The DVLA has announced four changes it is making to tackle a rise in driving licence renewals. The service has revealed this week that it is seeing a surge in the number of people submitting driving licence applications who have at least one medical condition.
The Department for Transport (DfT), which oversees the DVLA, said this week that it is taking officials an average of 62 working days to make a licensing decision in medical cases. That’s 86 days in the calendar - or around three months - putting drivers at risk of being unable to drive while they wait.
Questions raised in Parliament
Questions have been raised with the government over what it is doing to ensure drivers with medical conditions who have to renew their licence every year do not lose the ability to drive while waiting for their case to be dealt with.
Ben Maguire, Liberal Democrat MP for North Cornwall, asked the DfT what measures it is taking to ensure that drivers who must renew annually are notified of timescales ahead of deadlines to avoid interruptions to their entitlement to drive. On Wednesday, Justin Madders, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport), said in response that several steps are being taken to speed up the process for drivers.
Four measures outlined
He highlighted four measures. These are a new text message trial to alert drivers, a new casework system, a new digital medical services portal, and more staff.
He said: “So far in 2026/27, the average number of working days to make a licensing decision in medical cases is 62.3 working days. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) sends reminders for vocational licences and ten-year photocard licence renewals 56 days before the licence is due to expire. For those renewing their licence at the age of 70 and those renewing a short-period medical licence, reminders are sent 90 days before the licence is due to expire.
“The DVLA is currently experiencing an increase in both the volume and complexity of driving licence applications from people with one or more medical conditions. Unfortunately, this has led to longer waiting times for some customers. Applications that require medical investigation can often take longer to process, as they depend on the nature of the condition(s) involved and whether further information is required from third parties, such as doctors or other healthcare professionals, before a licensing decision can be made.
“To keep up with growing customer demand and to offer a better service, the DVLA is updating its driver’s medical function and has launched a new casework system which will deliver significant improvements to drivers with medical conditions. The DVLA has also launched a new digital medical services portal which supports applications relating to around 1,600 medical conditions. Further enhancements for customers applying for a provisional licence and those renewing at the age of 70 or over were made recently.
“The DVLA will write to the driver or applicant to advise them of any action taken on their case, for example where medical information is required from the driver or their healthcare professional. As part of a project, the DVLA has recently begun trialling text messaging to drivers who have consented to receiving updates by that method.
“These enhancements, alongside the recruitment of additional staff to deal with applications will deliver real improvements in services and turnaround times for customers.”
Short-term medical driving licences rules and how to apply
There are more than 50 million people in the UK with a driving licence, according to the RAC. Of them, more than 2 million have a medical condition recorded with DVLA, a recent Freedom of Information request revealed.
People under 70 need to renew their driving licence every 10 years. After that, it is every three years.
Short-term medical driving licences last for either 1,2,3 or 5 years, the government says. Dr Nick Jenkins, a medical expert working with the DVLA, said in a blog for the government in 2021 that “most people who report a medical condition, which can be done online, get to keep their driving licence. We may issue a short-term licence (1 to 5 years) if you’ve got a medical condition considered to be progressive.
“This is because we’ll need to assess the ongoing stability of the condition or consider the risk of recurrence of an episode being below a certain threshold. Examples of this kind of condition are dementia, epilepsy, and diabetes.”
In addition, certain categories of driver need to renew regularly regardless of age. According to government guidance, a group 2 licence for a lorry driver is valid for 5 years, or at age 45, whichever occurs sooner. After 65, they need to be renewed every year.
To tell the DVLA about a medical condition, visit the government web page on the matter.
