PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
(20 June 2025)

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the performance of the DVLA’s Drivers Medical Group in processing medical licence renewals; and what steps he is taking to improve service delivery for drivers with medical conditions.

Asked by:
Dr Lauren Sullivan (Labour)

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) aims to process all applications as quickly as possible. However, driving licence applications where a medical condition(s) must be investigated can take longer as the DVLA is often reliant on information from third parties, including medical professionals, before a licence can be issued.

In 2024/25 the average time to make a licensing decision in medical cases was 44 working days, a significant reduction from 54 working days in the previous financial year.

Drivers with diabetes, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, visual impairments, sleep conditions or heart conditions can renew their driving licence online.

The DVLA continues to make improvements to the services provided to drivers with medical conditions and is introducing a new strategic system to process cases. This will provide better services for customers and allow straightforward applications to be processed more quickly.

Most applicants renewing an existing licence will be able to continue driving while their application is being processed, providing the driver can meet specific criteria. More information can be found online at: (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/inf1886-can-i-drive-while-my-application-is-with-dvla)

Answered by:
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