Licensed Drivers

Medical fitness to drive

Medical fitness rules, your responsibilities, and when you need to submit a medical or eyesight report form.

You are legally required to let the National Driver Licence Services (NDLS) know if you have any long-term injury or illness that may affect your ability to drive safely and you will have to submit a Medical Report Form to renew your learner permit or driving licence.

When you need to submit a medical report

You must submit a medical report form if:

You are age 75 years or over, or the licence you are renewing expires on the eve of your 75th birthday
You have certain medical conditions – please see our List of specified conditions
You wish to apply for, renew or add categories to a truck or bus driving licence or learner permit
The notation code 101 appears on the back of your current licence or permit (under table 12)

Where a Medical Report Form is required, it must be completed by a doctor who is on the Register of Medical Practitioners in Ireland and dated within one month of your application.

Download a Medical Report Form

When you need to submit an eyesight report

You must submit an eyesight report form if:

You're applying for your first learner permit
You're exchanging a driving licence issued by a non-EU country
You wish to remove the 01 notation (Sight correction and/or protection) from your licence

The eyesight report form must be signed by you in the presence of the optometrist or doctor completing the form and dated within one month of your application.

If you're submitting a medical report, a separate eyesight report is not needed unless requested by your doctor.

Download an Eyesight Report Form

Be a responsible driver

It is your responsibility as a driver to:

take any prescribed medication and manage your condition(s);
stop driving if any of the medications you are taking for your condition have any side effects that affect your ability to drive, e.g. drowsiness;
inform the NDLS and your insurance provider of any long-term or permanent injury or illness that may affect your ability to drive safely;
comply with the requirements of your licence as appropriate including periodic medical reviews;
get professional advice on your medical fitness to drive if you develop a medical condition during the term of your licence.

Note: You are committing an offence if you carry on driving after you become aware that you are not fit to do so. ‘Awareness’ can be your own awareness – things you notice yourself without being diagnosed by a doctor, e.g. dizziness, fainting etc.