The DR1 Questionnaire

[Avantime]

How does one fill out the DR1 questionnaire in order to stand the best chance of getting their license back? Some of the questions are 6 years retrospective. A lot can change in 2 years (the length of my ban), let alone 6.

 

[Honestman]

How does one fill out the DR1 questionnaire in order to stand the best chance of getting their license back? Some of the questions are 6 years retrospective. A lot can change in 2 years (the length of my ban), let alone 6.

Hi, well in fact your supposed to answer truthfully, however any admission to drinking alcohol will prompt a Dvla medical investigation through your Gp to find out if there are any underlying alcohol issues, are you HRO ? …

 

[Avantime]

Hi, well in fact your supposed to answer truthfully, however any admission to drinking alcohol will prompt a Dvla medical investigation through your Gp to find out if there are any underlying alcohol issues, are you HRO ? …

Yes I'm HRO.

 

[Honestman]

Yes I'm HRO.

The chances are Dvla will write out to your Gp to see if there are any alcohol issues, if you have NO alcohol issues and none documented with your Gp then you have nothing to worry about, just fill out the form and remember no more than 14 units of alcohol per week and no more than 3 drinks in one sitting, however if in the past you have been to the Gp with alcohol issues then this may well be reflected in your licence being issued, any mental health problems?

 

[Avantime]

The chances are Dvla will write out to your Gp to see if there are any alcohol issues, if you have NO alcohol issues and none documented with your Gp then you have nothing to worry about, just fill out the form and remember no more than 14 units of alcohol per week and no more than 3 drinks in one sitting, however if in the past you have been to the Gp with alcohol issues then this may well be reflected in your licence being issued, any mental health problems?

There are alcohol issues on my medical record but some considerable time ago. Like I said, a lot can change in 2 years. Looking back up to 6 years seems unfair when someone may have turned their life around in the last 2. And yes I have been taking antidepressants for years. My depression is successfully managed.

 

[Honestman]

There are alcohol issues on my medical record but some considerable time ago. Like I said, a lot can change in 2 years. Looking back up to 6 years seems unfair when someone may have turned their life around in the last 2. And yes I have been taking antidepressants for years. My depression is successfully managed.

If you have any alcohol issues the length of time does not matter what matters is weather you are misuse or dependent, what Dvla will look for in their investigation is that these alcohol issues have been addressed through your Gp (medical evidence) and if not this is when you are likely to be asked to demonstrate 6/12 months off driving unless you have the medical evidence present ( recorded with your Gp, when they write out to your Gp there are mental health questions that are attached to the medical forms that will need answered from your Gp, I myself have been on this journey for the last 4 years for alcohol related issues and mental health plus medication….I was classed as alcohol dependent back in 2006 which I never knew about, later reduced to misuse 3 years later, and investigated thourghly for mental health and medication such as mirtazapine for which I have been taking for years…

 

[Avantime]

If you have any alcohol issues the length of time does not matter what matters is weather you are misuse or dependent, what Dvla will look for in their investigation is that these alcohol issues have been addressed through your Gp (medical evidence) and if not this is when you are likely to be asked to demonstrate 6/12 months off driving unless you have the medical evidence present ( recorded with your Gp, when they write out to your Gp there are mental health questions that are attached to the medical forms that will need answered from your Gp, I myself have been on this journey for the last 4 years for alcohol related issues and mental health plus medication….

"Demonstrate 6/12 months off driving"?

 

[Sundog]

If at lot has changed and it is for the better, then you should have little to worry about.

However the caveat here is that if you’ve been diagnosed as dependent - at any time by your GP - then they will want proof of at least 12 months’ abstinence. And that means nothing, nil, nada.

If it’s simple misuse (i.e. not diagnosed as ‘alcoholic’ per se, but have binge drank as a result of stress or bad times in life, anxiety, depression for example) then it’s 6 months’ abstinence they will look for. Again, they will simply refuse a license if this is what’s in what the GP declares, but you say you had a drink recently (even if only a unit or two).

Plenty on here have been diagnosed dependent, said they’ve drank - well within guidelines - over the last 12 months, and been refused. It’s the same for those misusing, who have said they’ve had one or two beers on a birthday/Christmas for example within 6 months. The DVLA don’t care. It’s black and white to them.

So my general advice would be to be as honest as you can, honesty pays dividends in the end. But my specific advice - notwithstanding honesty of course - is given that you obviously want your license back you have to play it their way.

So without knowing your circumstances it would be best to err on the side of caution and say no booze in at least 12 months. But obviously that has to tally with what your GP is likely to say. If you have been dependent, declare on the form that you don’t drink, but for for instance got admitted to A&E pissed 7 months ago; then it won’t wash. Which is why I said at the very beginning of my (apologetically long!) post, if it’s changed for the better then that’s no bad thing.

It would help for you to be aware of what is in those notes. It’s easily accessed via the NHS App; even better would be to preemptively discuss your application with your GP. Many ex-dependents even have LFTs done to support their application in proving no alcohol intake. Without knowing the extent of your documented history with alcohol, it is difficult to comment further.

What I would STRONGLY advise, however, is remember/make a note of what dates you write on the DR1. Date of last drink, date of any accidents etc. You will have to fill in similar forms at the medical appointment itself. If the dates don’t tally, it isn’t going to look good, and I think this catches a lot of people out, and/or may make a difference to the term of license offered.

Finally, depression if it is managed (and any medication) shouldn’t be a problem, if the above is not a complication in that.

Good luck.

 

[Honestman]

"Demonstrate 6/12 months of driving"?

If at lot has changed and it is for the better, then you should have little to worry about.

However the caveat here is that if you’ve been diagnosed as dependent - at any time by your GP - then they will want proof of at least 12 months’ abstinence. And that means nothing, nil, nada.

If it’s simple misuse (i.e. not diagnosed as ‘alcoholic’ per se, but have binge drank as a result of stress or bad times in life, anxiety, depression for example) then it’s 6 months’ abstinence they will look for. Again, they will simply refuse a license if this is what’s in what the GP declares, but you say you had a drink recently (even if only a unit or two).

Plenty on here have been diagnosed dependent, said they’ve drank - well within guidelines - over the last 12 months, and been refused. It’s the same for those misusing, who have said they’ve had one or two beers on a birthday/Christmas for example within 6 months. The DVLA don’t care. It’s black and white to them.

So my general advice would be to be as honest as you can, honesty pays dividends in the end. But my specific advice - notwithstanding honesty of course - is given that you obviously want your license back you have to play it their way.

So without knowing your circumstances it would be best to err on the side of caution and say no booze in at least 12 months. But obviously that has to tally with what your GP is likely to say. If you have been dependent, declare on the form that you don’t drink, but for for instance got admitted to A&E pissed 7 months ago; then it won’t wash. Which is why I said at the very beginning of my (apologetically long!) post, if it’s changed for the better then that’s no bad thing.

It would help for you to be aware of what is in those notes. It’s easily accessed by the NHS App; even better would be to preemptively discuss your application with your GP. Many ex-dependents even have LFTs done to support their application in proving no alcohol intake. Without knowing the extent of your documented history with alcohol, it is difficult to comment further.

What I would STRONGLY advise, however, is remember/make a note of what dates you write on the DR1. Date of last drink, date of any accidents etc. You will have to fill in similar forms at the medical appointment itself. If the dates don’t tally, it isn’t going to look good, and I think this catches a lot of people out, and/or may make a difference to the term of license offered.

Finally, depression if it is managed (and any medication) shouldn’t be a problem, if the above is not a complication in that.

Good luck.

Well explained sundog 👍

 

[Honestman]

"Demonstrate 6/12 months off driving"?

You can also google Dvla drink/drugs medical condition where this will explain the situation and the time off driving required before you can apply again..but as Sundog pointed out it’s too early to predict until you know what’s in your medical notes…let us know how you get on…you’ll need to fill out an M1 as well where you can download these off the Dvla website (mental health )

 

[Avantime]

Thanks for all your advice.

 

[C J 1980]

How does one fill out the DR1 questionnaire in order to stand the best chance of getting their license back? Some of the questions are 6 years retrospective. A lot can change in 2 years (the length of my ban), let alone 6.

Good Afternoon

Unfortunately Avantime, irrespective of whether you have turned over a new leaf in the last two years and rectified the error of your ways, the DVLA want to know about anything concerning your health for up to 7 years, not 6 years.

I had a massive issue with alcohol up to 2019 when I was banned for drink driving. My last recorded alcoholic drink was in the summer of 2019, just shy of six months into my ban.

My last DVLA medical was at the end of January of this year (2023) and even though I am now in perfect health and have the best part of 4 years clean living or sobriety I should say, I still have to answer yes to the odd couple of questions in the DVLA paperwork.

I know that I will invariably have to endure an annual DVLA medical every year until 2026 before I can gladly say yes to any question regarding alcohol misuse or dependency in the last 7 years. It is what it is my friend - it’s a case of simply accepting the situation and playing the DVLA’s game.

CJ

 

[Avantime]

So basically being classed as a HRO is the punishment that keeps on punishing.

 

[Honestman]

So basically being classed as a HRO is the punishment that keeps on punishing.

It just opens up a whole can of worms, the way Dvla look at it is behind most drink drivers there are past or present alcohol issues that need to be dealt with ….

 

[Honestman]

But not to worry you’ve come to the right place, as Dvla won’t explain this to you, the majority of us in the forum are either going through it or are about to, so we can give you sound advice and of course we’ve all learnt from our mistakes 😊

 

[Sundog]

So basically being classed as a HRO is the punishment that keeps on punishing.

Perhaps for a duration, yes. But it depends how you look at it.

My view now is no, not necessarily. It’s a finite punishment because you won’t be HRO forever.

Some people get their full license back straight away. They are probably the most honest (or perhaps lucky even) among us.

Others are on a 1-year temporary, for up to 6 years.

I thought I’d be one of the latter, as I failed my first medical due to other complications. Second one I passed, and was granted a 1-year temporary. But the third one… full 10 year license back. 🙌🏼

So it isn’t as terminal as it sounds. However…

That really doesn’t bother me anymore. I went so long without a drink to get through the second and third medicals (not to mention driving around on Section 88 for a year, in between 1-yr expiring and third medical, whilst the DVLA were mostly busy playing Minesweeper at home due to COVID) that it was sufficient duration for me to completely change my view towards and habits concerning alcohol. I’m now dry for such a long time, and both happy and proud to be. Life is so much better now I don’t drink anymore (and I never, ever thought I would say that once upon a time ).

So no, for me it wasn’t so much a punishment as a kick up the arse to live a better life.

Anyway, just my viewpoint. If you ace that first medical and your GP bats for you, then you could be back on a 10-year before you know it. I think it’s harder for dependents than misusers, but you won’t have to do this forever.

Whether or not you want to keep drinking after all that is up to you. Compared to some, my trip down HRO lane wasn’t all that long. But still long for me not only to prove I wasn’t a liability on the road, but to change my life for the better also.

All about perspective, I guess!

 

[C J 1980]

So basically being classed as a HRO is the punishment that keeps on punishing.

I'm afraid so mate.

The HRO process as it is came in back in 2013. Unfortunately, pre-2013 there were many instances of repeat drink drivers who technically still posed a risk on the road and have caused fatalities and other horrible incidents after the return of their licence post a ban. It's almost like the DVLA have tightened the thumb screws with everyone unlucky to become a HRO now (myself included).

CJ

 

[Dave W.]

So basically being classed as a HRO is the punishment that keeps on punishing.

I was classified as an HRO but now have my full licence back. And no, the DVLA don't automatically write to your doctor - certainly not in my case. There's no uniform process, but there is a large element of luck.

Don't even mention having had a wine gum, let alone a drink, in the last two years. You no longer drink (if that's stretching the truth, so be it. The DVLA persecute those who tell the truth). As someone else here remarked though, make sure that what you declare on the form tallies with what you've told your doctor. Under freedom of information laws, you can access your medical records when you want and they're usually available on line, so it'll be easy to check. If you've had two years with no issues and no contact with your doctor, then there's no need to open up a can of worms by discussing the situation with them now. As far as everyone 's concerned, you been dry for two years.

I had two periods when I was treated for anxiety and depression and declared that on the form. (If everyone who had that experience wasn't allowed to drive, the roads would be very quiet).

Good luck.

 

[Dave W.]

I'm afraid so mate.

The HRO process as it is came in back in 2013. Unfortunately, pre-2013 there were many instances of repeat drink drivers who technically still posed a risk on the road and have caused fatalities and other horrible incidents after the return of their licence post a ban. It's almost like the DVLA have tightened the thumb screws with everyone unlucky to become a HRO now (myself included).

CJ

Simply not true.The HRO designation is not for life. It ends when you're no longer an HRO.

 

[Scrunchie88]

I was classified as an HRO but now have my full licence back. And no, the DVLA don't automatically write to your doctor - certainly not in my case. There's no uniform process, but there is a large element of luck.

Don't even mention having had a wine gum, let alone a drink, in the last two years. You no longer drink (if that's stretching the truth, so be it. The DVLA persecute those who tell the truth). As someone else here remarked though, make sure that what you declare on the form tallies with what you've told your doctor. Under freedom of information laws, you can access your medical records when you want and they're usually available on line, so it'll be easy to check. If you've had two years with no issues and no contact with your doctor, then there's no need to open up a can of worms by discussing the situation with them now. As far as everyone 's concerned, you been dry for two years.

I had two periods when I was treated for anxiety and depression and declared that on the form. (If everyone who had that experience wasn't allowed to drive, the roads would be very quiet).

Good luck.

Are you still on any medication for anxiety depression?