top of page

DRIVING LICENCES                     

Tell DVLA about a medical condition that could affect your driving

You must tell DVLA about a health or medical condition that could affect your driving.

You’ll need to enter details about your current driving licence and your condition. You might also need to give your GP’s name and address.

You can be fined up to £1,000 if you don’t tell DVLA about a medical condition that affects your driving.

Your licence may be taken away. When you can reapply for it depends on the type of attack you had.

You can only use the online service to report:

​

​

​

https://www.gov.uk/report-driving-medical-condition

You must report all other conditions by post

https://www.gov.uk/health-conditions-and-driving

​

https://www.gov.uk/epilepsy-and-driving

 

DRIVING LICENCES – EPILEPSY BOTH GROUP 1 AND GROUP 2 LICENCES ARE ISSUED BY DVLA, SWANSEA  DRIVING ENTITLEMENT

Epilepsy Regulations Drivers of these vehicles must satisfy all of the following conditions:-

 

​

 

GROUP 1 (CAR AND MOTORCYCLE) DRIVING ENTITLEMENT
Epilepsy Regulations

​

​

1 You’ve had epileptic attacks while awake and lost consciousness

Your licence will be taken away. You can reapply if you haven’t had an attack for at least a year.

If you had a seizure because your doctor changed or reduced your anti-epilepsy medicine, you can reapply when:

  • the seizure was more than 6 months ago

  • you’ve been back on your previous medication for 6 months

  • you haven’t had another seizure in that time

  • ​

2 You’ve had a one-off seizure while awake and lost consciousness

Your licence will be taken away. You can reapply when both the following are true:

  • you haven’t had an attack for 6 months

  • DVLA’s medical advisers decide there isn’t a high risk you’ll have another seizure

Medical advisers will base their decision on information you and your doctors send them. If they need to carry out an investigation they’ll let you know.

Otherwise you can reapply after a year.

​

 3 You’ve had attacks while asleep and awake

You may still qualify for a licence if the only attacks you’ve had in the past 3 years have been while you were asleep. DVLA will let you know whether or not you qualify after you’ve filled in the form. Until you hear from them you must stop driving.

​

 4 You’ve only had attacks while asleep

You may still qualify for a licence if it’s been 12 months or more since your first attack. DVLA will let you know whether or not you qualify after you’ve filled in the form. Until you hear from them you must stop driving.

​

5 You’ve had attacks or seizures that don’t affect your consciousness or driving

You may still qualify for a licence if these are the only type of attack you’ve ever had and the first one was 12 months ago. DVLA will let you know whether or not you need to give up your licence after you’ve filled in the form. Until you hear from them you must stop driving.

​

4) Seizures occurring without any influence on the level of consciousness and not causing any functional impairment in those with no history of any other type of seizure may continue to be licensed despite ongoing attacks once the pattern has been established for 1 year. In all of the above cases the applicant or licence holder suffering from epilepsy must not be regarded as likely to be a source of danger to the public as a driver. If, whilst holding a driving licence a driver suffers from any epileptic attack then driving must cease immediately (unless 4 or 5 can be met) and the DVLA must be notified. If a licence is issued under 4 or 5 and a different type of seizure occurs then the concession is lost and driving must cease and the DVLA notifies. Isolated Seizures A person who has suffered from a single unprovoked epileptic seizure (isolated fit) will qualify for a driving licence if he or she has been free from further attacks for a 6 month period, provided there are no further clinical factors or investigations that may suggest an unacceptably high risk of a further seizure occurring in which case it will be 12 months off driving. Withdrawal If a seizure occurs as a result of a physician-directed change of/or reduction of anti-epileptic medication the epilepsy regulations state that a licence is revoked FOR 12 MONTHS AS PER THE EPILEPSY REGULATIONS but re-application can be accepted EARLIER once treatment has been reinstated for 6 months and as long as there have been no further seizures in the 6 months period after recommencing
 

GROUP 2 (LORRY AND BUS) DRIVING ENTITLEMENT
Epilepsy Regulations
 

You’ve had more than one seizure :     hold a full ordinary driving licence have been free of epileptic attacks for the last 10 years have not taken any anti-epileptic medication during this 10 year period do not have a continuing liability to epileptic seizures Isolated Seizure ,got a 2% or higher risk of another seizure, according to DVLA’s medical advisers ,results from medical investigations for epilepsy that are satisfactory to DVLA’s medical advisers ,Drivers of these vehicles must satisfy all of the following conditions:-

​

You’ve had a one-off seizure :    hold a full ordinary driving licence have been free of epileptic attacks for the last 5 years have not taken any anti-epileptic medication during this 5 year period have undergone a recent assessment by a Neurologist have satisfactory results from investigations and  satisfactory to DVLA’s medical advisers ,Drivers of these vehicles must satisfy all of the following conditions:-

​

​

​

Updated April 2024

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

All links have been tested but over time they can become broken , please lets us know if any are not working at EpilepsySussex@gmail.com

​

​

bottom of page