DVLA Medical - Timescale

Convicted Driver Insurance
Chrism

The DVLA medical is free the second time round (after a year back on the road) as its being done at the DVLA request not yours. If there is any delay in the process second time round I believe you can still drive under Section 88 legislation if the medical process is held up through no fault of your own.

CJ

hi I’m curious about the 1 year temp licence? How does one obtain it? I was banned jan 2014, refused a licence back in 2016 due to amber CDT which put me off trying again. I put an application in for my driving licence on 10th of December but seeing so many mixed reviews on this forum has left me somewhat confused. My questions are this.
Will 2 months alcohol free give a low enough cdt reading? (I use milk thistle daily and gym Three times a week) also would they issue me a temp 1 year licence if I fail the medical for a second time? I mean.. I was half a pint over the limit nearly 7 years ago and am still paying for the mistake. Surely they cannot keep me banned?
thanks in advance.
Tommy A
 
Tomyalfonz, If you have been refused a licence, you cannot drive under S88 while your application is considered, also you will not get any licence if you fail the medical.
2 months alcohol free should give you a decent CDT score, but it depends on what you have been classified as....
If you are under 'alcohol misuse' then they look for 6 months of controlled drinking - which is 14 units a week or less. if, on the other hand, you are classed as 'alcohol dependent' then they look for evidence of 12 month abstinence.
If you satisfy whichever category you are in, DVLA will probably grant you a 12 month temporary medical licence, and you go through the same process a year later. This can go on for up to 6 years.
 
Tomyalfonz, If you have been refused a licence, you cannot drive under S88 while your application is considered, also you will not get any licence if you fail the medical.
2 months alcohol free should give you a decent CDT score, but it depends on what you have been classified as....
If you are under 'alcohol misuse' then they look for 6 months of controlled drinking - which is 14 units a week or less. if, on the other hand, you are classed as 'alcohol dependent' then they look for evidence of 12 month abstinence.
If you satisfy whichever category you are in, DVLA will probably grant you a 12 month temporary medical licence, and you go through the same process a year later. This can go on for up to 6 years.

hi thanks for your reply, when I was refused my licence back in 2016 my CDT levels where 2.8% which I believe would be classed as miss use.
if I have been t total for 8+ weeks on the date of my medical would I be refused licence as it’s not 6 months off? I’m really confused as to how I can get it back. I’m off the beer And over the past year have had a month here and there staying sober. Do I have slim chances or? Thanks
 
It depends on why they refused the licence..... I gave a cdt of 0.8% but because I was classed as dependent for a few months over 6 years ago now (it was 5 years ago at the time of reapplying) my licence was denied because I admitted to a drink 5 months prior to application even though my doctor provided evidence I was not classed as dependent! I took them to court and lost so I had to wait the full 12 months before reapplying. So if they class you as dependent then do not admit to drinking in the last 12 months, they may ask for proof but of course this is hard to do! If you pass all that you may be granted a 1 year medical licence. If you have been classed as misuse then you need to have 6 month of controlled drinking. They will ask you to prove this, so you will need to speak to your gp for advise. What did your letter say when the refused your licence? What were the reasons?
 
It depends on why they refused the licence..... I gave a cdt of 0.8% but because I was classed as dependent for a few months over 6 years ago now (it was 5 years ago at the time of reapplying) my licence was denied because I admitted to a drink 5 months prior to application even though my doctor provided evidence I was not classed as dependent! I took them to court and lost so I had to wait the full 12 months before reapplying. So if they class you as dependent then do not admit to drinking in the last 12 months, they may ask for proof but of course this is hard to do! If you pass all that you may be granted a 1 year medical licence. If you have been classed as misuse then you need to have 6 month of controlled drinking. They will ask you to prove this, so you will need to speak to your gp for advise. What did your letter say when the refused your licence? What were the reasons?

hi the refusal of the licence was in 2016, and the reason being was purely a CDT of 2.8%, no other information was given except wait a while and try again (after obviously phoning them to argue it) this (December the 10th 2020) is my first application since then, I don’t have a history of misuse or abuse. I’m like many many blokes in building industry who like a few cans after a long day working outside. However it was refused. As far as I’m aware I only need to take a medical to prove my CDT is at satisfactory levels. I was asking about temp licensing as a back up plan in case I failed again.
 
hi the refusal of the licence was in 2016, and the reason being was purely a CDT of 2.8%, no other information was given except wait a while and try again (after obviously phoning them to argue it) this (December the 10th 2020) is my first application since then, I don’t have a history of misuse or abuse. I’m like many many blokes in building industry who like a few cans after a long day working outside. However it was refused. As far as I’m aware I only need to take a medical to prove my CDT is at satisfactory levels. I was asking about temp licensing as a back up plan in case I failed again.
You can't just apply for a 1 yr temp licence, this is what DVLA issue if they are still wary of your ability to drive after you have passed the medical/cdt/doctors enquiries. Instead of just giving you a 10 year licence and letting you get on with it, they issue the 1 yr licence and you have to undergo the medical and cdt the following year to ensure you are still fit to drive. This can carry on for 6 years until they are finally satisfied and issue a full 10 year licence.

A CDT of 2.8% indicates serious evidence of regular excess alcohol intake and therefore they probably do class you at least as a misuser if not as dependent. If they wrote to your GP last time, it may have been mentioned in your GP report that the Dr thought you were drinking too much.

What you really need to be doing is giving the cans a miss after work. It is very unlikely that just a few cans would result in such a high CDT reading, more likely a few cans, then a few more, then a few pints at the weekend, then a few more cans when getting home etc... You need your GP on board, make an appointment with the GP and get a LFT (Liver function Test) carried out. The DVLA may need a few LFT's carried out over a period of time to show your liver function is normal and your levels are within the normal parameters, staying stable or coming down. Having the GP on your side is one of the most effective ways of getting your licence back, but you have to help yourself as well. You need to either switch to the Becks Blue, or give up thinking of driving - you can't have both!
 
You can't just apply for a 1 yr temp licence, this is what DVLA issue if they are still wary of your ability to drive after you have passed the medical/cdt/doctors enquiries. Instead of just giving you a 10 year licence and letting you get on with it, they issue the 1 yr licence and you have to undergo the medical and cdt the following year to ensure you are still fit to drive. This can carry on for 6 years until they are finally satisfied and issue a full 10 year licence.

A CDT of 2.8% indicates serious evidence of regular excess alcohol intake and therefore they probably do class you at least as a misuser if not as dependent. If they wrote to your GP last time, it may have been mentioned in your GP report that the Dr thought you were drinking too much.

What you really need to be doing is giving the cans a miss after work. It is very unlikely that just a few cans would result in such a high CDT reading, more likely a few cans, then a few more, then a few pints at the weekend, then a few more cans when getting home etc... You need your GP on board, make an appointment with the GP and get a LFT (Liver function Test) carried out. The DVLA may need a few LFT's carried out over a period of time to show your liver function is normal and your levels are within the normal parameters, staying stable or coming down. Having the GP on your side is one of the most effective ways of getting your licence back, but you have to help yourself as well. You need to either switch to the Becks Blue, or give up thinking of driving - you can't have both!

hi bigtom thanks for your reply, some information was helpful. I have stopped the drink totally Now as I mentioned before I drank last time in 2016 and only gave up for a couple weeks before last medical. My question firstly was would 2 / 3 months T total give me a low enough CDT to pass a medical? as I said I’ve applied 10th December this month and am waiting for the letter back to schedule my next medical Which I believe would be feb time (hopefully).
Thanks
 
hi bigtom thanks for your reply, some information was helpful. I have stopped the drink totally Now as I mentioned before I drank last time in 2016 and only gave up for a couple weeks before last medical. My question firstly was would 2 / 3 months T total give me a low enough CDT to pass a medical? as I said I’ve applied 10th December this month and am waiting for the letter back to schedule my next medical Which I believe would be feb time (hopefully).
Thanks
Abstaining for a couple of months should lower the CDT to the "safer" levels, but just getting a low CDT is only 1 of the steps and doesn't necessarily mean that they will just issue a licence.

They will no doubt still write to your GP and also look at your previous notes, and if that says you were classed as a misuser you may need to prove your case and this is where the GP comes in. A misuser has to show at least 6 months of drinking within govt. guidelines or total abstinence, while dependence will require total abstinence for at least 12 months followed by never drinking again!

The proof element of these is open to interpretation, DVLA do not specifically say what you need to do, but general guidance (read through the many different threads on this forum!!) suggests that LFT's from the GP is the best way to prove what they are looking for. Unfortunately many people on these forums state that DVLA do not just believe a low CDT and their word that they have changed their drinking habits, they want more substantial medical proof. Lots of people are still refused a licence with just a low CDT reading until they can satisfy the DVLA doctors.
 
Good afternoon hope you are all okay.

I was banned for three years and my ban is due to be over on the last week of January 2021, I got the medical letter on 14th December 2020 and rang the relevant numbers get it booked in. The surgery were the medical is supposed to take place told me there is a six week waiting list. I called them again today to see how the list is going and they had forgotten to even add me to the list from my previous call. I'll never get my licence back on time at this rate.
 
I would contact DVLA and try to see if they’ll let you see another doctor. They wouldn’t let me see another and I had to wait 6 weeks from date of letter to appointment but this is an unusual circumstance.
 
I fear that with the lockdown announced today that medicals will stop again.....
 
My license was revoked for 1 year . I am an alcoholic and have to abstain. I was due to receive my license back at the end of Sept 2020. Finally the doctors sent the medical notes and the DVLA wrote at the end of October to say that they can't book me in for my medical as they are fully booked. I spoke to them a couple of times in November and they cant give any time scales etc which I understand. I dont want to keep ringing them but I'm still working and relying on taxis for work as I work shifts. Anyone from Durham area having any luck with medicals etc?
 
My license was revoked for 1 year . I am an alcoholic and have to abstain. I was due to receive my license back at the end of Sept 2020. Finally the doctors sent the medical notes and the DVLA wrote at the end of October to say that they can't book me in for my medical as they are fully booked. I spoke to them a couple of times in November and they cant give any time scales etc which I understand. I dont want to keep ringing them but I'm still working and relying on taxis for work as I work shifts. Anyone from Durham area having any luck with medicals etc?

There are some doctors still doing DVLA medicals.
Have a look at this list of doctors:
https://assets.publishing.service.g...roved_Doctors_in_UK_06_October_2020_v0.24.pdf
SOME, not all of them are DVLA approved for your type of medical. Find one near you and ask if they have any appointments available.
Then get in touch with DVLA and tell them what is available to you. If they say no, ask to speak to a supervisor or you will escalate it to a complaint.
 
I recently went for a dvla medical. Was just wondering how long before I hear back? I did a urine test for drugs. I did a home test which was clean. So hopefully I get a good result. The waiting though is doing my head in. Could lose my job.
 
Hi all,
How do people request a home test? And how is it conducted?

Also, Ive been asked to do some 100 mile round trip for a urine test, I have booked it but that is some distance and exposure on the buses and trains ect.

Ive put a complaint in saying its unreasonable as I also have some health problems aswell. What else can I do?

Also its says I will be asked to remove clothes and will be watched do the test? Can anyone explain the procedure so I know what im heading into please.

Many thanks.
 
Last edited:
Hi all,
How do people request a home test? And how is it conducted?

Also, Ive been asked to do some 100 mile round trip for a urine test, I have booked it but that is some distance and exposure on the buses and trains ect.

Ive put a complaint in saying its unreasonable as I also have some health problems aswell. What else can I do?

Also its says I will be asked to remove clothes and will be watched do the test? Can anyone explain the procedure so I know what im heading into please.

Many thanks.
The doctors ask you a series of questions about drugs you have abused in the last 3 years, any seizures, fits, blackouts etc.

You will fill in a form with these questions also while you wait.

The doctor also takes notes on how you appear, your conduct.

The removal of clothes is yo look for injection marks and also to watch you give your urine sample.

No results are given on this day.

I'm still waiting on my results. I attended last Wednesday.

Hope this helps.
 
Enter code DRINKDRIVING10 during checkout for 10% off
Top