The DVLA has announced an update to its online service for drivers who need to report medical conditions. The agency said the change "made it easier" for more drivers to manage their medical licensing journey online.
In a statement on Thursday, the DVLA said: "Dealing with a health condition can already be a worrying time. Telling DVLA about it, if you need to, should be as straightforward as possible. That’s why we’ve improved our online service, making it easier for more drivers to manage their medical licensing journey online."
Expanded coverage and new features
The service now covers more than 1,600 health conditions. Drivers can use it to report multiple conditions in one go, save their application and return to it later, track its progress through their driver and vehicles account, and renew their licence photograph. The DVLA said more than 120,000 customers had already used the service.
Writing in a blog about the changes, Natalie Morgan from the DVLA said: "If you hold a driving licence, there are times when you'll need to tell DVLA about your health, for example if you develop a condition or need to renew a short-term medical licence. We know that dealing with a health condition can already be a worrying time."
She added: "So, we’ve been working to make telling us about a condition, and renewing your licence when medical information is needed, as simple and straightforward as possible. Our improved online service now allows many more drivers to manage their medical licensing journey online, from telling us about a condition through to renewing their licence. More than 120,000 customers have already used the service, and we've continued to develop it since launch to support more drivers."
Reporting multiple conditions and renewals
The blog explained that only a limited number of health conditions could be reported online before the changes. It now covers more than 1,600 conditions.
The blog added: "Not every health condition needs to be reported to DVLA, of course. The online service will let you know whether you need to tell us and, if you do, it will guide you through the information we need."
It also means that drivers with more than one health condition can report them all through the online service. Those renewing a short-term medical licence can notify the DVLA about any new conditions at the same time.
Changes for older drivers, learners, and Welsh speakers
Morgan explained that drivers aged 70 or over can now report a health condition when submitting their renewal application online. The same applies to customers applying for their first provisional driving licence, creating a more joined-up experience without the need to move between separate services.
The online service is also now available to customers whose driving licence was previously surrendered, revoked or expired. The whole service is now available in Welsh, providing the same end-to-end service as the English version.
Quicker process and how to check
The DVLA also introduced automation to speed up the initial application review. The blog said: "When you tell us about a health condition online, it comes directly into our casework systems in a structured format. This helps our caseworkers review the information they need and decide what needs to happen next."
The DVLA noted that not every case can be completed immediately, as further information from customers or healthcare professionals may be needed. However, making the initial application more straightforward and giving caseworkers better information from the outset helps deal with cases more efficiently.
The DVLA stressed that a health condition does not necessarily mean having to stop driving, and not every condition needs to be reported. The easiest way to check is on GOV.UK. The online service is currently only available for Group 1 drivers, which are car and motorcycle licence holders.
