Applying for a licence

You can apply for your licence at 17, however if you are on the higher rate of PIP (mobility component) you can apply for your licence at 16.

Applying for your driving licence can take longer if you have a medical condition (upto 6 months).  You are allowed to apply for your licence three months before your 16 birthday if you are on the higher rate of mobility component of PIP or three months before your 17^th birthday if you are not.   

You can get an application form from a Driver Vehicle Agency Testing Centre or from a main Post Office.   Fill in the form enclosing your medical details and the Driver Vehicle Agency will send out a medical form for the GP to fill in.

Medical Questions Section 3
You must answer all questions in section 3. If you have any conditions mentioned in section 3, you must name those conditions in the appropriate spaces.  Driver Vehicle Agency (DVA) may send out a medical form to you for your GP to fill in and based on this information you will either receive your provisional driving licence or be sent for a driving assessment with ourselves.

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Eyesight Requirements for Driving

Good vision is essential for safe driving, therefore, the law sets minimum eyesight standards that drivers must meet. For car drivers the law is reading a number plate (containing letters and figures 79mm high and 57mm wide) at a distance of 20.5 m or a distance of 20m (if the letters and figures are 50mm wide).   The standards for lorry and bus drivers are higher than for car drivers and motorcyclists.

Eyesight may deteriorate over time so it is recommend that a professional eye test is taken at least every two years, or straight away if a problem arises. 

If you need glasses or corrective lenses to meet the requirements, it’s a legal requirement that you wear them every time you drive.

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Current Licence Holder Declaring a New Medical Condition

As a driving licence holder you are required to disclose a new medical condition to the Driver Vehicle Agency (DVA).  You can do this in writing or by telephone to:

Medical Section
DVA
County Hall
Coleraine
BT51 3TB

0300 200 7861

The DVA will then send out a medical form to you for your GP to fill in.  This information will allow the DVA to make a decision on your ability to continue driving and may result in a driving assessment with ourselves.   

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