Report a medical condition

What are your obligations?

Driving a car is a complex task which requires good vision, judgement, perception and physical abilities. If you hold or are applying for a Western Australian (WA) driver's licence and have a permanent or long-term injury, illness, medical condition or disability, or are receiving treatment that is likely to impair your ability to drive a motor vehicle, you are required by law to report this to us.

Mandatory reporting of this kind is required in every State and Territory in Australia.

Our aim is to help you continue driving for as long as it is safe to do so. Reporting to the department does not necessarily mean you will lose your licence or that you will be unable to hold a licence. It does help us ensure that you are safe to drive and that your medical condition is well controlled.

Your suitability to hold a driver's licence will be determined on medical advice provided by your health professional, in accordance with the National standards for assessing a person's fitness to drive (Assessing Fitness to Drive).

What medical conditions can affect safe driving and when should you report?

The Assessing Fitness to Drive guidelines outlines a range of medical conditions and disabilities that are likely to affect safe driving.

If you are unsure whether your condition may affect your fitness to drive and whether it should be reported, please contact us or speak to your health professional.

Some examples may include, but are not limited to:

• blackouts
• cardiovascular conditions such as heart disease and treatments such as pacemakers and intracardiac devices
• diabetes treated with medication eye conditions including short sightedness, glaucoma, macular degeneration and cataracts 
• musculoskeletal conditions including physical disabilities such as amputations as well as conditions causing chronic pain and restriction of movement 
• neurological conditions, including epilepsy, dementia (Alzheimer’s disease), stroke, Parkinson’s disease and neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder 
• mental health conditions such as depression, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder
• sleep disorders such as sleep apnoea 
• substance misuse, including alcohol or drug dependency.

The Assessing Fitness to Drive guidelines set out the considerations for safe driving and outline the medical criteria for licensing including Unconditional licensing (no restrictions) and Conditional licensing (including the need for periodic medical assessments for particular medical conditions). 

When and how to report a medical condition

Driver's holding an existing WA driver's licence or learner's permit

If you hold a WA driver's licence and have developed a permanent or long-term injury, illness, medical condition or disability, or are receiving treatment that is likely to impair your ability to drive a motor vehicle, you will need to report this.

How to report a medical condition?

You have several options available to notify us of a medical condition:

• Online: use our online Report a medical condition online form
• Form: download and complete the Notification of driving impairment form (M109A) and post it to us
• Letter: send us a letter via post or fax. You will need to provide the following:
  • full name and address.
  • date of birth
  • contact numbers
  • your WA driver's licence number.
  • full details of the medical condition you are reporting.

What happens next?

Once we have received the information from you concerning your condition and your contact details, we will review the documentation and write to inform you on what action, if any, is required.

The action may include:

• having your driver's licence updated detailing that you need to wear suitable visual aids whilst driving
• undertaking a medical or specialist assessment
• undertaking and passing a Practical Driving Assessment (PDA)
• in some instances, no action will be required.

If you have been asked to undertake a medical assessment, you will be given reasonable time to attend your health professional, usually a doctor, and complete the assessment.

Will I lose my licence?

This is not the case in most instances. We want to keep you driving as long as possible, provided you are safe to do so.

If you are more than 80 years of age, please refer to Renew your driver's licence (seniors 80 years or more).

Once a completed medical assessment form is received DoT will notify you of the outcome. If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact Driver Services via email.

Applying for a WA driver's licence (including driver's licence transfers)

If you are applying for a driver's licence or transferring an overseas or interstate licence, you must provide information about any medical conditions or medication you are taking on the Driver's Licence Application Form (DLA1) in the Health and Medical Questions section.

Once you have submitted your application, we will let you know if you need to undertake a medical examination.

What happens when you need to undertake a medical assessment?

• We will provide you with a form to take to your regular health professional.
• Your health professional will examine you, complete the form and forward it directly to us.
• When we receive the form, we will review your application based on:
  • your health professional's report
  • the opinion of our Occupational Health Physician
  • the class of licence you are seeking.
• Should we approve your application, we will update your medical status, and conditions may be endorsed on your licence.