DVLA - March 2026

Matt is investigating why people with medical conditions have been struggling to get their driving licences reissued by the DVLA. When someone reapplies for their licence, they are required to provide updated medical information which the DVLA’s medical department reviews. If the driver meets the required standards, a new licence is issued.

We hear from Holly has been waiting months for an update from the DVLA on her licence. We also meet 17-year-old Josh, who was diagnosed with epilepsy in May 2024. This was something he had to declare when he applied for his provisional licence last October. Josh tells Matt that he was signed off as ready to drive by the doctor, which was a massive relief. However, four months after applying, the DVLA still hadn’t got back to Josh about when he could expect to receive his licence.

In December 2024, Lisa had a seizure which led to her licence being taken away by the DVLA. She reapplied for her licence as soon as she could but was still left waiting to hear back from the DVLA.

The DVLA sets itself a target of making a decision on 90% of medical cases within 90 days but failed to meet this target last year. This meant that 120,000 drivers were made to wait.

When we wrote to the DVLA it said it’s sorry for the delays that some Watchdog viewers have experienced. It told us it’s currently seeing exceptionally high demand in applications from customers with medical conditions, which has regrettably impacted some processing times. We were told that when the DVLA has the information it needs, it always aims to make a decision as quickly as possible.

We were told that DVLA staff are working hard to reduce delays, and that it is introducing a new casework system, which is expected to deliver significant improvements to the services provided to drivers with medical conditions. It concluded by saying that it appreciates customers’ patience while it makes these improvements.