Medical review process information sheet

Why are you assessing my fitness to drive?

Medical impairments increase the risk of accidents, injuries and deaths on the road. To protect you and all road users, the law requires us to investigate whenever we hear that a person’s health may be affecting their fitness to drive.

We have asked you to undergo a medical review because either:

• you have indicated that you have a serious or chronic medical condition, injury or disability (or an effect of treatment for any of those things) that may affect your driving; or
• we have received advice from another source that raises concerns about your fitness to drive.

Who raised concerns about my health?

If the police notified us, this will be stated in the letter you receive.

If someone other than the police notified us (e.g. medical practitioners or community members), their identity is only disclosed with their consent or where required by law.

What do I need to do now?

I want to stop driving

If you no longer wish to continue driving, you need to tell us in writing and enclose your driver licence/ learner permit card. Our postal address can be found at the bottom of the page.

You may also request a refund of any unused part of your driver licence fee. (Refunds are not applicable to learner permits.)

I want to keep driving

If you wish to continue driving:

• Make an appointment with your doctor or specialist to complete thereport(s). We suggest you make an appointment as soon as you can (as there may be a waiting period) and advise the staff of the reason for your visit, as the consultation may take longer than usual.
• An online form is available to help doctors and specialists complete your fitness to drive assessment. Using the online form instead of a paper form means we receive your report straight away ‑ speeding up the process, so you’ll know the outcome sooner.
• Ask your doctor or specialist to complete the medical review online.
  • If your doctor or specialist has completed the medical report online, you do not need to do anything further. Your doctor or specialist should provide you with the reference number or a printed copy of your report (which includes the reference number) for easy follow‑up with Medical Review.
• If your doctor or specialist chooses to complete a paper form, please ensure all parts of the report are complete. If the report is incomplete, we may need to ask you to return to your doctor or specialist to complete the form.
  • If your doctor or specialist completes a paper report instead of the online medical report, please return the report(s) to Medical Review by the due date. You can return the report(s) by email, post or fax using the contact details listed at the bottom of this page.

Figure 1: the medical review process

Can I have more time to provide my report?

You may request an extension of time if you're unable to provide the requested report(s) by the due date.

You should contact Medical Review and discuss your need for more time. We'll assess your request and advise you of the decision. 

Providing details of your appointment with your doctor or specialist will assist us in making this decision.

Will I need to do anything else after submitting my report(s)?

We'll use the initial report(s) to help us decide if you meet the national medical standards for the licence category you hold.

However, sometimes the initial report identifies issues requiring further assessment to determine if they're affecting your fitness to drive.

If further assessment is needed, we'll send you a letter requesting you:

• provide a specialist report; and/or
• complete an on-road driving assessment.

How will you make a decision about my fitness to drive?

We're required by law to assess your fitness to drive using national medical standards.

These standards outline the medical requirements needed to drive in Australia, and are based on expert medical opinion and research.

How long does the medical review process usually take?

The length of the medical review process varies depending on how complex it is to determine if a medical condition is affecting your fitness to drive.

The steps involved in the medical review process are outlined in figure 1 above.

What are the outcomes?

If the medical review assessment shows that you meet the national medical standards for your category of licence, there are three common outcomes.

1. You keep your driver licence/learner permit and continue driving

You keep your driver licence/ learner permit and continue driving, but your fitness to drive will need to be assessed again in the future (for example, each year or every three or five years).

Periodic review might be necessary because some medical conditions change over time or require ongoing management.

2. You receive a conditional licence

You keep your driver licence/learner permit and continue driving but only under certain conditions (e.g.: only driving a vehicle with modified controls or only driving during daylight hours or in certain areas).

3. You don't meet the national medical standards

If the medical review assessment shows you don't meet the national medical standards, unfortunately you won’t be able to continue driving.

We understand that stopping you from driving could make things difficult for you. Please be assured that we would not make this decision lightly.

When would you suspend or cancel my licence?

We'll suspend or cancel your driver licence/learner permit if you:

• don't provide a report when requested to do so
• fail or decide not to undertake a driving assessment when requested to do so
• are assessed as medically unfit to drive
• fail to comply with a condition imposed on your driver licence/learner permit.

If you suspend or cancel my licence, can I get it back?

Yes, you can apply to get it back if your medical condition improves.

We will provide further information about this process if, after receiving your report, we suspend or cancel your driver licence/learner permit.

Can I appeal your decisions?

You can write to the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) and ask for an internal review of any decision. An independent person will review the decision and reply to you within 28 days.

You may also have the right to appeal to the Magistrates’ Court if DTP has made a discretionary decision to cancel, suspend or vary your driver licence or learner permit.

It's important for you to know that there is no right to appeal to the Magistrates Court if our decision to cancel, suspend or vary your driver licence or learner permit is a mandatory decision, made under section 24(1) of the Road Safety Act 1986.

Keep in mind that if you lose an appeal at the Magistrates’ Court, you may have to pay costs.

How much will the medical review cost?

The cost of your medical review will depend on the type and number of medical reports required and whether you need to undertake an on-road driving assessment.

Unfortunately, we are not able to help you pay for your medical review. We understand that medical appointments and driving assessments can be expensive, and may be difficult for some people to afford. 

For this reason, we will only request additional reports when they are absolutely necessary.

Contact Medical Review

Email: [email protected]
Call: (03) 8391 3226
Mail: Medical Review
GPO Box 2392
Melbourne Victoria 3001

Download a PDF of this page: medical review process information update (PDF).