent sleep study measure | ?- Must not drive and must notify DVLA. Subsequent licensing will require: ? control of condition ? improved sleepiness ? treatment adherence DVLA will need medical confirmation of the above, and the driver must confirm review to be undertaken every 3 years at the minimum. | ?- Must not drive and must notify DVLA. Subsequent licensing will require: ? control of condition ? improved sleepiness ? treatment adherence DVLA will need medical confirmation of the above, and the driver must confirm review to be undertaken annually at the minimum. |
| Excessive sleepiness due to suspected obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome | ?- Must not drive. Driving may resume only after satisfactory symptom control. If symptom control cannot be achieved in 3 months DVLA must be notified. See Excessive sleepiness due to obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome above when diagnosis is confirmed. | ?- Must not drive. Driving may resume only after satisfactory symptom control. If symptom control cannot be achieved in 3 months DVLA must be notified. See Excessive sleepiness due to obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome above when diagnosis is confirmed. |
Profound deafness
| Group 1 car and motorcycle | Group 2 bus and lorry | |
|---|---|---|
| ?- May drive and need not notify DVLA. | ! - Must be assessed but may not need to notify DVLA. For licensing, the paramount importance is placed on a proven ability to communicate in an emergency by: ? speech or ? suitable alternative, for example SMS text Inability is likely to result in a licence being refused or revoked. |
Cancers not covered in other chapters
| Group 1 car and motorcycle | Group 2 bus and lorry | |
|---|---|---|
| In both driving groups, fitness to drive is affected by the risk of seizure. All cases of eye cancer must meet the minimum requirements for vision (Chapter 6). | ! - Must be assessed but may not need to notify DVLA. If there is a likelihood of cerebral metastasis and seizure, DVLA must be notified. There must be no significant complication relevant to driving, such as: ? specific limb impairment, for example due to bone tumour, primary or secondary ? general impairment, for example due to advanced malignancy producing symptoms such as general weakness or cachexia that affects driving The effects of any cancer treatment must also be considered the generally debilitating effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy in particular. | ! - Must be assessed but may not need to notify DVLA. Licensing requires specific consideration of the likelihood of cerebral metastasis and seizure, and there must be no complications, such as: ? specific limb impairment, for example due to bone tumour, primary or secondary ? general impairment, for example due to advanced malignancy producing symptoms such as general weakness or cachexia that affects driving The effects of any cancer treatment must also be considered the generally debilitating effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy in particular. |
HIV and Advanced HIV
Living with HIV and receiving treatment
If there has been no development of anillness affecting the brain, vision, or a physical disability which may impair the ability to drive, people with HIV may drive and do not need to inform DVLA of their condition.
People living with HIV with complications such as illness or requiring a hospital admission may be considered to have more advanced HIV.
People with advanced HIV do not need to inform DVLAunless they:
- have been advised by a medical professional that they must inform DVLAabout a specific medical condition
- develop any medical condition that may impact their ability to drive (check relevant chapters in AFTD guidance)
In these situations, DVLA must be notified.
Age-related fitness to drive
Older age is not necessarily a barrier to driving.
- Functional ability, not chronological age is important in assessments.
- Multiple comorbidity should be recognised as becoming more likely with advancing age and considered when advising older drivers.
- Discontinuation of driving should be given consideration when an older person or people around them become aware of any combination of these potential age-related examples:
- progressive loss of memory, impaired concentration and reaction time, or loss of confidence that may not be possible to regain.
- Physical frailty in itself would not necessarily restrict licensing, but assessment needs careful consideration of any potential impact on road safety.
- Age-related physical and mental changes vary greatly between individuals, though most will eventually affect driving.
- Professional judgement must determine what is acceptable decline and what is irreversible and/or a hazardous deterioration in health that may affect driving. Such decisions may require specialist opinion.
DVLA has doctors ready to provide guidance to healthcare professionals.
| Group 1 car and motorcycle | Group 2 bus and lorry | |
|---|---|---|
| Older age | ! - When drivers reach the age of 70, they must confirm to DVLA that they have no medical disability. Drivers over 70 receive a licence for 3 years after fitness to drive has been declared, to include satisfactory completion of medical questions in the application. | ! - Bus and lorry drivers: ? must make fresh licence applications every 5 years from the age of 45 ? annually from the age of 65 Each application must be accompanied by medical confirmation of satisfactory fitness to drive. |
Transplant not covered in other chapters
| Group 1 car and motorcycle | Group 2 bus and lorry | |
|---|---|---|