Applying for a Driving Licence and Informing the DVLA

You must state that you have diabetes when applying for a driving licence

If you have diabetes and drive, then you must be sure that the Driving and Vehicle Licence Agency (DVLA) as well as your insurance company are aware of this.

This section details the forms you will have to complete when applying for a driving licence and the conditions you must meet in order to receive a driving licence, as well as how you should inform the DVLA if you have diabetes and already have a driving licence.

Informing the DVLA

You must by law inform the DVLA that you have diabetes regardless of how you treat your diabetes.

If you are applying for licence, answer “YES” to the question if you have diabetes.

If you have a driving licence, write a letter to the DVLA telling them about your diabetes and how it is treated. If you are treated with insulin, you will be sent another form (Diabetic 1) asking for more information. This includes the name and address of your General Practitioner or hospital doctor.

They will also ask for your permission to approach these people directly, if necessary, to obtain information on your fitness to drive. This does not mean, however, that you will be refused a licence.

If your diabetes is treated with insulin, a driving licence will be issued for one, two or three years, and will you allow you to drive a vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes. When this licence expires you will receive a reminder to renew the licence and you may also be sent another Diabetic 1 form to complete with more up-to-date information. Renewals are free of charge.

If your diabetes is treated with tablets, you are not always sent the Diabetic 1 form. In general, you will be issued with a full driving licence, providing that you do not have any other medical condition that might prevent this.

There is a charge for renewing this licence after the age of 70. This is the same as for anyone else in the UK who does not have diabetes.

If you have gestational diabetes and are put onto insulin temporarily, you need not inform the DVLA unless the insulin usage continues for more than 3 months or if you experience disabling hypoglycemia.

Applying for a C1/C1+E Licence

In order to apply for this licence, you must ensure that you meet the following qualifying conditions:

• No episodes of hypoglycemia which have required assistance whilst driving within the last 12 months. You must undertake to regularly monitor your blood sugar levels at least twice a day and at times relevant to your driving. If your application is successful, then you will need to continue to monitor in this way, particularly at times relevant to driving C1/C1+E vehicles.
• Every 12 months, you will need to arrange to be examined by a hospital consultant who specialises in diabetes. At the time of this examination, the consultant will need to review your blood glucose records for the previous 3-month period.
• You must have no other medical condition which would bar you from driving these vehicles

If you are unsure whether or not you are able to apply for this licence, contact the DVLA directly.

Application Pack for a C1/C1 + E Licence

The pack contains:

• Forms D1, D750 and DIABC1, which you will need to complete.
• Form D4. You will need to ask a doctor to complete this. This is needed at the first application for the licence and at 5-yearly intervals from the age of 45 until the age of 65, but thereafter it is required annually. 
• Once the DVLA is satisfied with the application, a medical questionnaire (C1 exam) will be sent, and this must be completed by a consultant specialising in diabetes. You will have to pay any consultation fee charged for this examination. If this report is not satisfactory, your ordinary (category B) driving licence will be re-issued for a 1-year period with C1 entitlement.
• You will also be asked to arrange, and pay for, the completion of a medical questionnaire by a consultant specialising in diabetes, with each licence renewal.