Reasoning GP · DVLA and fitness to drive

DVLA and fitness to drive, honestly and safely

Driving comes up in many SCA cases: a first seizure, a new diagnosis, a lorry driver with chest pain. The conversation is often harder than the rule. This page covers the duties involved, how the domains apply, a structure, pitfalls and cases to practise.

Last checked: October 2026

Who has which duty

The licence holder is responsible for telling the DVLA about a medical condition that may affect safe driving. Your role is to recognise when a condition may affect driving, advise the patient clearly, and record that advice. The DVLA publishes the medical standards in Assessing fitness to drive: a guide for medical professionals, which is updated regularly. Look up the current standard rather than relying on memory; the rules differ for cars and motorcycles and for lorries and buses.

The GMC's guidance on patients’ fitness to drive and reporting concerns to the DVLA or DVA describes what to do if a patient continues to drive when they may not be fit to: make every reasonable effort to persuade them to stop, and if they will not, contact the DVLA or DVA promptly and disclose relevant medical information to their medical adviser. You should normally tell the patient before you do so, and let them know afterwards that you have. If you are unsure whether a patient is fit to drive, you can seek advice from an experienced colleague or the DVLA's medical advisers.

How the RCGP domains apply

Data gathering and diagnosis

Ask about driving when the condition makes it relevant: what they drive, whether it is for work, and whether they have driven since the event. Pin down the details that decide the standard, such as what exactly happened and when.

Clinical management and medical complexity

Advise clearly whether they should stop driving now, tell them it is their duty to inform the DVLA, and explain where to check the rules. Manage the condition itself. Plan follow-up, and document the advice.

Relating to others

Driving is often tied to work, independence and identity. Acknowledge what the advice costs them, explore their concerns, and stay clear and kind when they push back.

These summaries are ours. The domain names are the RCGP's; read its own descriptors on the marking and results page and in the SCA consultation toolkit. See how the SCA is marked for the grades and pass mark.

A practical structure

  1. Deal with the clinical problem first. A seizure, chest pain or visual loss may need urgent action before driving is discussed.
  2. Ask about driving. “Do you drive? Is driving part of your job?” Ask before you are asked.
  3. Give the advice plainly. Say whether they should drive at the moment, in one or two sentences, and why it matters for them and others.
  4. Explain their duty. It is their responsibility to tell the DVLA. Point them to GOV.UK for how to do it.
  5. Explore the impact. Work, caring, money, independence. Look for practical help: lifts, public transport, talking to an employer.
  6. Check, record and follow up. Check they have understood, document the advice and arrange review.

Common pitfalls

  • Forgetting to ask about driving at all. In a case where driving matters, not raising it is a clinical management gap.
  • Quoting a rule you are not sure of. Say you will check the current DVLA standard, and give the general advice that applies now.
  • Threatening the patient. Leading with “I’ll have to report you” damages trust. Start with advice and persuasion.
  • Ignoring the cost to them. For a delivery or HGV driver, this is their income. Acknowledging that is part of Relating to others.
  • Leaving the decision vague. “Maybe be careful with driving” is not advice.

Natural phrases

  • “Can I ask, do you drive, and is it part of your work?”
  • “After a seizure the DVLA rules mean you shouldn’t drive for now, so I’d ask you to stop from today.”
  • “It’s the licence holder who has to tell the DVLA. I can show you where to do that.”
  • “I can see this is a big deal for your job. Let’s talk about what that means.”
  • “I’ll write down what we’ve agreed so we both have it.”

Practice cases where driving is on the table

In these cases the brief already tells you driving is part of the conversation. Driving comes up inside many other cases too; we do not list those here, because noticing it for yourself is part of the case.

Each case page shows the candidate brief you would read in the 3-minute window. The learning points sit behind a spoiler, so read the brief, practise, then look. The full case, with the role-player script and examiner checkpoints, is in The Hot Seat.

How to practise

Read a case brief, set a 12-minute timer and run it with a partner, the AI patient or out loud on your own. The Hot Seat holds the full case bank with a scorecard for each case. The Consultation Conversation Lab drills the Relating to others skills (cues, ideas and concerns, shared plans), and Worked Example Consultations show what a passing consultation sounds like from start to finish. The DVLA fitness to drive tool summarises the common standards for quick reference. Then put a few of these cases into your next mock exam.

Start free

Five sample Hot Seat cases, the full SCA Guide and one free run of the AI Patient Simulator are open to everyone, with no card needed. The whole SCA suite (all 359 cases, the AI mock circuit, group mocks and the Resit Clinic) is in the Gold plan.

Try the free Hot Seat casesRead the free SCA GuideSee plans and pricing
Free means free: no card and no countdown. Paid plans can be cancelled or paused at any time.

Frequently asked questions

Who has to tell the DVLA about a medical condition?
The licence holder. The doctor's role is to recognise when a condition may affect driving, advise the patient, and record the advice. See the DVLA guide for medical professionals on GOV.UK.
Can a GP tell the DVLA without the patient's consent?
Under GMC guidance, if a patient continues to drive when they may not be fit to, and will not stop despite reasonable efforts, you should contact the DVLA promptly and disclose relevant medical information to its medical adviser. You should normally tell the patient first and let them know afterwards.
Do I need to know the exact DVLA rules for the SCA?
You need to recognise when driving matters and give safe, clear advice. Where you are not sure of a specific standard, say you will check the current DVLA guidance; do not guess.
What if the patient says they will keep driving anyway?
Stay calm, explain the risk to them and others, explore what is driving their decision, and try to agree a safe plan. Explain what you would have to do if they continue, and document the conversation.

More SCA guides

SCA casesThe case bank: 300+ SCA practice casesFree SCA casesWhat you can practise without payingSCA mock examRun a timed 12-case diet: AI, solo or with friendsAI SCA simulatorHow the AI patient works, and its limitsSCA dates and fees2026–27 diets, fees, booking and deadlinesSCA for IMGsHonest advice for international graduatesSCA resitFailed the SCA? Reading feedback and a 4–8 week planSCA telephone consultationsAudio-only cases: structure, safety-netting, third partiesHow the SCA is markedThe three domains, four grades and the pass markSCA pass ratesThe published RCGP figures and what they meanPaying for SCA preparationExam fee, study budget rules and our plansBreaking bad news in the SCAStructure, pacing and phrases for difficult newsAngry patients and complaintsChallenging conversations without losing the planThird-party consultationsParents, carers and relatives: consent and confidentialityFit notes and workSick-note requests and return-to-work conversationsSafeguarding consultationsChildren and adults at risk: what to do in 12 minutesResults consultationsExplaining test results clearly and safelyPrescribing consultationsRequests, negotiation and polypharmacyOpening phrasesNatural ways to start and set the agendaExplaining phrasesPlain-English explanations, and what to avoidShared decision phrasesOffering options and agreeing a planSafety-netting phrasesSpecific, checked safety-netting that landsSCA November 2026Dates, results day and the final weeksSCA January 2027Dates, deadlines and a countdown planSCA February 2027Dates, deadlines and a countdown planSCA March 2027Dates, deadlines and a countdown planBest SCA resources 2027An honest comparison of preparation options

gpreasoning.uk is not affiliated with or endorsed by the RCGP. The SCA is run by the Royal College of General Practitioners; for anything official (dates, fees, rules, results) always check the RCGP SCA pages. Our cases are original teaching material written for practice: they are not exam recalls and do not predict what you will meet on the day.