Normally an application to renew a lorry or bus licence at age 45 or over must include a medical examination report (D4) which is signed by a doctor. However, NHS doctors cannot carry out these examinations so lorry and bus drivers are currently unable to obtain D4 medical reports required to support their application.

So, in these special circumstances, a D4 will not be required when applying to renew a lorry or bus licence until further notice. However, this will only apply if the licence has expired or is due to expire on or after 1 January 2020.

However, please note: where a bus or lorry licence is renewed without the production of a valid D4, it will only be valid for a period of one year.

This will not affect applications for renewal of licences made by those aged 65 or over as these licences are already only valid for one year.

This notice does not apply to any application to renew small lorry (C1) and minibus (D1 (101)) entitlements included on car licences issued before 1997.

Any driver who has already obtained a D4 can still submit this with their application. A licence issued in such cases would be valid for the usual full term that applies.

0.1 Explanation

Regulation 10(5) of the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1999 provides that an applicant for a Group 2 (lorry or bus) licence shall, if required to do so by the Secretary of State, submit in support of his application a report (in such form as the Secretary of State may require) signed by a qualified medical practitioner. The current form is the D4 and the Secretary of State has decided to suspend its requirement for the time being.