The rules and guidelines around this are set out in the Road Traffic Acts and by the Road Safety Authority which place legal obligations on the driver and the doctor. Irish and EU legislation requires that a driver should advise their driver licensing authority of any long-term or permanent injury or illness that may affect their safe driving ability.
Eyesight report: A first-time application for a learner permit must be accompanied by a satisfactory eyesight report. This report may be completed by a registered ophthalmic optician or medical practitioner. You must sign the eyesight report form in the presence of the optician or doctor.
Please ensure that the eyesight report is presented within one month of completion by the optician or doctor. A driving licence eyesight report is not required where a medical report is provided unless indicated by the Doctor.
Medical report: A Medical report is required for all drivers over 70 and those with a relevant medical condition. The detailed guidelines on this are available here. We can provide the form if you do not have one.
Please note that
- This medical report requires a specific examination
- It must be signed by the applicant and witnessed by the doctor- It is not possible to simply drop the form in and ask us to complete it without an examination.
- Applicants need to make an appointment for this purpose. It is not appropriate to request it at the end of an appointment for another matter.
- You should bring with you any spectacles you use while driving
- You will need to provide a urine sample at the time of the appointment
- A consultation fee will be charged (even if you do not pass)
- This service is not covered by the Medical card or Doctor visit card
- If the form is not presented to the Driving license office within 1 month the process will need to be repeated in full
A driver has a legal obligation to notify the Driving License Authority if they develop a condition which might compromise their ability to drive safely. They would also be expected to notify their insurance company as otherwise their insurance may be invalidated.
Conditions involved include:
- Diabetes treated by insulin and or certain other drugs.
- Epilepsy
- Stroke or TIAs with any associated symptoms lasting longer than one month
- Fits or blackouts
- Any type of brain surgery, brain abscess or severe head injury involving in-patient treatment or brain tumor or spinal injury or spinal tumor
- An implanted cardiac pacemaker
- An implanted cardiac defibrillator (ICD)
- Repeated attacks of sudden disabling dizziness
- Any other chronic neurological condition such as multiple sclerosis, motor neurone disease, Parkinson disease and Huntington's disease
- A serious problem with memory or periods of confusion.
- Persistent alcohol misuse or dependency
- Persistent drug misuse or dependency
- Serious psychiatric illness or mental health problems
- Sleep Apnoea Syndrome
- Narcolepsy
- Any condition affecting the drivers peripheral vision
- Total loss of sight in one eye
- Any condition affecting both eyes, or the remaining eye if driver only has one eye (Not including colour blindness or short or long sight)
- A serious hearing deficiency
- Any persisting problem with arm(s) or leg(s) which needs driving to be restricted to certain types of vehicle or those with adapted controls
- Is the driver's vehicle adapted because of a physical disability to enable you to drive
- Severe learning disability