How to use this tool
- 01
Pick the country that issues, or will issue, your licence.
- 02
Choose your licence type: car and motorcycle, or truck and bus.
- 03
Choose your situation: first licence, renewal, age based check, or exchange of a foreign licence.
- 04
Enter your age if you are renewing or checking an age rule.
- 05
Read what you need, who can do it, the form name and how often it repeats, then book that appointment.
What does a driving licence medical check?
A driving licence medical checks that you can see, react and control a vehicle safely. What it covers depends on the country and on the type of licence.
For a car or motorcycle, some countries only ask you to fill in a health declaration. Others ask for an eye test, and many ask for a short exam by a doctor. For a truck or bus, the exam is longer and the eyesight standard is stricter. In the United Kingdom and Sweden, for example, lorry and bus drivers need 0.8 in the better eye and 0.1 in the other.
Some countries add more. Germany and Austria ask some bus drivers for a psychological or traffic psychology test. Poland and Bulgaria need a psychological certificate for truck and bus categories. Romania adds a sleep apnoea check for group 2 drivers.
Group 1 and group 2: which licence group are you in?
European licence rules split drivers into two groups. The medical rules for each group are different.
| Group | Usual categories | What this tool calls it | Typical medical rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group 1 | AM, A1, A2, A, B1, B, BE | Car and motorcycle | Health declaration, eye test or short exam, depending on the country |
| Group 2 | C1, C, D1, D and trailer categories (C1E, CE, D1E, DE) | Truck and bus | Doctor's exam in almost every country, repeated at renewal |
Some countries also put professional driving into group 2. France does this for taxi, VTC, ambulance and passenger transport. Belgium does it for paid passenger transport with A or B. Croatia and Portugal do it for some professional category B drivers.
Do I need a medical for my first driving licence?
For a first car licence, the answer depends on where you live. About half the countries in our data ask for a medical exam, a few ask only for an eye test, and several rely on a health declaration.
- Health declaration: United Kingdom, Netherlands, Belgium, Norway and Iceland. You answer health questions, and a doctor is only needed if your answers or the authority call for one. The UK checks your eyesight at the start of the practical test, and Belgium does an eye test at the exam centre. Sweden and Finland also use a declaration, plus an eyesight check by an optician or doctor.
- Eye test only: Ireland, Germany, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. An optician, eye test centre or doctor does the test.
- Medical exam: Luxembourg, Austria, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, Monaco, San Marino, Ukraine, Moldova and Albania.
- Not yet confirmed: France, Malta, Cyprus, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia. Ask the licensing authority.
For a first truck or bus licence, every country where our data covers it asks for a doctor's exam or medical certificate.
Who can do a driving licence medical?
Each country names who may sign the form. It is often your own doctor, but some countries need a specially approved doctor or a medical centre.
- Your GP or family doctor: Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, Norway and Bulgaria (group 1), among others.
- An approved or authorised doctor: France (approved by the prefect, and not your own treating doctor), Austria (not a doctor who treated you in the last 5 years), Poland, Italy, Monaco, and traffic medicine doctors in Switzerland.
- A medical centre: Spain (authorised Driver Test Centres), Romania (authorised medical units), Slovenia and Croatia (listed providers and occupational medicine), Andorra (SAAS), San Marino (the health authority).
- An optician or eye test centre: for the eye test in Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Sweden and Finland.
- Specialist doctors: Greece asks for certificates from a pathologist or related specialist and an ophthalmologist at renewal.
Can an online doctor do a driving licence medical?
No. In every country where our data answers this, the check needs an in person exam, an authorised doctor, an optician or a named centre. Where our data does not answer it, plan for an in person appointment.
Ireland says you must attend the consultation in person and sign the form in front of the doctor. Germany says the eye test centre must check your ID before the test. Hungary says you must appear before the doctor. Sweden notes that the vision certificate needs equipment to measure your eyesight.
Our certificates are not driving licence medicals. Do not use a sick leave, fitness or general medical certificate in place of the licensing authority's own form. Book the doctor, optician or centre the tool names instead.
Do I need a medical to renew my driving licence?
For a truck or bus licence, almost always yes. For a car licence, it depends on the country and often on your age.
- Medical at every renewal, any age (car): Spain, Italy, Romania and Greece. Bulgaria lists the fitness card as a document for replacing a licence, including at expiry.
- Medical at fixed intervals, tightening with age (car): Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Czechia, Slovakia, Slovenia and San Marino.
- Medical only from a set age (car): for example Luxembourg and Portugal from 60, Finland after 70, Ireland, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Liechtenstein from 75, Norway from 80.
- No routine medical at renewal stated (car): Germany (class B has no time limit), Belgium, Austria, Sweden and Denmark. In Denmark, a licence that was limited for health or sobriety reasons needs a certificate.
- Truck and bus: a medical report at each renewal in most countries, often every 5 years, more often with age.
Driving licence medical rules by age
Age rules are the most common reason people search for this. The table shows the age at which a check starts or the interval gets shorter, for a car licence, where our data gives one.
| Country | Car licence age rule |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Renew at 70, then every 3 years; meet the eyesight rule; no exam stated |
| Ireland | 3 year licence from 72; medical report from 75 |
| Netherlands | From 75, health declaration plus exam by a keuringsarts |
| Luxembourg | Medical certificate from 60; validity shortens at 70 and 80 |
| Switzerland and Liechtenstein | From 75, a check every 2 years |
| Spain | Every 10 years until 65, then every 5 years, with a medical each time |
| Portugal | Medical certificate at renewal from 60 |
| Italy | 10 years, then 5 after 50, 3 after 70, 2 from 80 |
| Malta | Medical certificate from 70, then every 5 years |
| Norway | Health certificate to keep driving after 80 |
| Finland | More detailed medical report to renew after 70 |
| Iceland | Shorter validity from 65; certificate always from 75 |
| Estonia | Health check every 10 years, every 5 over 65 |
| Latvia | Every 10 years, every 3 after 60 |
| Lithuania | Every 10 years under 65, 5 years from 65, 2 years from 80 |
| Czechia | From 70, no more than 2 years between checks |
| Slovakia | Every 5 years from 70 |
| Hungary | 10 years under 50, 5 years from 50, 3 years from 60, 2 years from 70 |
| Slovenia | After 70, 5 year licences, only with a medical certificate |
| Greece | From 80, ENT and neurologist or psychiatrist certificates as well |
| Andorra | Over 65, a special medical certificate from SAAS |
| Monaco | Valid until 70, then up to 5 years on a medical certificate |
| San Marino | Expires at 30, 40, 50, 60, 65, 70, then every 3 years |
| Albania | Over 70, validity confirmed with a medical certificate |
For a truck or bus licence, the age steps usually come earlier. Examples from our data: the UK asks for a D4 at 45, Sweden asks for a medical certificate instead of a health declaration from 45, Finland asks for a medical report after 45, and Czechia moves to yearly checks after 50.
Driving licence medical rules in all 42 countries
The tables below give the short answer for each country. “Check with the licensing authority” means we could not confirm that point on an official page. Use the tool for the full detail and the date of each check.
Driving licence medical rules in Western Europe
6 countries
| Country | First car licence | Truck and bus | Renewal and age checks | Who does it | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Health declaration; number plate eyesight check at the practical test | D4 medical report with a full exam | Car: at 70 and every 3 years, eyesight rule. Truck and bus: D4 at 45, every 5 years to 65, then yearly | A doctor registered with the GMC and licensed in the UK, or registered in the EU; eyesight part by a doctor, optician or optometrist | D4 (with leaflet INF4D) |
| Ireland | Eyesight report | Medical report for any C or D learner permit or licence | Medical report from 75 and for certain conditions | Optometrist or doctor for eyesight; registered medical practitioner for the medical | Eyesight Report Form; Medical Report Form (D501) |
| France | Check with the licensing authority | Approved doctor check to get and renew C and D categories, and taxi or ambulance work | Heavy: every 5 years to 60, then 1 or 2 years. Car: only in listed health cases | A doctor approved by the prefect, not your own doctor | Cerfa n 14880 plus health questionnaire |
| Belgium | Health declaration; eye test at the exam centre | Group 2 fitness exam after an eye specialist report | Group 2 certificate up to 5 years; no routine car medical stated | Approved occupational health service or MEDEX | Rijgeschiktheidsattest groep 2 |
| Netherlands | Health declaration; CBR decides | Medical exam to apply for, renew or extend | Car: exam from 75. Truck and bus: every renewal | Keuringsarts from 75; company doctor or occupational health service for large licences | Gezondheidsverklaring |
| Luxembourg | Medical exam | Check with the licensing authority | Medical certificate from 60; shorter validity from 70 and 80 | GP or internal medicine specialist authorised in Luxembourg | Certificat medical d'aptitude |
Driving licence medical rules in Central Europe
8 countries
| Country | First car licence | Truck and bus | Renewal and age checks | Who does it | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | Eye test | Medical and vision certificates; D also a performance report | B: no time limit. C and D: new proof every renewal, up to 5 years | Recognised eye test centre or eye doctor; doctor of your choice for C and D | Sehtestbescheinigung; Anlage 5; Anlage 6 |
| Austria | Medical report | Medical report; D also traffic psychology screening | C and D: new report every 5 years | Authorised expert doctors, not your treating doctor of the last 5 years | Aerztliches Gutachten |
| Switzerland | Eye test | Traffic medicine exam | All drivers from 75 every 2 years; C and D every 5, 3 from 50, 2 from 75 | Optician for the eye test; recognised traffic medicine doctors | Aerztlicher Bericht zur Fahreignung |
| Poland | Medical exam | Medical and psychological certificates | Car: 15 years or shorter. Truck and bus: 5 years | An authorised doctor on the official register | Orzeczenie lekarskie |
| Czechia | Medical fitness assessment | Entry and regular checks; psychology for some vehicles | From 70 every 2 years; truck and bus every 2 years, yearly after 50 | Your registering GP or an occupational doctor | Posudek o zdravotní způsobilosti |
| Slovakia | Medical exam | Medical exam; every 5 years, every 2 after 65 | Everyone else every 5 years from 70 | Registered GP | Check with the licensing authority |
| Hungary | Medical exam | Medical exam; every 5 years, every 2 from 60 | Car: 10, 5, 3 or 2 years by age | Your GP or an occupational health doctor | Egészségi alkalmassági vélemény |
| Slovenia | Medical exam before practical training | Medical certificate at every extension | Car: up to 70, then 5 years with a certificate | Listed health care providers | Zdravniško spričevalo |
Driving licence medical rules in the Nordic countries
5 countries
| Country | First car licence | Truck and bus | Renewal and age checks | Who does it | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denmark | Medical certificate | Medical certificate when applying and at every renewal | Car: as a rule none. Truck and bus: up to 5 years, shorter from 70 | Usually your own doctor | Lægeattest (digital) |
| Finland | Health declaration plus an eyesight check | Medical certificate always | Car: report after 70. Truck and bus: report after 45, more detailed after 68 | A doctor; optician, doctor or public health nurse for eyesight | F122 |
| Iceland | Health declaration | Medical certificate | Certificate if you need glasses or have a health problem; always from 75 | A doctor, usually your GP | Læknisvottorð |
| Norway | Health declaration | Health certificate the first time | Car: from 80. Truck and bus: usually every 5 years | Usually your GP; optician or eye doctor for vision | Helseattest førerett |
| Sweden | Health declaration plus a basic vision certificate | Medical certificate with the learner permit application | Car: no routine medical. Truck and bus: medical certificate from 45 | Optician or doctor for vision; a doctor for medicals | Hälsodeklaration; Grundläggande synintyg |
Driving licence medical rules in the Baltic states
3 countries
| Country | First car licence | Truck and bus | Renewal and age checks | Who does it | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estonia | Medical exam after an online health declaration | Health certificate every 5 years | Car: every 10 years, every 5 over 65 | Family doctor, occupational doctor or traffic medicine commission | Tervisetõend |
| Latvia | Initial health check | Health check every 5 years | Car: every 10 years, every 3 after 60 | Family doctor or a doctors' commission | Health check card |
| Lithuania | Medical exam | Check with the licensing authority | Every 10 years under 65, 5 years from 65, 2 years from 80 | Family doctor or primary care doctor, plus a psychiatrist | Driver medical certificate (electronic) |
Driving licence medical rules in Southern Europe
6 countries
| Country | First car licence | Truck and bus | Renewal and age checks | Who does it | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spain | Medical exam | Same exam | Every renewal: car every 10 years, 5 from 65; truck and bus every 5 years, 3 from 65 | Authorised Driver Test Centre (CRC) | Informe de aptitud psicofisica |
| Portugal | Medical exam | Medical and psychological certificates | Car: from 60. Truck and bus: every renewal | A doctor in practice; a psychologist | Atestado Medico Eletronico |
| Italy | Medical exam plus no alcohol or drug abuse certificate | Medical exam; local commission for C from 65 | Every renewal, intervals shorten from 50 | Certifying doctors named in the Highway Code | Check with the licensing authority |
| Greece | Medical exam | Check with the licensing authority | Every renewal: two specialist certificates; more from 80 | Private specialist doctors in Greece | Pistopoiitiko Ygeias |
| Malta | Check with the licensing authority | Medical certificate to renew C and D | From 70, then every 5 years | Check with the licensing authority | Check with the licensing authority |
| Cyprus | Check with the licensing authority | Check with the licensing authority | Check with the licensing authority | Check with the licensing authority | Check with the licensing authority |
Driving licence medical rules in South East and Eastern Europe
10 countries
| Country | First car licence | Truck and bus | Renewal and age checks | Who does it | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albania | Medical certificate | Medical certificate; up to 5 years to 70 | Certificate at renewal, under 6 months old; over 70 a certificate | Check with the licensing authority | Certifikate mjekesore per drejtues mjeti |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Check with the licensing authority | Check with the licensing authority | Check with the licensing authority | Check with the licensing authority | Check with the licensing authority |
| Bulgaria | Physical fitness card | Card with specialist exams plus a psychological certificate | Card needed when replacing the licence, including at expiry | GP or transport medical commission; specialists for group 2 | Driver physical fitness assessment card |
| Croatia | Medical exam before training | New exam at every 5 year renewal | Car: only if your certificate says so | Occupational medicine providers; family doctor for F, G and AM | Uvjerenje o zdravstvenoj sposobnosti |
| Moldova | Medical certificate | Check with the licensing authority | Certificate listed for exchange or restoration | The authorised medical authority | Form 083/e |
| Montenegro | Check with the licensing authority | Check with the licensing authority | Check with the licensing authority | Check with the licensing authority | Check with the licensing authority |
| North Macedonia | Check with the licensing authority | Check with the licensing authority | Check with the licensing authority | Check with the licensing authority | Check with the licensing authority |
| Romania | Medical exam on the national form | Same form plus a sleep apnoea check | Exam at every renewal; form valid 1 year | Authorised medical units | Fisa medicala |
| Serbia | Check with the licensing authority | Check with the licensing authority | Check with the licensing authority | Check with the licensing authority | Check with the licensing authority |
| Ukraine | Medical certificate for exam candidates | Check with the licensing authority | Check with the licensing authority | Check with the licensing authority | Check with the licensing authority |
Driving licence medical rules in the microstates
4 countries
| Country | First car licence | Truck and bus | Renewal and age checks | Who does it | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andorra | Check with the licensing authority | SAAS special certificate at renewal for professional categories | Over 65: SAAS special certificate | SAAS doctors, by appointment | Certificat medic especial oficial |
| Liechtenstein | Eye test, under 24 months old | Periodic exams by a trusted doctor | From 75 every 2 years; C and D from 5 years down to 2 | Doctor or optician for the eye test; trusted doctor for checks | Check with the licensing authority |
| Monaco | Medical certificate | Medical certificate at each renewal, 1 to 5 years by age | Car: until 70, then up to 5 years on a certificate | A doctor in Monaco authorised for this exam | STC011 |
| San Marino | Medical certificate | Medical certificate; age limits for heavy vehicles and buses | Expires at set ages, then every 3 years after 70 | The health authority | Check with the licensing authority |
What happens to the medical rules when you exchange a licence in a new country?
When you move and swap your licence, the rules of your new country start to matter. Our data only confirms a few specific points, so check the rest with the licensing authority.
- Inside the EU:when you exchange your licence in another EU country, that country's rules on medical checks apply to you. So a Spanish licence exchanged in the Netherlands follows the Dutch rules on medical checks.
- Denmark: a medical certificate (lægeattest) is required when you exchange a licence issued outside the EU or EEA.
- Moldova: the medical certificate (Form 083/e) is listed for exchange, unless it is already recorded electronically. It is not mandatory if the new licence stays within the validity of the old one. A certificate from your country of residence with a certified translation is accepted in some cases.
- Poland: medical and psychological results stay valid as long as your driving entitlement. If they are no longer valid, or you were referred for new tests, see a doctor before you exchange the licence.
- Lithuania: a health check done abroad is not recognised. It must be done at a health care institution in Lithuania.
- Ukraine: during martial law, licence exchange and replacement are done without the medical certificate.
- Everywhere else: our data does not say which medical rules apply at exchange. Ask the licensing authority before you book anything.
If you are also applying for a visa or residence permit, the health checks for that are separate. See the visa medical certificate requirements page.
How old can the medical form be?
Most authorities set a limit on how recent your medical form must be. Bring it in before it runs out.
| Country | How recent the form must be |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | D4 valid for 4 months after signing |
| Ireland | Forms must reach the licensing service within one month |
| Germany | Medical proof under 1 year; vision proof under 2 years |
| Austria | Medical report under 18 months when the licence is issued |
| Switzerland | Eye test valid 2 years |
| Liechtenstein | Eye test under 24 months |
| Spain | Report valid 90 days for a new licence |
| Luxembourg, Monaco, Norway, San Marino | Certificate under 3 months old |
| Sweden | Higher category certificate under 2 months old |
| Denmark | Certificate at most 6 months old |
| Finland, Albania | Report or certificate under 6 months old |
| Greece | Certificates accepted within 6 months of issue |
| Romania | Medical form valid 1 year |
Worked example: three drivers, three answers
These examples use the rules in our data. They show how the tool reads a country row.
Aino, 71, Finland, car licence, renewal.Finland renews a car licence without a medical report up to the 70th birthday. Aino is 71, so she needs the more detailed medical report on form F122 from a doctor, no older than six months. What to book: a doctor's appointment. Online doctor: no.
Marek, 52, Czechia, truck licence, age based check. Czechia checks group 2 drivers every 2 years until 50 and every year after. Marek is 52, so his check is yearly, done by his registering GP or an occupational medical services doctor. Some heavy vehicles also need a traffic psychology exam. Online doctor: no.
Priya, 34, moving to Denmark with a licence from outside the EU and EEA, exchange. Denmark asks for a lægeattest when you exchange a non EU or EEA licence. As a rule your own doctor fills it in, it is digital, and it must be at most 6 months old when you apply. What to book: your own doctor. Our certificates do not replace the lægeattest.
What if a health condition affects my driving?
Many countries ask you to declare conditions that can affect driving, and may ask for extra reports. Answer the health questions honestly.
In the United Kingdom, car applicants declare notifiable conditions on the application form. Sweden says the authority can ask for extra certificates for some conditions, for example diabetes treated with medicine, epilepsy, or alcohol or drug issues. Finland names diabetes, heart disease, epilepsy, sleep apnoea and some mental health conditions as reasons to need a medical certificate. Romania shortens review intervals for diabetes and sleep apnoea.
If your licence was limited for health reasons, a renewal usually needs a new certificate, as in Denmark and Norway.
When to see a doctor straight away
Some symptoms need urgent care, not a licence check. Call 112, or your local emergency number, and do not drive if you have:
- Chest pain, pressure or tightness that does not go away
- Sudden weakness or numbness of the face, arm or leg, or trouble speaking
- A sudden loss or change of vision
- A seizure, or a blackout or faint with no clear cause
- Severe confusion or sudden severe headache
If you have had a blackout, seizure or sudden change in your eyesight, stop driving and get medical advice before you drive again.
How getmedicalcertificate.com can help
We do not offer driving licence medicals, eye tests or fitness to drive reports. The licensing authority sets the form and who may sign it, and in every country we cover that means an in person or authorised check.
We can help with other paperwork. Our doctors issue sick leave, fitness, sports fitness and general medical certificates. A doctor reviews your case and decides. You pay only after that review, and you get a full refund if no certificate is issued. The signed PDF usually arrives within about 30 minutes of approval, with a reference code anyone can check. We cover 42 countries in Europe, and certificates are issued in English.
Not sure which document you need? Try the certificate finder.
Frequently asked questions
For a truck or bus licence, yes, almost everywhere. For a car licence, it varies. Countries such as Spain, Italy, Poland and Austria ask for a medical exam. Germany and Ireland ask for an eye test. The United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Norway rely mainly on a health declaration, with a doctor only when needed.
No. In every country where our data answers this, the check needs an in person exam, an authorised doctor, an optician or a named medical centre. Ireland says you must attend in person and sign in front of the doctor. Our certificates are not driving licence medicals, so book the doctor or centre your licensing authority names.
It depends on the country. Luxembourg and Portugal ask from 60, Finland after 70, Ireland, the Netherlands and Switzerland from 75, and Norway from 80. Spain, Italy, Romania and Greece ask at every renewal. Germany has no time limit on class B. The United Kingdom asks for renewal at 70 but states no medical exam.
Group 2 drivers need a doctor's exam in almost every country, usually repeated every 5 years and more often with age. In the United Kingdom it is the D4 report, needed at 45, then every 5 years until 65, then yearly. Some countries add a psychological test, for example Germany for bus drivers and Poland for trucks and buses.
D4 is the medical examination report for a Group 2 lorry or bus licence in the United Kingdom. A doctor registered with the GMC and licensed in the UK, or a doctor registered in the EU, must examine you fully. A doctor, optician or optometrist may fill in the vision part. The form is valid for 4 months after signing.
The licensing authority decides. Many countries use your own GP or family doctor, such as Denmark, Estonia and Czechia. Others need an approved doctor: France uses doctors approved by the prefect, not your treating doctor, and Austria excludes doctors who treated you in the last 5 years. Spain uses authorised Driver Test Centres.
No. A fitness certificate or general medical certificate is not a driving licence medical. Each licensing authority uses its own form and names who can complete it, and our data shows the check is in person or by an authorised doctor everywhere. Use the form your authority asks for and book the doctor, optician or centre it names.
When you exchange your licence in another EU country, that country's rules on medical checks apply to you. Whether you need an exam straight away depends on that country's own rules. Denmark asks for a medical certificate when you exchange a licence from outside the EU or EEA. Ask the licensing authority for your case.
Each country sets its own limit. A UK D4 is valid for 4 months after signing. Spain's report is valid 90 days for a new licence. Luxembourg, Monaco and Norway accept certificates under 3 months old. Denmark and Finland allow up to 6 months, and Romania's medical form is valid for 1 year.
Many countries check eyesight. In the United Kingdom you read a number plate from 20 metres at the start of the practical test. Ireland, Germany, Switzerland and Liechtenstein ask for an eye test for a first licence. Sweden and Finland ask for an eyesight check by an optician or doctor with the health declaration.
Have a question we did not answer? Ask the assistant.