Assessing fitness to drive
Choose either the private or commercial standard
The Assessing Fitness to Drive standards set out the medical criteria for safe driving and what you need to consider. The standards are grouped into:
The standard that you need to use depends on the type of vehicle, type of licence, and the purpose for which the patient is planning to drive.
Read the following to help decide which standard to use to assess a patient.
Private vehicle driver standard
You should apply the private standards to drivers who hold or are applying for a:
- C (Car type) licence
- CA (Automatic Car) licence
- RE (Motorcycle or Moped) licence
- R (Motorcycle) licence
- LR (Light Rigid) licence.
However, if your patient also holds or is applying for any of the licences or authorities listed in the following commercial vehicle standards section then you must assess the patient using the commercial standard.
Commercial vehicle standard
Driving a commercial vehicle has greater risks, so higher health standards apply to drivers.
You must apply the commercial standards to drivers applying for or holding:
- a heavy vehicle licence
- MR (Medium Rigid) licence
- HR (Heavy Rigid) licence
- HC (Heavy Combination) licence
- MC (Multi-Combination) licence
- an authority to drive public passenger vehicles, for example, a bus, taxi, rideshare or limousine
- an authority to drive a vehicle carrying bulk dangerous goods with a capacity more than 500L or 500kg
- a heavy vehicle licence to drive a vehicle over 8 tonnes gross vehicle mass (GVM)
- an accreditation as a tow truck driver.
A driver who does not meet the medical standards for a commercial vehicle licence may still be eligible for a private vehicle licence.
In this guide:
- Choose either the private or commercial standard
- How to assess a patient’s medical condition for fitness to drive
- Recommending changes to a patient's driver licence
- Decide a review period and expiry date for the medical certificate
- Complete the medical certificate form to give to your patient