Do I Need a Medical to Renew My Lorry Licence?

For a Group 2 lorry licence in Great Britain, you generally need a D4 medical report when you renew at age 45, then every five years until age 65, and annually from age 65. If you are under 45, you usually do not need a D4 for a routine renewal. Other application types and some entitlements have separate rules, so check the current DVLA guidance for your own licence and circumstances.

When is a D4 needed for renewal?

A D4 is DVLA’s medical examination report for a Group 2 lorry or bus licence. For a standard Group 2 renewal, the age-based schedule is: at 45, every five years from 45 until 65, then each year from 65. The medical report helps DVLA consider whether you meet the medical standards for the entitlement. It is part of the licensing process, not a guarantee that an application will be approved.

If you are under 45, DVLA normally sends form D47PU 56 days before your lorry or bus entitlement expires. You generally complete the renewal without a D4, unless another rule applies to your application. If your licence expires within 56 days of your 45th birthday, DVLA says to use the process for drivers aged 45 or over.

For renewals at age 45 or over, DVLA normally sends form D47P and a D4 about 56 days before expiry. Complete the renewal form and arrange for the medical report, including its vision assessment, to be completed. Send the forms as directed in the application guidance. If the forms do not arrive, the DVLA page explains how to get a D2/D4 pack from a Post Office that offers DVLA services.

The renewal of the vocational entitlement is free, but the doctor, optician or optometrist may charge for completing the medical or vision assessment. Read DVLA’s current lorry and bus licence renewal guidanceGOV.UK for the application steps and age-specific details.

Why might DVLA send you a D4?

Receiving a D4 does not by itself mean DVLA has decided you are unfit to drive. For drivers aged 45 or over, it is normally part of the Group 2 renewal process. DVLA uses the completed report when considering the medical and vision requirements for the entitlement.

A D4 is also required in some situations outside a routine renewal. The INF4D booklet says it is needed for a first application for a Group 2 lorry or bus licence. It also lists requirements for some provisional Group 2 applications and particular C1 or C1/D1 applications. If you have a medically restricted car or motorcycle licence held before 1 January 1997 and are under 70, for example, the booklet says you need a D4 when applying for C1 or C1/D1 entitlement.

The booklet gives a separate rule for renewing a medically restricted licence: you do not need to send a D4 for that renewal until age 45. If you are over 45 and have a medically restricted licence, it says a D4 is required every five years. Some other cases have their own schedule, including a D4 every three years from age 70 for people who still need C1 and D1 entitlement. Follow the instructions that match your specific entitlement and application rather than assuming every driver follows the standard schedule. Check the D4 form and INF4D information bookletGOV.UK.

What happens during the D4 assessment?

The D4 has medical and vision sections. A doctor must complete the medical assessment. Some doctors can also complete the vision assessment. If your doctor cannot fully answer all the vision questions, you must ask an optician or optometrist to complete that section. A separate vision appointment is not always required, so check with the medical professional before arranging one.

The INF4D booklet says to check in advance that the medical professional can measure visual acuity to the required standard and, if you wear driving glasses, confirm their strength from your prescription. Take the identification documents listed in the booklet, your driving glasses and prescription if applicable, and the booklet itself. If a doctor other than your own GP completes the assessment, take a copy of your prescription as instructed.

Before sending your application, check that all the required sections have been completed. DVLA says an incomplete report can result in your application being returned. The D4 is valid for four months from the date it is signed and dated by the doctor and, where applicable, by the optician or optometrist. This four-month period is the time allowed for submitting the report. It is separate from the term of your driving entitlement.

The report records medical information for DVLA to consider. If you have a health concern about your ability to drive, speak with your GP or another appropriate health professional before applying. Do not treat a completed D4 as a substitute for advice about a personal health concern.

Does every C1 entitlement follow the same rule?

No. C1 entitlements can depend on how and when you obtained them, and what you are applying to renew. The INF4D booklet says Group 2 medical standards apply when renewing certain C1 entitlements granted with a car licence after passing a car test before 1 January 1997. It also lists specific applications where a D4 is required, including the medically restricted licence situation described above.

Check the category and any restrictions shown on your licence, then compare them with the current D4 and renewal instructions. If the guidance does not clearly cover your situation, contact DVLA before sending an application or arranging an assessment. Avoid assuming that all C1 licence holders either need a D4 or are exempt.

Can you drive while a renewal is being processed?

If your licence expires while DVLA is processing your renewal, you may be able to continue driving, but permission is conditional. The applicable requirements include having held a valid licence, driving only under the conditions of your previous licence, having an application that is less than a year old, and not having had your licence revoked or refused for medical reasons. You must also meet other conditions, such as not being currently disqualified.

The details differ between drivers under 45 and those aged 45 or over. For example, the under-45 guidance says you need your doctor’s support to continue driving. The 45-or-over guidance says you must not have been told by your doctor or optician that you should not drive. Read the page that applies to you, and check all of its conditions before deciding whether you can drive while you wait. Do not assume that submitting the renewal alone allows you to drive. Read DVLA’s guidance on driving while your application is being processedGOV.UK.

Arranging a D4 medical

If DVLA’s instructions say you need a D4, check what your appointment must cover and what documents to bring before arranging it. SWDM provides appointments for HGV, LGV and PCV driver medicals. You can read about the HGV medical service or contact SWDM with questions about the appointment service. For current forms and the rules that apply to your licence, use DVLA’s guidance.

Our Medical Team

Driver medical appointments

South Wales Driver Medicals offers driver medical appointments for HGV, PCV, LGV and taxi drivers. Contact the clinic for information about the clinician conducting your appointment and the requirements for your form.

This guide is for information only. It is not medical advice. Speak to your GP if you have concerns.

Sources

1. gov.ukRenew or change a lorry or bus licence(accessed 2026-10-06)
2. gov.ukRenew or change a lorry or bus licence: if you’re 45 or over(accessed 2026-10-06)
3. gov.ukMedical examination report for a lorry or bus driving licence (D4), including INF4D information and useful notes(accessed 2026-10-06)
4. gov.ukCan I drive while my application is with DVLA? (INF188/6)(accessed 2026-10-06)