HGV Licence Renewal Over 65: What You Need to Know

If you are 65 or over and hold a standard HGV, LGV or PCV entitlement, DVLA guidance says you need to make a fresh licence application every year and provide medical confirmation of fitness to drive. The D4 medical examination report is needed annually too. This is the standard Group 2 schedule; medically restricted licences and some C1 entitlements can follow different rules, so check the guidance for your circumstances.

Licence renewal and the D4 are separate things

Your licence renewal is the application you send to DVLA to keep your Group 2 entitlement. The D4 is a medical examination report that supports the application. For standard Group 2 entitlement, both the licence application and medical confirmation are annual from age 65. The four-month D4 validity period is separate: it is the period in which the signed report can be submitted, not the length of your licence.

DVLA’s guidance says it sends drivers aged 45 or over two forms, D47P and D4, 56 days before the driving licence runs out. You complete D47P, arrange for a doctor to complete the D4, then send the completed forms to DVLA. Check the instructions that arrive with your own forms and use the current DVLA renewal guidance for the process and forms.

The timetable differs for drivers under 45. DVLA normally sends a D47PU renewal form 56 days before expiry. A D4 may still be needed in particular circumstances, including some applications for another Group 2 provisional entitlement. If your licence expires within 56 days of your 45th birthday, DVLA says to follow the process for drivers aged 45 or over.

What changes at age 65?

The D4 booklet, INF4D, says that drivers aged 45 or over need a D4 every five years until age 65, then annually. DVLA’s fitness to drive guidance also describes fresh Group 2 licence applications every five years from age 45 and annually from age 65, each with medical confirmation of fitness.

This means that turning 65 changes the usual renewal and medical cycle. Check the expiry date and forms DVLA sends you, and allow enough time to arrange the examination and return the paperwork. If you are unsure which entitlement or renewal cycle applies to you, ask DVLA before relying on a general description.

What the D4 assessment involves

The D4 includes medical and vision assessments. Some doctors can complete both sections. If your doctor cannot fully answer the vision questions, the vision section must be completed by an optician or optometrist. A separate vision appointment is not automatically required for everyone.

The INF4D booklet says the doctor must be GMC registered and licensed to practise in the UK, or registered within the EU. Before arranging an appointment, check that the medical professional can complete the sections you need. The booklet also asks you to bring identification, the INF4D booklet, and your driving glasses and current prescription if you wear glasses to meet the eyesight standard. If a doctor other than your GP is completing the report, take a copy of your prescription as directed.

Group 2 medical standards are higher than the standards for car and motorcycle driving. A health condition does not, by itself, tell you whether DVLA will grant or renew your entitlement. The decision depends on the applicable standard and your circumstances. Read the official DVLA fitness to drive guidance. If you are concerned about a condition or your ability to drive safely, speak to your GP.

How long is the D4 valid?

The D4 is valid for four months from the date it is signed and dated by the doctor and, where relevant, by the optician or optometrist. This is the report’s submission validity period. It does not mean an HGV licence lasts four months, and it does not replace the annual D4 requirement after age 65.

Plan your medical so you can send the signed report with your renewal application within that four-month period. INF4D advises sending the completed D4, application form and driving licence together, because submitting them separately can delay processing. DVLA says it is not responsible for fees paid if an application is refused or the applicant does not meet the medical standards.

Use the official D4 and INF4D publication to get the current downloadable form and instructions. The illustration on this page shows a D4 form; use GOV.UK for the current version.

Medically restricted licences and C1 exceptions

The annual schedule described above applies to standard Group 2 entitlement. INF4D gives a different rule for medically restricted car or motorcycle licences: a D4 is not needed when renewing the medically restricted licence until age 45, and a D4 is required every five years if you are over 45 and have such a licence.

The booklet also describes specific C1 and D1 circumstances. If you are under 70, hold a medically restricted car or motorcycle licence from before 1 January 1997, and want to apply for C1 or C1/D1 entitlement, you need a D4. If you are 70 and still need C1 and D1 entitlement, INF4D says a D4 is needed every three years. These rules depend on how you hold the entitlement, so check the booklet and your licence details rather than assuming the standard HGV timetable applies.

If your licence expires while DVLA processes your application

An expired licence does not always mean you must stop driving while DVLA processes a renewal. DVLA says you may be able to continue driving if you meet every condition in its guidance. For drivers aged 45 or over, these include that you have not been told by your doctor or optician that you should not drive, you held a valid licence, you drive only under the previous licence conditions, your application is less than a year old, and your previous licence was not revoked or refused for medical reasons. You must also meet the remaining conditions, including not being disqualified.

Do not rely on a short summary to decide whether you can drive. Read the full, current DVLA guidance for drivers aged 45 or over and check each condition applies to you. If your doctor or optician has told you not to drive, follow that advice.

Arranging a D4 medical

If you need an assessment, you may find it helpful to ask in advance what identification and records to bring and whether the doctor can complete the vision section. South Wales Driver Medicals offers appointments for HGV, LGV and PCV drivers. Find details of the Driver Medical service, or contact the clinic if you have a question about the service or your form.

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.

Sources and further guidance

The DVLA pages and INF4D booklet linked here explain the renewal process, age-related D4 schedule, and specific exceptions. Requirements can depend on your entitlement and circumstances, so check the official pages and the forms DVLA sends you.

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.ukAssessing fitness to drive: miscellaneous conditions(accessed 2026-10-06)

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