DVLA fitness to drive questions appear in virtually every SCE Neurology sitting. The rules are precise, the exam expects precise answers, and clinical approximation scores zero. This page summarises the key restrictions you must know.
The definitive source is the DVLA document "Assessing Fitness to Drive: A Guide for Medical Professionals," which is freely available online and updated regularly. Read it in full before your exam.
Group 1 vs Group 2
Group 1 covers car and motorcycle licences. Group 2 covers heavy goods vehicles (HGV/LGV) and passenger-carrying vehicles (PCV/bus). Group 2 restrictions are invariably stricter than Group 1 for the same condition. The exam frequently tests both — a question may present a bus driver with a first seizure and ask about Group 2 restrictions specifically.
Seizures and epilepsy
First unprovoked seizure (Group 1): must not drive for 6 months from the date of the seizure, provided investigations do not reveal a structural cause or other risk factor that increases the risk of further seizures. If investigations are concerning, the period extends to 12 months.
First unprovoked seizure (Group 2): must not drive for 5 years from the date of the seizure. After 5 years seizure-free and off all anti-epileptic drugs, the licence may be restored.
Epilepsy (Group 1): must be seizure-free for 12 months (with or without medication) to hold a Group 1 licence. If seizures occur only during sleep, the patient must have had an established pattern of seizures occurring only during sleep for at least 12 months.
Epilepsy (Group 2): must be seizure-free for 10 years and off all anti-epileptic medication for at least 10 years.
Withdrawal of AEDs (Group 1): patients should not drive during the period of AED withdrawal and for 6 months after the last dose. This reflects the increased seizure risk during withdrawal.
Provoked seizure: if the seizure was provoked by a clearly identifiable cause that has been treated and will not recur (for example, acute alcohol withdrawal or eclampsia), the driving restriction is 6 months for Group 1 provided the provoking factor has been addressed.
Stroke and TIA
TIA or stroke (Group 1): must not drive for 1 month. May resume after 1 month if clinical recovery is satisfactory. No need to notify the DVLA unless there are residual neurological deficits that affect driving (for example, visual field defect or limb weakness).
TIA or stroke (Group 2): must not drive for 12 months. Functional recovery must be complete. Annual review required.
Multiple TIAs over a short period (Group 1): must not drive for 3 months from the most recent TIA.
Syncope
Simple faint (no underlying cause, Group 1): no driving restriction. Simple faint (Group 2): no restriction if isolated and clearly vasovagal with identifiable trigger.
Unexplained syncope (single episode, Group 1): must not drive for 6 months. Unexplained syncope (single episode, Group 2): must not drive for 12 months.
Unexplained syncope (two or more episodes, Group 1): must not drive for 12 months from the most recent episode.
Visual field defects
For Group 1, the minimum visual field standard is at least 120 degrees horizontal field with at least 50 degrees either side of fixation and no significant defect within the central 20 degrees. This is relevant for homonymous hemianopia (which does not meet the standard) and quadrantanopia (which may or may not meet the standard depending on extent).
Homonymous hemianopia (Group 1): does not meet the visual field standard. Cannot hold a Group 1 licence unless formal perimetry demonstrates that the residual field meets the minimum standard. In practice, most patients with complete homonymous hemianopia cannot drive.
What the exam tests
SCE questions typically present a clinical scenario — a patient with a specific neurological event — and ask about the driving restriction. The question may specify Group 1 or Group 2, or it may present the patient's occupation (lorry driver, taxi driver) to imply Group 2. Know the exact durations, not approximations.
iatroX's SCE Neurology bank includes DVLA-specific questions tagged for focused practice. All included at £29 per month or £99 per year.