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A guide for drivers following a stroke, TIA, mini stroke, cerebral thrombosis or amaurosis fugax
The role of the Drivers Medical Group at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is to promote road safety by establishing whether drivers who have medical conditions can satisfy the medical standards required for safe driving. However, there are some circumstances in which DVLA don't routinely require notification.
If you are the holder of a car, moped or motorcycle driving licence (group one), you don't need to inform DVLA if you have had a single stroke, mini stroke, TIA (where symptoms have not lasted longer than one month), cerebral thrombosis or amaurosis fugax. However, medical enquiries will need to be undertaken if any of the following circumstances apply:
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one month after the stroke there are residual symptoms causing limb weakness, or visual disturbance, or problems with co-ordination, memory or understanding
- epileptic attacks of any kind have occurred, other than those within the 24 hours following the stroke event
- brain surgery was required as part of the treatment for the stroke event
- there has been more than one stroke event within the past three months
- your doctors have expressed concern about your fitness to drive
- you hold either current LGV or PCV licences
Persistent limb disability following a stroke event may not prevent you holding a driving licence. Adaptations to a vehicle and or restriction to automatic types of vehicle may enable you to overcome driving difficulties even when there are quite complex disabilities.
The law requires adaptations or restriction to certain types of vehicles to be noted on the licence. Therefore you'll need to tell DVLA if adaptations are necessary. In the interests of road safety you must be sure at all times that you can safely control a motor vehicle. If you have any doubts as to whether any of points one to six applies to your case, you should discuss the matter with your doctor(s). If any of the circumstances at points one to six are relevant to your case you'll need to contact the DVLA.
Further information
If the above information indicates that you do need to notify DVLA about your condition you can do so by printing off and completing medical questionnaire STR1.
Alternatively, if the above information indicates that you do not need to notify DVLA about your condition, please download and print off the information leaflet, ‘A guide to driving ordinary vehicles (group one)'. This leaflet should be read and kept in a safe place for future reference.
If you have been advised by your doctor that you shouldn’t be driving you may wish to voluntarily surrender your licence and reapply for it’s return in the future when you have the support of your doctor(s).
