If you develop a notifiable medical condition, you must notify the DVLA. It will then assess your health and driving capabilities and suggest that you either:

  • Get a new driving licence
  • Have a shorter licence – for one, two, three or five years
  • Adapt your car by fitting special controls
  • Stop driving and give up your licence.

Reapplying for your licence The DVLA will tell you the date you must wait until you can get a new licence. You’ll be able to reapply eight weeks before the end of this period.  However, you must check with your doctor that you’re fit to drive.

Renewing your short term licence The DVLA will send you a renewal letter 90 days before your one, two, three or five-year licence is due to expire. At the moment, you can only renew online if you have diabetes, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, a visual impairment, a sleep condition, or a heart condition. You can renew your licence here.

You can’t use this service to:

Use a different service to reapply for a driving licence if yours was taken away or you surrendered it because of a medical condition.