​Medical grounds - Licence Suspensions

If you have a medical condition Transport for NSW (TfNSW)(formerly known as the Roads and Maritime Services or RMS) will ask you to do certain medical tests to ensure that you are medically fit and competent to drive.

This section has information on:

When you may be required to undertake a medical review

Depending on your medical condition and/or your age, TfNSW will require you to undertake medical reviews.

The type of testing and frequency of testing may dependent on:

• your age
• your medical condition
• whether you drive a heavy vehicle
• whether you drive a commercial or passenger vehicle.

If any medical reviews are required, TfNSW will notify you of what reviews you need to undertake, which kind of doctor you may need to see, and when you have to submit the medical reports by. TfNSW may also require that you undertake a driving test and/or a driver's knowledge test to show that you are fit and competent to drive. Before you take part in a driving test, your doctor must declare you as medically fit to drive.

If you refuse to undergo any required medical examinations or driver tests, or do not submit your medical examinations on time, TfNSW may cancel or suspend your licence.

Age

When you reach 75 years of age, you will be required to undertake a medical review every year to keep your driver licence. You will receive a notification from TfNSW approximately eight weeks before your birthday for your doctor to complete. 

For more information, see Older drivers on the TfNSW website.

Medical condition

Depending on the type of medical condition you have, you may be required to undertake a medical review and obtain reports from relevant health care professionals. You may also need to undertake a driving test if you have clearance from a health professional.

This may be necessary if you are applying for a licence or renewing your licence. Some medical conditions that may affect your driving include:

• blackouts
• vision problems
• heart disease or stroke
• epilepsy
• sleep disorders
• diabetes
• psychiatric disorders
• neurological disorders
• age-related decline.
  

TfNSW will make a decision whether you are fit to drive based on the Assessing Fitness to Drive guidelines which were developed by the National Transport Commission and Austroads. For a copy of the guidelines, see Assessing Fitness to Drive on the Austroads website.

Some of the considerations that TfNSW may take into account include:

• the advice from your doctor
• your accident history
  
• the type of vehicle you drive. 

For more information, see Are you fit to drive on the TfNSW website. 

Driving a heavy vehicle

If you hold a heavy vehicle licence you need to have medical reviews, depending on your age at:

• 21 - and then every 10 years
• 40 - and then every five years
  
• 60 - and then every two years
  
• 70 - and then every year.

For more information, see Are you fit to drive? on the TfNSW website. 

Driving a commercial or passenger vehicle

If you drive a commercial or passenger vehicle, such as a truck, bus, taxi or hire car, you need to meet a high medical standard, due to the nature of the work and consequences of crashes.

For more information, see Are you fit to drive? on the TfNSW website.

When will your licence be suspended or cancelled on medical grounds?

TfNSW may suspend or cancel your licence on medical grounds for different reasons, including:

• TfNSW require further information
• you have not complied with providing medical examinations or reports by the due date, or
• you do not meet medical standards.

TfNSW will provide you of the suspension and/or cancellation of your licence in writing. TfNSW will also provide you with the reasons for the licence and/or cancellation and what you may be able to do to try and get your licence back.  

How to try to lift the suspension or cancellation

You may try and lift the suspension or cancellation, depending on the reasons given by TfNSW. This includes:

• further information required
• you have not complied with providing medical examinations or reports on time
• you do not meet medical standards.
  

Further information required

If TfNSW suspended or cancelled your licence because they require further information from your doctor, you should make arrangements to obtain this. If this happens, you should take the notice of suspension or cancellation to your doctor.

Whilst you are arranging for the extra information, you should not be driving whilst a suspension or cancellation is in place. Serious penalties may apply.

You have not complied with providing medical examinations or reports on time  

If your licence was suspended because you need further time to comply with providing the reports, TfNSW may not provide any considerations in these circumstances, unless you can show that:

• you were absent from your address when the reminder notice was sent, or
• you can show that the medical advice or report has not yet been completed by the health care professional.

If TfNSW do not change their decision to suspend or cancel your licence, you may be able to make an appeal to the Local Court of NSW. You have until the day before a TfNSW issued licence suspension or cancellation commences to lodge your appeal in the Local Court.

You must not drive until your appeal is dealt with by the local court. Appealing the suspension on medical grounds does not stay or stop the suspension or cancellation from being in place.

You do not meet medical standards

If TfNSW has suspended or cancelled your licence because you do not meet the medical review requirements, you may be able to make an appeal to the Local Court of NSW.

You have until the day before a TfNSW issued licence suspension or cancellation commences to lodge your appeal in the Local Court.

You must not drive until your appeal is dealt with by the local court. Appealing the suspension on medical grounds does not stay or stop the suspension or cancellation from being in place.

For more information, see Appealing the suspension or cancellation - medical grounds.