Getting and keeping your licence

Learn how to get your licence if you have or develop a long-term medical condition or disability. 

How to apply for and maintain your licence.

If you have a long term, permanent medical condition or disability that has the potential to affect your driving performance, you may need to meet certain conditions to get and maintain your licence. 

This may be any kind of physical, or other functional limitation, including:

  • Permanent disabilities (eg. caused by amputation, injury, medical or congenital conditions)
  • Other long-term conditions that influence the way that you interact with your environment, such as those that affect your thinking abilities or behaviour (e.g. associated with a head injury, medical or congenital condition).

Getting your licence

If you have a diagnosed long-term or permanent medical condition or disability, and you want to drive, you’ll need to: 

  • meet the standard requirements for getting your learner permit, probationary licence or full licence
  • declare your disability or chronic long term medical condition on your learner permit or licence application form
  • provide a medical report with information from a doctor or specialist about your diagnosed disability or medical condition (find out more about medical reviews).

Here is a fact sheet that summarises learning to drive with a disability[PDF 214Kb] 

As you work through the process to get your learner permit, and begin supervised driving, you might want to work with an occupational therapist to try out different adaptive equipment, training techniques or vehicle modifications to find out what helps you drive best. 

Once you get your driver licence, your modifications will be included as a condition on your licence.

Driving with a temporary disability

If you have a temporary disability (such as a broken arm or leg), you may be able to keep driving but it’s important to make sure you’re able to drive safely. Speak to your doctor to find out if it’s safe for you to drive. 

If you develop a permanent medical condition or disability

If you develop a permanent disability or medical condition that could affect your ability to drive, you must notify VicRoads. This includes the period after you have your learner permit or licence. Drivers are legally required to report to VicRoads any diagnosed medical conditions that could impact their ability to drive.

If you are unsure whether your medical condition or disability should be reported to VicRoads, you should check with your doctor. 

In many cases, you’ll be able to keep driving with some modifications to your car and licence conditions. 

Find out what happens after you notify VicRoads.

If your circumstances change

If your disability or medical condition improves, or the functional impact of it changes, you can have your situation reviewed by the VicRoads Medical Review team. 

If appropriate, the conditions on your licence or learner permit might be removed or updated.

Get support

Find out where you can get practical and financial support.

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