Notifying DVLA of blackout

MEM62

However she did say that I must inform DVLA and that it would be DVLA’s decision if I would loose my license and long it would be removed for.

Absolutely untrue in my experience. (My doctor gave me the same tosh) DVLA have fixed periods of driving exclusion dependent on the condition you report. There is no decision making process.

It also says that a better process may be to surrender my licence voluntarily, which may make it easier to reapply “when told you are safe to drive”. What is unclear to me is if I surrender my licence at what point can I reapply

That is the theory but is does not work in practice. Surrender your license and you can apply for it be be returned eight weeks before your driving exclusion period ends. Once the period ends and, as long as you application has been made and your doctor does not object, you may drive while DVLA processes your application.

Have you license revoked and you have a heap of additional hoops to jump through to get it back and you cannot drive until cleared by DVLA and they have re-issued your license.

In may case (I voluntarily surrendered my license following an incident of syncope) I should have had a driving exclusion period of six months. Without boring you with the whole story (My license was eventually only returned with the help of my MP) I was effectively off the road for 12 months. My point is each case is different and, until that license is back in your hand do not trust anything that either the medical profession or DVLA tells you.

helpful_hound

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81987805#Comment_81987805

Thanks for sharing that info, that’s interesting 🤔

Bigphil1474

I'm a little confused. Your doctor hasn't told you to stop driving. You have stopped driving out of an understandable level of caution. Genuine question - why do you need to notify DVLA of anything? Wouldn't you need to be diagnosed with a notifiable condition to notify DVLA?

itsthelittlethings

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81988420#Comment_81988420

I think blackouts is a notifiable condition. It's what the bin lorry driver had before he killed 3 people in Glasgow, DVLA are keen to know!

helpful_hound

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81988420#Comment_81988420

Yes, as mentioned by @itsthelittlethings a blackout is a notifiable condition, so I have to inform DVLA. The dilemma for me is wether to inform them and allow them to inevitably revoke my licence, or to voluntarily surrender it but potentially be in a grey area as to how long I must wait before reapplying.

Sea_Shell

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81987668#Comment_81987668

I'm not a doctor, but that doesn't sound like a blackout. More like being "away with the fairies" momentarily.

Surely if you blacked out/fainted, you'd have slumped and fallen off your chair or similar?

sheramber

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81988585#Comment_81988585

No metter what you call it the OPadmits he carried out actions with no knowledge of doing so .

That would be a dangerous situation if it occured when driving.

sheramber

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81988521#Comment_81988521

DVLA tell you

Voluntarily surrendered licences

You can drive while your licence is being renewed if you meet all the following conditions:

• you have the support of your doctor to continue driving
• you had a valid licence
• you only drive under the conditions of the previous licence
• your application is less than a year old
• your last licence was not revoked or refused for medical reasons
• you’re not currently disqualified
• you were not disqualified as a high risk offender on or after 1 June 2013

Read the guidance ‘Can I drive while my application is with DVLA?’ for more information.

https://www.gov.uk/reapply-driving-licence-medical-condition/when-you-can-start-driving-again

helpful_hound

Thanks for the helpful replies and info. I spoke to DVLA on the phone and they clarified the situation for me. They said I could choose to fill out a medical questionnaire and they would make the decision (which based on their guidelines and what happened I would have my licence revoked for a minimum of 6 months as long as the issue didn’t recur) after which I can reapply for my drivers licence but would need to wait for the entire process to be completed before I could start driving again.

Alternatively I can voluntarily surrender my licence on medical conditions. Once my doctor agrees that I am “safe to drive” (which according to GOV.UK guidelines is 6 months after a single episode of blacking out) I can reapply to get my licence. As soon as I reapply I am permitted to drive even before I get my licence (as it was voluntarily surrendered rather than being revoked), and as long as DVLA agree I will receive a new licence. In the unlikely event of me reapplying sooner than DVLA think is appropriate they may at that point decide to revoke my licence in which case the first paragraph above applies!

MEM62

Yep, exactly the same conversation they had with me. I should have been off the road for six months by their own rules / processes but was actually without my license for a year.