Whilst you don’t have to be fit enough to run a marathon, swim a hundred lengths or do 20 push-ups to be a truck driver, it’s a legal requirement for commercial drivers to be fit and healthy in order to legally drive on public roads. That’s why a medical examination is compulsory for all HGV, LGV, PCV, taxi and ambulance drivers. Whilst the examination is conducted by a physician, it’s up to the DVLA to determine whether you’re fit to drive. As long as you have relatively good health, you should pass your HGV medical examination and be ready for the next steps of getting your licence. Before you know it, you’ll be on the roads!
Here’s a step-by-step guide to a successful – and speedy – completion of the process.
Your HGV medical test must be conducted by a qualified medical doctor registered with the General Medical Council. Making your own GP first choice. However, they won’t do it for free. Costs will vary across the UK – our quick enquiry delivered a quote of £120. And, as you’ll know, if you tried to book a GP appointment recently, you might have to wait a while.
A speedier alternative is to go private, where you’ll find it much easier to secure an appointment. Costs vary enormously. Some websites quote as little as £50. A telephone enquiry delivered a £165 quote. It’s worth noting that some of the cheaper quotes were a bit like some budget airlines, with lots of add-ons bumping up the cost considerably.
It’s worth asking your employer beforehand, as they may have a policy in place to cover part/all of the cost.
Before attending your HGV medical test you’ll need to obtain a D4 Medical Examination Report form. It can be downloaded at no cost from the UK.Gov website. Once you’ve printed a copy, there are sections for you to complete before your appointment. Remember to take the D4 to your appointment for the doctor to complete their sections during your HGV medical test.
Once completed send your D4 Medical and Vision assessment to the DVLA at the address given on the D4 document. Remember to include your driving licence and D2 application form. The paperwork will take around two weeks to be processed.
The examination will take between 30 and 45 minutes. There are two parts:
The first section is a general chat about your health and medical history to highlight any existing medical conditions that could impact your ability to drive professionally. In all cases you must be honest with your answers. If any medical conditions not disclosed during your HGV medical test come to light in the future, you could face fines of up to £1,000 and, in some cases, you may even lose your licence.
The second section is a physical examination. This will look at what is known medically as your ‘vital signs’. This means taking your temperature, checking your pulse rate and blood pressure and listening to your respiratory function. The doctor will also perform some physical tests on you to check aspects like vision and sleep disorders.
During the physical examination, whilst general health will be assessed, there are certain areas that require more attention to ensure you meet the standards needed to drive commercial vehicles:
In addition to the eye test, you will also be asked to read a number plate from 20 metres away before your practical driving test (with/without glasses or contact lenses).
Conditions you must disclose and may prevent you from acquiring an HGV licence include: severe depression, psychotic disorder, hypomania, mood swings, schizophrenia and dementia.
Mental health conditions that don’t prevent you from acquiring an HGV licence include: ADHD, autism, dyslexia and moderate learning disabilities.
Other mental health illnesses you’ll need to tell the doctor about include obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and personality disorder, as these could potentially affect behaviour too.
If you’re taking medication that may impact your driving, you must inform the doctor.
The penalties for drink driving are severe: a first offender will be fined, have an automatic ban of at least one year and face up to six months in prison. If someone is killed as a result of drink driving, the driver could face unlimited fines and a 14-year prison sentence.
You can check the full list of medical conditions that could affect your driving.
No. But you will be asked about any history of drug abuse and intake of substances that could impair your ability to drive safely. Remember, employers do random drug testing on their drivers because driving under the influence of drugs is strictly prohibited. With that in mind, drivers caught driving having taken drugs, face a 12-month ban and, depending on the severity of the offence and the circumstances, up to 26 weeks in jail.
Once you acquire your HGV licence, if you should develop a medical condition in the future, you are required by law to report changes in health to the DVLA. This may mean that you need to undergo a new HGV medical examination in order to continue working as an HGV driver. Depending on your circumstances, passing the medical assessment may result in the restoration of full driving privileges or a switch to a short-term licence. In either situation, you must continue to keep the doctor informed regarding the medical condition in question.
An HGV licence in the following categories is valid for five years:
If you’d like to talk to us about how we can help kickstart your HGV career, call us on 0808 178 9977 or chat to one of our agents right now.
