Under the Road Safety Act 1986, VicRoads has the responsibility to ensure all licence holders are fit to drive. VicRoads procedures and relevant legislation are not intended to deny an individual the right to hold a driver licence. The intent is to protect the safety of the community and the individual concerned.
Talk to your medical professional about your medical condition and any potential impact this may have on your ability to drive safely. Health professionals are qualified to check if you are medically fit to drive. They may provide a medical certificate or official letter stating your fitness to drive.
Drivers who fail to report their medical condition may receive a substantial penalty or be disqualified from driving for a certain period of time.
You must contact VicRoads as soon as you become aware of the condition or if I have an adverse change to it. This may be prior to obtaining a medical certificate from your health professional.
Medical conditions that may affect driving include:
- diabetes and metabolic diseases
- epilepsy
- heart disease
- stroke
- arthritis and other joint problems
- eye problems (eg. cataracts)
- hearing disorders
- sleep disorders
- Parkinson's disease and other neurological disorders
- dementia and Alzheimer's disease
- depression and other mental health problems
- lung disease
- injuries and disabilities
This list is not exhaustive. Other medical conditions, or combinations, may also be relevant. A booklet titled, "Assessing Fitness to Drive" contains guidelines to assist health professionals and VicRoads (doctors, occupational therapists, or physiotherapists) determine a person's fitness to drive. Read more about Assessing Fitness to Drive.
A health professional may include a Doctor, a specialist, Occupational Therapist, Optometrist, or Physiotherapist. Health professionals are qualified to check if you are medically fit to drive. If required, they will provide you with a medical certificate or official letter indicating your fitness to drive.
Private vehicle drivers
If you have seen your doctor:
If you have not seen your doctor but are aware that you have a condition that may negatively affect your ability to drive:
- Talk to your health professional to determine if your condition needs to be reported to VicRoads. Your doctor can then complete the VicRoads Medical Report form and forward it to VicRoads.
Commercial Drivers
(Drivers of vehicles that carry goods or passengers for hire or reward)
If you have seen your doctor:
If you have a medical condition, which in accordance with the Australian Fitness to Drive guidelines, requires you to provide a specialist report, your doctor will need to refer you to the appropriate specialist who will then forward a report to VicRoads.
Yes. You are required to declare whether you have, or ever have had a medical condition that may affect your driving. In many instances, upon a health professional's advice, you would most likely be able to continue driving, but it is important that this information is noted on your driver licence.
You should ask your doctor to complete a VicRoads Medical Report form and send it to VicRoads. VicRoads will then contact you advising you if you can proceed with your application or if further information is required from your doctor or medical professional.
How your licence is affected by the declaration of your medical condition depends on the condition itself and the recommendations of your medical professional.
Your licence may be:
- retained with or without conditions (eg. no night diving, only drive within a kilometre radius of your restricted address)
- suspended (pending further testing or advice)
- cancelled (pending future review of your fitness to drive)
If your medical condition means you cannot drive anymore, you should surrender your licence.
Legislation is clear that a licence authorises a person to drive subject to any conditions specified on the licence. Failing to comply with a condition may result in your licence being suspended or cancelled.
Your health professional may suggest limitations or restrictions to your driving such as:
- provide medication to manage your condition
- daylight driving only
- drive an automatic car only.
This acknowledges that you are still fit to drive, just not in all conditions.
In this situation, VicRoads will issue a conditional licence amended to state the restrictions, and you will need to drive according to those limitations.
You would be driving unlicensed and committing an offence under the Roads Safety Act. Victorian law contains substantial penalties for those found driving unlicensed.
Health professionals in Victoria are currently guided by the Austroads publication Assessing Fitness to Drive*, which provides guidance on reporting issues.
Health professionals are not compelled to report medically unfit drivers to VicRoads. They may report a patient if concerned that their advice is being ignored and the patient is still driving.
Providing such information in good faith and in the interests of public safety affords health professionals protection from civil or administrative action.
VicRoads can suspend a person's licence until such time that a satisfactory medical report is received by VicRoads indicating that the person's health permits them to drive safely.
VicRoads commonly receives information from friends, relatives or other concerned members of the public who may raise concerns that a driver may no longer be fit to drive.
VicRoads is obliged to follow up on all this information. VicRoads will send the licence holder a Medical Report form which is to be completed and then assessed independently which may be followed by a driving assessment.
Victoria is working with health professionals to increase awareness amongst patients of the impact of medical conditions on their ability to drive.
National guidelines aiding health professionals, in regard to the reporting of medical conditions, are also under review.
Medical Review
VicRoads
PO Box 2504
KEW, VIC 3101
Phone: 13 11 71