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Some of the driving regulaons for epilepsy hanged in
!arh "#$%& 'nformaon about these is given below&
You an also read our summary of the hanges&
(ollow our interave guide to see at a glane what the
driving regulaons mean for you&
What the regulaons say
Aording to the D)LA* for +roup $ lienes* epilepsy is de,ned as two or more
sei-ures within ,ve years& (or +roup " lienes* epilepsy is de,ned as two or
more sei-ures within $# years& .he driving regulaons are di/erent if you have
had a ,rst* single 0isolated sei-ure1& See our page on D)LA terminology for the
de,nions used by the D)LA&
Group 1 licences
.his group inludes ars* motoryles and mopeds& .o drive* you must meet all
normal driving re2uirements and must have been ompletely free of sei-ures for
one year* with or without ta3ing an4epilep drugs&
.he regulaons are di/erent:
if your sei-ures have never a/eted your onsiousness or ability to ontrol a
vehile
if you have only ever had asleep sei-ures&
Group 2 licences
.his group inludes large goods vehiles 5L+) or lorries6* passenger arrying
vehiles 578) or buses and minibuses with nine seats or more6 and horse bo9es&
You must meet all normal driving re2uirements and must have been
sei-ure4free* without ta3ing an4epilep drugs* for the last $# years& .he D)LA
will also need to be sas,ed that you are not li3ely to have any more sei-ures&
Taxi drivers
!any loal authories apply the regulaons for +roup " lienes to driving a
ta9i& However* eah loal authority deides on its own standards for driving&
8ontat your loal ounil 5opens new window6 for details&
Awake seizures that do not affect
consciousness or the ability to control a
vehicle
(or some types of awa3e sei-ures* you may be able to apply for a new +roup $
7rint this page
driving regulations for epilepsy | Epilepsy Society http://www.epilepsysociety.org.uk/driving-regulations-epilepsy
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liene 5opens new window6 a:er one year of not driving* even if you are sll
having sei-ures& .his is only the ase if all of the following apply to you:
you stay fully onsious during your sei-ures
you would be able to at* reat and ontrol a vehile normally during the
sei-ure
you have only these types of sei-ures and no other type
you have never had a sei-ure that a/ets your onsiousness or your ability
to ontrol a vehile&
'f you have or have ever had other types of sei-ures whih a/et your ability to
ontrol a vehile ; for e9ample* where you beome onfused* feel numb or
wea3* or are unable to remember what has happened* these regulaons will not
apply to you& See +roup $ lienes above&
Asleep seizures
0Asleep sei-ures1 5somemes alled 0noturnal sei-ures16 are sei-ures that start
while you are sleeping* while you are falling asleep* or as you are wa3ing up& .he
term 0asleep sei-ures1 an apply at night or if you sleep in the dayme as part of
your normal roune&
'f you have an asleep sei-ure* you must stop driving for one year and ontat the
D)LA& 'f you are then sei-ure4free for one year* you an apply for a new +roup $
liene 5opens new window6* as you an for 0awa3e sei-ures1&
'f you have had only asleep sei-ures over a period of three years sine your last
awa3e sei-ure* you an apply for a new +roup $ liene to drive* even if your
asleep sei-ures onnue& 't is important that this pa<ern of only asleep sei-ures
is seen over at least three years& You will sll need to tell the D)LA and your
insurane ompany about your sei-ures&
'f you have only ever had asleep sei-ures 5and have never had an awa3e
sei-ure6* then one this pa<ern of only asleep sei-ures has been established for
one year* you an apply for a new +roup $ liene to drive* even if your asleep
sei-ures onnue& .his will no longer apply if you have an awa3e sei-ure in
future&
'f you then have an awa3e sei-ure* you will need to stop driving for one year
from the date of your last awa3e sei-ure& 'f you remain sei-ure4free for one year*
you an then apply for a new +roup $ liene&
reakthrough seizures
=rea3through sei-ures are sei-ures that happen when someone1s epilepsy has
otherwise been fully ontrolled 5and they have not been having sei-ures6& 'f you
are sei-ure4free and have a driving liene* and you have a brea3through
sei-ure* you will have to stop driving and tell the D)LA 5opens new window6&
!topping or changing your "edicaon
'f you stop ta3ing your an4epilep drugs 5AEDs6* there is a ris3 that your
sei-ures will start again& 'f you and your dotor deide that you an stop ta3ing
5withdraw6 your AEDs* your dotor may advise you to stop driving while you are
oming o/ your AEDs and for si9 months a:er you have stopped your AEDs&
During this me* if you have a sei-ure* you will need to stop driving and tell the
D)LA& 'f you then go ba3 on to the same mediaon and remain sei-ure4free
for si9 months* you an apply for a new liene& .his also applies if you have a
sei-ure during hanges to your mediaon that have been agreed with your
dotor&
An e9epon to this is if you have an awa3e sei-ure that does not a/et your
onsiousness or ability to drive or an asleep sei-ure& You will sll need to tell
the D)LA about the sei-ure* but you may sll be allowed to drive and not lose
your liene* depending on the type of sei-ures that you have had previously&
driving regulations for epilepsy | Epilepsy Society http://www.epilepsysociety.org.uk/driving-regulations-epilepsy
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#on$epilepc seizures
'f you have a non4epilep sei-ure* you will need to stop driving and tell the
D)LA& 'f your sei-ures then beome ontrolled* and your dotors and the D)LA
are sas,ed that you are unli3ely to have another sei-ure* you may be able to
apply for a new +roup $ liene& (or more informaon* ontat the D)LA 5opens
new window6&
%solated seizures
.here are spei, D)LA driving regulaons for people a:er an isolated epilep
sei-ure& .he D)LA1s de,nion of an isolated sei-ure is a ,rst and single sei-ure
with no history of sei-ures* or a number of sei-ures within a "> hour period that
are the person1s ,rst ever sei-ures&
%solated seizure& Group 1 licence
You must stop driving for si9 months from the date of the sei-ure* and tell the
D)LA& You may be allowed to start driving again a:er si9 months if you have had
no further sei-ures and there are no linial fators 5suh as a sar on the brain6
or results from invesgaons 5suh as an EE+6 whih suggest a high ris3 of you
having another sei-ure&
%solated seizure& Group 2 licence
You must stop driving for ,ve years from the date of the sei-ure* and tell the
D)LA& You may be allowed to start driving again a:er ,ve years if there are no
linial fators 5suh as a sar on the brain6 or results from invesgaons 5suh
as an EE+6 whih suggest a high ris3 of you having another sei-ure&
You must not have been presribed an4epilep drugs during the ,ve years
before applying for your liene& 'f you feel that these regulaons apply to you*
you an tal3 to your speialist or all the D)LA1s drivers medial en2uiries
number on #%## ?@# AB#?&
Cote: these regulaons only apply to people who have had a ,rst and single
sei-ure& .hey do not apply to people diagnosed with epilepsy&
'xceponal circu"stances
'f someone with no history of sei-ures has a sei-ure aused* or 0provo3ed1* by
something that is unli3ely to happen again* this may be an 0e9eponal
irumstane1& .his might inlude a sei-ure happening immediately at the me
of a head inDury or a stro3e& .he D)LA loo3s at these irumstanes on an
individual basis&
Sei-ures aused by alohol or drug misuse* sleep deprivaon* stopping or
hanging mediaon* or the side e/ets of mediaon are not usually
onsidered provo3ed& 'f your ,rst and only sei-ure was aused by alohol or drug
misuse* you will also need to meet the driving standards for alohol problems or
drug misuse 5opens new window6&
(ehicles which need no licence
)orkli* trucks+ ,ar" vehicles and sit$on lawn
"owers
.he D)LA regulaons over vehiles that are driven on publi highways* not
vehiles that are used on private land& A driving liene is not needed for the
following vehiles as long as they are only being driven on private land and not
on publi roads:
for3li: tru3s
driving regulations for epilepsy | Epilepsy Society http://www.epilepsysociety.org.uk/driving-regulations-epilepsy
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farm vehiles 5suh as trators and 2uad bi3es6
sit4on lawn mowers&
Employers need to onsider health and safety regulaons if someone drives
these vehiles on private land as part of their Dob& .he Health and Safety
E9euve advises standards for driving these vehiles that are similar to ar and
L+) standards* depending on the vehile1s si-e and weight&
'f these vehiles are driven on publi highways then a driving liene would be
needed& 8ontat the EHealth and Safety E9euveF 5h<p:GGwww&hse&gov&u3G6 on
#B>H %>H ##HH&
'lectric wheelchairs and "obility scooters
Eletri wheelhairs and mobility sooters are not onsidered to be 0vehiles1* so
you do not need a driving liene to use them* whether they are used on publi
or private land& However* wheelhairs or mobility sooters that are 0lass %
invalid arriages1 an be used on the road* and need to be registered with the
D)LA 5opens new window6&
-eople co"ing to the ./ ,ro" abroad
'f you are oming to the IJ and need to apply* or reapply* for a IJ liene* then
the regulaons on this page will apply to you&
.a3en from our Driving and travel leaKet& Lrder this leaKet from our online shop
as part of our M,rst ,ve freeM o/er&
Ne are grateful to the D)LA for its guidane on the driving regulaons
informaon&
driving regulations for epilepsy | Epilepsy Society http://www.epilepsysociety.org.uk/driving-regulations-epilepsy
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