The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

  • It is the legal responsibility of the patient to inform the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) when their diabetes is treated with insulin (except in situations where insulin treatment is 'temporary' - for less than three months - e.g. post myorcardial infarction or gestational diabetes).
  • Patients treated with insulin will be sent a Diabetic 1 form which will ask for further details including the name of the patient's GP or hospital physician and for consent to approach that doctor directly if necessary.

 

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Cars and Motor Cycles - Group 1 Entitlement

  • For insulin treated patients, a licence for 1,2 or 3 years will be issued, which allows the patient to drive a vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes. When the licence expires the patient will receive a reminder to renew the licence and may also be sent another Diabetic 1 form to complete with more up-to-date information. Renewals will be free of charge. Such drivers must recognise warning syptoms of hypoglycaemia and meet required visual standards.
  • Patients treated with diet, oral hypoglycaemic agents or GLP1 analogue injectable therapy, are not required to notify DVLA - a full "until 70" licence will be issued providing there are no other medical conditions which might prevent this.
  • The patient must inform the DVLA if any problems or diabetic complications develop which may affect the safety of driving. See details of DVLA Leaflet INF 188/2 for specific situations where the DVLA must be notified.

Large Goods Vehicles (LGV) and Passenger Carrying Vehicles(PCV) - Group 2 Entitlement

Since April 1991 it has been against the law to issue a Large Goods Vehicle (LGV) or Passenger Carrying Vehicle (PCV) licence to patients treated with insulin. A person with a LGV or PCV license will have their license withdrawn if they progress to treatment with insulin, including those only temporarily on insulin, for the period of time that they remain on insulin.

The only exception is patients who were on insulin and were issued with such a licence before April 1991 when the law changed. These cases are dealt with individually and licenses can be re issued annually subject to a satisfactory Consultant assessment.

Patients holding or applying for a LGV or PCV license must notify DVLA if their diabetes is treated by oral hypoglycaemic agents and also again if they become treated with a gliptin or injectable GLP1 analogue in combination with a sulphonylurea.

In these circumstances, such a licence can be held providing there are no visual or other problems or diabetic complications develop which may affect the safety of driving. See details on DVLA Leaflet INF 188/2 for specific situations where DVLA must be notified. 

Patients treated with a gliptin or injectable GLP1 analogue in combination with a sulphonylurea will have their suitability for holding a LGV or PCV licence assessed on an individual basis.

Drivers are advised to monitor their blood glucose regularly and at times relevant to driving, particularly if taking medication likely to cause hypoglycaemia such as sulphonylurea.

Lighter Goods/Smaller Passenger Vehicles/CI/CI+E Categories

Drivers with insulin treated diabetes may apply for licences to drive vehicles in the CI (small lorries between 3.5 and 7.5 tonnes) or CI + E (7.5 tonnes with trailer) categories. 

They will not be entitled by law to hold Category DI (Minibuses).

In order to apply for a CI/CI +E licence, the patient must ensure that they meet the following qualifying conditions:

  • No episodes of hypoglycaemia which have required assistance whilst driving within the last 12 months.
  • Diabetes stabally controlled on insulin for at least one month.
  • The patient must undertake to regularly monitor their blood glucose levels at least twice a day and at times relevant to their driving. If their application is successful, then they will need to continue to monitor in this way, particularly at times relevant to driving CI/CI+E vehicles.
  • Every 12 months the patient will need to arrange to be examined by a hospital consultant who specialises in diabetes. At the time of this examination, the consultant will n eed to review the patient's blood glucose records for the previous 3-month period.
  • The patient must have no other medical condition, which would render them a danger when driving CI vehicles.
  • They will be required to sign an undertaking to comply with the directions of doctors treating their diabetes and to report to DVLA any significant change in their condition. 

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Taxi Licence

Local councils issue licences for taxis and minicabs. Their policies may vary throughout the UK and it is best to check with individual councils for further information.

 

Contacting DVLA

Patients who are told by their doctor, specialist or optician to reprot their condition to DVLA will need to fill in a DIAB1 medical questionnaire about their diabetes.

They can download this from www.direct.gov.uk/driverhealth

Patients with any questions about their entitlement to drive or their legal obligations should contact DVLA for advice;

Phone DVLA on; 0870 600 0301 (8.00am. to 5.30pm. Mon - Fri) & (8.00am. to 1pm. Sat)

Write to: Drivers Medical Group, DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1TU

Email: eftd@dvla.gsi.gov.uk

 

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