Voluntarily surrendering your driving licence

There’s no legal age at which you must stop driving. You can choose when to give up or surrender your licence and for how long, whether your reason is a medical condition or something else.

If you have a medical condition

You can voluntarily surrender your licence to DVLA if:

  • your doctor tells you to stop driving for 3 months or more
  • your medical condition affects your ability to drive safely and lasts for 3 months or more
  • you do not meet the required medical standards for safe driving because of your medical condition

You may be able to get your driving licence back if you can meet the required medical standards of fitness.

If you voluntarily surrender your licence

Surrendering your licence makes it easier to reapply for a new one if you want to drive again in the future.

You must reapply for a new licence if you want to drive again after surrendering your licence.

When you reapply for a new licence, DVLA will carry out medical checks to decide if it’s safe for you to continue driving. You may be able to continue driving while they do this.

If you do not surrender your licence

You must still inform DVLA about any medical condition that affects your driving. DVLA will carry out medical checks to decide if you can continue to hold a driving licence. As long as your licence is valid, you can drive while they do this unless your doctor has told you not to.

If DVLA decides that it’s not safe for you to drive, your licence will be revoked.

How to voluntarily surrender your driving licence

There are different ways to surrender your driving licence depending on:

  • your reason for giving up your licence
  • the type of vehicle licence you have

If it’s for a medical reason

If you’re surrendering a car or motorcycle licence, download the declaration of voluntary surrender.

If you’re surrendering a bus, coach or lorry licence, download the VOC99/CERT form.

Send your completed form to DVLA with your driving licence. The address is on the form.

If it’s for a non-medical reason

Send your driving licence to DVLA along with a covering letter that says you want to surrender your licence.

Post your driving licence and covering letter to:

DVLA
Swansea
SA99 1AB

Check your driving skills

Speak to your GP if you want to keep driving but are worried about your ability to do so.

You can also have your driving assessed in a confidential and objective test from organisations like the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) and I Am Road Smart.

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