Medical at Age 70

[138go]

This is coming up next year in August for my OH. I know nothing about it, can anyone help please. I'm interested to know how long the result takes to come through and can you carry on driving, whilst you wait? We're thinking about being away, as you do when you have a motorhome, so do you have to hang around waiting for the result? Thanks in advance.

 

[peterc10]

It is not really a medical examination, just a questionnaire. The only examining is taking your blood pressure and checking your eyesight using standard charts (each eye separately). Your own doctor could do it but you can also get doctors who specialise in these tests and they are much cheaper and you can just book an appointment. With the latter they fill out the form as they ask you the questions and sign it at the end and give it to you. For me it took about a total of 15 minutes in a specially kitted out Ford Transit van sitting in a lay-by on the A21 near to where I live. The companies that arrange this are usually nationwide.

 

[scally]

If your diabetic its a medical. This only applies to drive over 3.5 tonnes, otherwise it used to be automatic but without the C part

 

[138go]

Thanks guys. I'm interested in knowing how long the result takes to come through and if you can still drive whilst you are waiting.

 

[olley]

From sending my licence off it was about 5 days before it came back. I had a medical problem about 10 years ago and while they thought about it they told me I could continue to drive, and sent me a letter to confirm as we were going abroad.

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[Pausim]

I too am approaching 70 and intend to keep my C1 license so I have the option to drive over 3,500kg. I believe that once you have submitted a valid application on form D2 accompanied by the D4 medical form you are allowed to continue driving provided that your doctor agrees that you are safe. The procedure for keeping the general categories appears to be more straight forward and only involves a medical questionnaire, which you self certify.

 

[Riverbankannie]

This is coming up next year in August for my OH. I know nothing about it, can anyone help please. I'm interested to know how long the result takes to come through and can you carry on driving, whilst you wait? We're thinking about being away, as you do when you have a motorhome, so do you have to hang around waiting for the result? Thanks in advance.

You can apply from about 90 days in advance. You can get the forms from a post office.
You can have the “medical” done anywhere as mentioned above. Once you have sent in your application, you may continue to drive on all your existing classes for up to 12 months whilst waiting for the new licence. However, once we are out of the EU, it is possible that this extension will not apply whilst driving in europe but will apply in the UK. In any case we decided not to risk driving abroad whilst on this extension (called section 88) as the only licence we could physically produce was out of date.
If you are lucky enough to have no serious medical conditions then your licence should be renewed quite quickly however for myself and my husband we were both referred for further GP reports and then cardiac
tests and these can take quite a few months and up to the year for us.

 

[daveandsan]

If you have no medical problems then it doesn’t take long.
Due to a medical problem my license took four months to arrive, as long as your Doctor says you are fit to drive you can continue driving until your license comes through.

 

[nicholsong]

From sending my licence off it was about 5 days before it came back. I had a medical problem about 10 years ago and while they thought about it they told me I could continue to drive, and sent me a letter to confirm as we were going abroad.

I know that under S.88 that will make you legal to drive in UK, but I wonder what the authorities will accept in other countries.

No answer till tested.

Geoff

 

[olley]

From my experience of driving in France and Spain they wouldn't give a monkeys.

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[bertiebasset]

I have a similar problem. My license is due at age 70 the end of this July and my moho is 4000kg so need to keep my C1. Unable to get a medical at the moment and whilst I can apply for a normal license they are not extending the C1 entitlement. SNAFU

 

[Clarky]

The medical is nothing to worry about if you are reasonably fit.
I had both of mine done by my GP and looked on it as a good opportunity to have a check up. He was extremely thorough and gave me a good going over, which is not a bad thing when you are getting a bit ancient.
It did cost a fair bit more than the mobile doctor’s charge but who cares? It’s health that matters more than a couple of quid.
Two three year medicals passed and a third coming up in six months time.
Yes, I really am getting ancient but no intention of changing to a smaller van...........hopefully!

Richard.

 

[138go]

Thanks, very helpful everyone.

 

[wanderer]

I have a similar problem. My license is due at age 70 the end of this July and my moho is 4000kg so need to keep my C1. Unable to get a medical at the moment and whilst I can apply for a normal license they are not extending the C1 entitlement. SNAFU

D4 drivers are doing medicals in Nottingham £55 includes optical

 

[PeteH]

My understanding, is that you can drive any category on your current (lapsed) licence. under "rule 88" until actually refused by DVLA`s Medical teams?. The D4 form can/could be downloaded at one time? Getting it actually filled and signed under the current "lockdown" might need some "negotiating"?. I had my 3rd Medical earlier this year. Before Lockdown. Be aware that the rules on eysight have been tightened/changed though. I had to have the D4 actually filled/signed by the Optician, and NOT my Doctor. DVLA returned the form!. (Cretins)!!. Once filled in, and sent, (RECORDED) you should be legal to drive until the DVLA get their act in order and return you a valid licence.

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[Pausim]

The D4 and medical issues can be overcome but the D2 is not available for down loading and the DVLA are not sending them out. You can only claim the “rule 88” if you have submitted an application and you can’t submit an application without the D2 form.

Does anyone have a copy of the D2 and could they possibly scan it and make it available for others to download? This would only help if it does not have a unique serial number on it.

 

[PeteH]

This would only help if it does not have a unique serial number on it.

That will be the issue, BUT. I would suggest that in that circumstance. you could invoke "rule 88" anyway. Even E-Mailing DVLA and keeping a copy would prove "intent".? I certainly would not let it stop me driving, regardless.

 

[Abacist]

In this day and age it is quite ridiculous that all Government forms are not all downloadable and readily available. There are certain tax forms that have to be applied e.g. CT61 which is a return of interest payments and the tax thereon made by a person, company or business. By the time you apply for the form, receive it, fill it in and return it immediately you are outside the deadline especially if you are a company and they send the form to the registered office not to your home address!

 

[Pausim]

The DVLA advice is;
In practice, this will be when you have applied to the DVLA to renew your licence, but the licence expires (runs out) while we are processing the application.
I don’t think intent will be enough, we will need to submit a D2.

 

[Pausim]

The DVLA say the D2 can’t be downloaded because it has features that can not be printed.

It seems that if you want to apply for a provisional license for a lorry or bus the D2 and D4 forms can be requested <Broken link removed>

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[joka250]

Ignoring for a moment the situation regarding Covid 19 I would suggest that anybody with longterm health conditions check the medical section of the DVLA Web site. These conditions include some heart conditions, sight issues, some forms of diabetes and I believe some cancers and/or their treatment. My list is not exhaustive. If you have any of the conditions listed by the DVLA then you may require additional medical tests some of which may be hospital based. In some cases hospital tests are paid for by DVLA. Forewarned is forearmed even if you have the disappointment of losing your C1 entitlement.

 

[olley]

D2 here Broken Link Removed

just printed these not very good quality and no idea if they would accept them

 

[namwaldog]

The reason you cannot download and print form D2 from DVLA website is that the form contains a "window" to attach a photograph to.

You CAN obtain the form D2 from certain Post Offices.

I rung round our local area and of the 5 that answered the phone, 2 had the form available.

Barry

 

[PeteH]

The DVLA advice is;
In practice, this will be when you have applied to the DVLA to renew your licence, but the licence expires (runs out) while we are processing the application.
I don’t think intent will be enough, we will need to submit a D2.

And if, as now, you cannot comply?.
Many years ago, The DVLA made a right Dogs Breakfast of a change of address. And for weeks I was technically without a driving licence. I wrote to My MP, outlining the issues. and copied it to the Chief Constable and the Minister of Transport. I then proceeded to continue driving with a photocopy of the old (paper) licence. I had an acknowledgment from both the MP (Paddy Ashdown) and Minister (John Prescott!). Which I hung onto for evidence should the Authorities have made issue of it!.

 

[bertiebasset]

The OH applied for her license before lockdown but declared she had sleep apnea so they sent her another form to fill in. Meanwhile we went into lockdown and we did not receive the new license so I phoned up. The answer was if you are not a KEY worker then we will not process nor answer requests for this license. Neither of us being KEY workers we are both in limbo,, we have had no acknowledgement of them receiving the application and I cannot get a medical. Am yet to get the D2 form as only just downloaded and printed the D4 form. Fun times ahead.

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[bertiebasset]

D4 drivers are doing medicals in Nottingham £55 includes optical

Thanks. Last time I checked their site it was stating reduced capability and nearest to me in Nottingham was Northampton. Now checked again and managed to get an appointment locally on 13th this month so all may be well yet.. all I need now is a D2 form.

 

[wasp]

When mine ran out last year, I rang the docs to see how much the medical was, they wanted £100. For the priveledge. I went to D4drivers online £50 it took twenty minutes. I sent the relevant paperwork off and got the licence back in about three weeks.

 

[bobandjanie]

From my experience of driving in France and Spain they wouldn't give a monkeys.

That was the old Spain the medical involves 3 different departments doing it, and the police are more clued up on things these days, I can imagine France is the same, definitely Portugal as JJ found out, gone are the days when they said don't tell them. Bob.

 

[IanF]

I've had two "medicals" done now and the DVLA were super quick first time round . However because my eyesight had for some unknown reason actually improved on the second occasion it was delayed by about 6 weeks due to the DVLA asking me to redo the eyesight test section. In fact my eyesight had actually improved and when the second test was submitted it took them only a matter of days to issue the licence. Point is you are better to apply for your licence 90 days early to ensure you can drive when you require to do so.

 

[138go]

We’ve talked endlessly about what to do. OH has a couple of mild conditions, which are mentioned on the questionnaire. He hates the idea of being messed about for weeks on end, so we are looking at down sizing just to have peace of mind.

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