If you drive a lorry, a bus or a coach, the DVLA needs a doctor to confirm that you are medically fit to do it, on form D4. Our GPs carry out D4 medicals for HGV, bus, coach and other commercial licences, and the medicals that councils ask of taxi and private hire drivers. Appointments are short and efficient, and the signed form is usually handed back to you at the end of the visit.
Who needs a D4 medical
- Anyone applying for a first lorry (category C) or bus and coach (category D) licence, or their provisional entitlement
- Group 2 drivers renewing at 45, then every five years until 65, and every year after that
- Drivers of minibuses or medium-sized vehicles (C1, D1) whose entitlement needs a medical, for example on renewal at 70
- Drivers returning to a Group 2 licence after a medical condition
Taxi and private hire drivers are licensed by their local council, not the DVLA. Most councils apply the same Group 2 medical standards but use their own form and have their own rules about who may sign it. Check with your council before you book, and bring its form.
What the medical covers
The D4 form has two parts.
- Vision assessment. Your eyesight is tested one eye at a time, with and without glasses or contact lenses, and your field of vision is checked. This section can be completed by a doctor or by an optician. The doctor needs your current glasses prescription for it, and where any part cannot be answered the DVLA asks for an optician to complete it.
- Medical examination. The doctor goes through the questions on the form with you: the heart and circulation, diabetes, neurological conditions including epilepsy and blackouts, mental health, sleep disorders such as sleep apnoea, alcohol and drugs, and your medicines. Your blood pressure, pulse, height and weight are recorded, and you are examined as the form requires.
The doctor's role is to record the findings accurately. The decision on your licence is the DVLA's.
What to bring
- The D4 form, downloaded from GOV.UK or from the application pack, with your own section filled in
- Your driving licence, as photo identification
- Your glasses or contact lenses, and your latest optician's prescription if you have it
- A list of your medicines, with doses
- Letters or reports about any condition you have declared: your diabetes clinic, a cardiologist, a sleep clinic
Without the form and identification the medical cannot be completed.
Before the day
Avoid caffeine and a rushed journey just before your appointment, both of which push blood pressure up. If you use a CPAP machine or check your blood sugar, bring your recent readings. Declare every condition honestly: an undeclared condition found later puts your licence and your insurance at risk, and most declared conditions do not stop people driving.
After the medical
You send the completed D4 to the DVLA with your application, form D2 for a first licence or the renewal form you were sent. The medical must have been done within the four months before the DVLA receives it. If the examination finds something that needs attention, raised blood pressure being the commonest, the doctor will tell you what to do about it and whether it is likely to delay your application.
Common questions
How long does it take? The appointment is a short one. Arrive a few minutes early, so that your blood pressure is not taken straight after a rush.
Do I need to be registered with you? No.
What if my eyesight does not meet the standard? The doctor will explain the result. An optician can often correct the problem with a new prescription, and the vision section can then be completed.
Can my employer book for several drivers? Get in touch and we will arrange it.
