PCV Medical

What’s needed for the Medical Examination and Eye Test?

Please bring

• D4 Medical Form to be completed
• Driving licence with counterpart
• Details of any medication that you are currently taking

Important Information

You must send in the D4 form which has been filled in by a doctor within the last 4 months.

Get the D4 form filled in if:

• this is your first application
• you are applying for entitlement to drive lorries or buses and are 45. From then on, a D4 will be needed every 5 years until you are 65. From age 65 onwards, bus and lorry driving licences are issued for one year only
• you are under 70 and hold a medically restricted car driving licence and are renewing: your D1 entitlement to drive minibuses (not for hire or reward), or your C1 entitlement to drive 3.5 – 7.5 tonne vehicles and small lorries
• you already hold or previously held a lorry (LGV) licence entitlement and now wish to apply for a Bus (PCV) licence entitlement (or vice versa). This is unless you have had a D4 filled in within the last 12 months for the prior entitlement
• you are 70 and still need your C1 or D1 entitlement you will need to send in a D4 every 3 years
• you are an EU/EEA driving licence holder whose authority to drive lorries and or buses (LGV/PCV) vehicles in the United Kingdom has run out.

Further details about this can be found from www.direct.gov.uk/driverhealth and the INF4D

Provisional Licence Application

You need to have a medical examination before you can apply for your provisional licence. Medicals for Drivers can perform the Medical Examination required for completion of the D4 Medical Form.

Licence Renewals

DVLA require existing lorry drivers to have a medical at the age of 45 and then every five years until the age of 65. After 65, the medical has to be done every year.

DVLA will usually send out a reminder letter, together with the D4 Medical Form, a few weeks before your medical is due. You can usually work out when your next renewal/medical is due from the expiry date on the back of your licence, and if you think your renewal is coming due and you haven’t heard from DVLA you should contact them.

What medical conditions could affect my licence application / renewal?

Medical standards required for drivers of lorries and buses (categories C1, C1+E, D1, D1+E, C, C+E, D and D+E) are higher than those required for car drivers. These standards also apply when renewing categories C1 (small or medium lorries between 3.5–7.5 tonnes) and D1 (minibuses not for hire or reward) which were gained when a car driving test was passed before 1 January 1997.

If you have any of the following medical conditions (please refer to the DVLA website for full information on medical Standards to meet ) you may not be able to hold a driving licence for vehicles between 3.5 and 7.5 tonne (small or medium lorries), lorries (LGV) or buses (PCV) over 8 seats, or vehicles in categories C1, C1+E, D1, D1+E, C, C+E, D, D+E.

• Epilepsy
• Insulin treated/insulin dependent diabetes
• Monocular or poor vision
• A progressive degenerative illness
• A history of alcohol or drug abuse
• A history of mental illness or severe mental handicap
• A physical disability which might impair the ability to discharge the requirements of a vocational driver
• Heart problems
• Neurological or neurosurgical disorders (.e.g. strokes, blackouts, head injuries)
• Certain prescribed medications

Where do I send my D4 Completed Form?

Send the D4 report, application form and your driving licence to the DVLA. The doctor’s signature will be valid for only 4 months. If you do not send both forms together, it will delay the processing of your driving licence.

If you develop a condition which could affect safe driving (see pages 6-11) and you hold any type of driving licence, you must let the DVLA know (DVLA number for futher information: 0300 790 6807 between 8am and 5.30pm Monday to Friday).

You must check all sections of the D4 report have been filled in fully before sending your application to the DVLA. If you have ticked any medical condition on the D4 report, send details of these with your application form to The Drivers Medical Group, DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1DF.

If you are worried about any medical problems and whether they will affect your licence entitlement please feel free to e-mail or telephone us for advice