How Often Do HGV Drivers Need a Medical?

How often do HGV drivers need a medical? For a standard Group 2 lorry or bus entitlement, you make a fresh licence application with medical confirmation every five years from age 45, then every year from age 65. The D4 report follows that age-based schedule, but it is separate from the length of your licence. Some first applications and particular C1 cases have different requirements.

HGV licence renewal and medical timing by age

If you are under 45, DVLA normally sends form D47PU 56 days before your lorry or bus entitlement expires. A D4 is not usually needed for a standard renewal under 45, though it can be required for other application types. For example, a D4 is needed for a new provisional Group 2 entitlement if you have not submitted one in the previous 12 months.

At age 45, the standard renewal process changes. DVLA normally sends forms D47P and D4 56 days before your entitlement expires. The D4 is required when you renew at 45, then every five years until you reach 65. From 65, you make a fresh Group 2 application each year and need a D4 annually.

The licence application interval and D4 schedule are related, but not interchangeable. The application renews your vocational entitlement. The D4 is the medical examination report submitted for relevant applications. A D4 can also be required for a first Group 2 application and other circumstances, even when the usual age-based renewal does not explain why you have received one.

If your licence expires within 56 days of your 45th birthday, DVLA says to follow the process for drivers aged 45 or over. Check your forms and expiry date, because the route determines what you need to submit.

See DVLA's lorry and bus licence renewal guidanceGOV.UK, its instructions for drivers aged 45 or overGOV.UK, and DVLA's fitness to drive guidanceGOV.UK for current rules.

Why has DVLA sent me a D4 form?

A D4 is a medical examination report for certain lorry or bus licence applications. DVLA normally sends a D4 with the D47P renewal form to drivers aged 45 or over, 56 days before their entitlement expires. A D4 is also required for a first Group 2 application, some new provisional entitlements and certain C1 or C1/D1 cases. The current D4 form and INF4D information bookletGOV.UK explain when it is needed. Follow the instructions that came with your own application.

The report includes medical and vision assessments. A doctor may be able to complete both sections. If the doctor cannot fully answer the vision questions, an optician or optometrist must complete that section. A separate appointment with an eye care professional is therefore not required in every case.

A completed D4 is valid for four months from the date it is signed and dated by the relevant medical and vision assessors. This is the report's validity period, not the interval between licence renewals. Check the current notes and plan your appointment so the report can be submitted in time.

If you are arranging an examination, see our HGV and vocational driver medical service. DVLA's application instructions determine what your specific renewal requires.

Do I need a medical to renew my lorry licence?

It depends on your age and application. A D4 is not usually needed for a standard Group 2 renewal before age 45, although some other applications require one. Under the usual renewal schedule, a D4 is needed at 45, every five years until age 65, and annually from 65. The INF4D notes also identify cases outside the standard schedule.

DVLA says renewing or changing a lorry or bus licence is free. The medical examination is separate, and the doctor, optician or optometrist will normally charge for their work. You can review the services available and their prices on our services page.

If your forms have not arrived or the expiry date is close, check DVLA's current renewal instructions and contact DVLA about your application. Allow time to arrange any required examination and submit all the forms together.

What happens when your HGV licence expires?

If your licence expires while DVLA is processing your application, you may be able to continue driving if you meet every condition that applies to your age and application route. The general conditions include having held a valid licence, driving only under the previous licence conditions, having an application that is less than a year old, and not being disqualified. Your last licence must not have been revoked or refused for medical reasons, and the rules also exclude people disqualified as high risk offenders on or after 1 June 2013.

The medical-related conditions differ by age route. For applicants under 45, the guidance says you need your doctor's support to continue driving. For applicants aged 45 or over, it says you must not have been told by your doctor or optician that you should not drive. These are summaries only. Read the full DVLA guidance on driving while an application is being processedGOV.UK and the renewal instructions for your age before driving. Do not assume that submitting an application by itself means you meet the conditions. If you are unsure, contact DVLA before driving that category.

Your car entitlement may have a different expiry date from your vocational entitlement. Check the categories and dates on your licence individually.

Does a C1 licence need a medical?

Some C1 applications and renewals require a D4 or are subject to Group 2 medical standards. The INF4D booklet gives examples with specific conditions. These include some applicants under 70 who hold a medically restricted car or motorcycle licence issued before 1 January 1997 and want C1 or C1/D1 entitlement. It also says that someone aged 70 who still needs C1 and D1 entitlement will need a D4 every three years.

Group 2 medical standards also apply when renewing some C1 entitlement granted with a Group 1 licence to people who passed their car test before 1 January 1997. The C1 rules depend on your entitlement history and circumstances. Check the current D4 notes and your DVLA application instructions rather than assuming every C1 licence has the same medical schedule.

Taxi licence medical requirements in the UK

Taxi licence medical requirements are separate from DVLA's HGV renewal rules. The council or licensing authority responsible for your taxi licence sets the medical standard, accepted form and examination schedule. Ask that authority what applies to you before arranging an assessment.

You can read about our taxi medical service. Check your licensing authority's current instructions so you know which examination to arrange.

What to check before your D4 appointment

The INF4D booklet says to take identification documents, the information booklet, and your driving glasses and glasses prescription if you wear glasses to meet the eyesight standard. If a doctor other than your own GP is completing the medical, take a copy of your prescription. Follow the booklet's list of acceptable identity documents and complete the sections it specifies.

Check that every required section of the report is complete before sending it. DVLA says an incomplete report can result in your application being returned. Send the completed D4 with your application form and driving licence as directed. The report is valid for four months from signing, so check the dates and current instructions when you arrange the appointment.

If you wear glasses to meet the driving eyesight standard, take the current prescription used for driving. If you are concerned about whether you meet the medical standards, read the DVLA guidance and speak to your GP before making an appointment.

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 2026-10-05)
2. gov.ukRenew or change a lorry or bus licence: if you're 45 or over(accessed 2026-10-05)
3. gov.ukMiscellaneous conditions: assessing fitness to drive(accessed 2026-10-05)
4. gov.ukMedical examination report for a lorry or bus driving licence (D4), including INF4D notes(accessed 2026-10-05)
5. gov.ukCan I drive while my application is with DVLA? (INF188/6)(accessed 2026-10-05)