Medical and Mental Requirements
If you have a mental or physical condition that may impair your ability to safely operate a motor vehicle, even temporarily, you must provide DMV with a medical statement from your physician/physician’s assistant/nurse practitioner. Some of these conditions include:
- Level of consciousness
- Seizures
- Vision changes
- Impairment of judgment
- Loss of motor functions
DMV's Seizure/Blackout Policy, established by our Medical Advisory Board, states that a person must be seizure-free or blackout-free for at least six months to establish medication and regain proper medical control before driving. If a person is currently licensed and DMV is notified that the person has experienced a seizure, loss of consciousness or blackout, DMV will suspend the person's driving privilege for a period of six months from the date of the last episode.
DMV will evaluate the medical information to determine if a driver's license may be issued or restricted.
Review Process
As part of the medical review process, DMV may require you to:
- Submit a medical statement from your physician/physician’s assistant/nurse practitioner.
- Submit a vision statement from your ophthalmologist/optometrist
- Undergo an evaluation by a Driver Rehabilitation Specialist in a driver evaluation program
- Pass the two-part driver's license knowledge exam
- Pass the road skills test
Based on DMV's evaluation of the medical information and/or test results, DMV will determine whether to:
- suspend your driving privilege;
- restrict your driving privilege;
- require you to complete a driver evaluation; or
- require you to submit periodic medical and/or vision reports
Reporting an Impaired Driver
DMV promptly reviews all reports of hazardous or impaired drivers.Reports must be submitted in writing or using the Medical Review Request (MED-3) to:
DMV Medical Review Services
Post Office Box 27412
Richmond, Virginia 23269-0001
All reports of impaired drivers must include:
- information that will help DMV identify the impaired driver (such as name, address, date of birth, et cetera),
- specific information about your concerns and why the person should be reviewed by DMV, and
- the name, address and telephone number of the person reporting the impaired driver, so that DMV may follow up.
