Brain tumours and driving

Driving regulations

The DVLA and DVA regulations are regularly updated. The regulations below are relevant to people with a car or motorcycle licence. These are called group 1.

The regulations for people with a lorry or bus licence are generally much stricter. These are called group 2.

Your specialist doctor and nurse can give you more information about your fitness to drive. You can also contact the DVLA or DVA if you have any questions about your ability to drive.

Go to the DVLA website

Go to the DVA website (Northern Ireland)

Seizures (fits)

You must tell the DVLA or DVA if you have seizures. You will need to stop driving for some time. This is usually around 6 to 12 months from the date of your last seizure, but it might be longer. You must also stop driving if you take anti epilepsy (anticonvulsant) medication.

Find out more about seizures

Benign brain tumours

You must tell the DVLA if you have a benign brain tumour, such as meningioma that needs treatment. You will need to stop driving while you are having treatment and for up to 12 months afterwards. This depends on the type and grade of your tumour, and the type of treatment you have had. Most meningiomas are benign. They can be low grade (slow growing) or high grade (fast growing).

You might be able to drive 6 months after surgery for a slow growing (grade 1) meningioma. This is providing that you aren't having seizures. If you have had stereotactic radiosurgery, you may be able to drive again after you have recovered from treatment.

For a grade 2 meningioma, you cannot drive for one year after treatment. If you have a grade 3 meningioma, you cannot drive for 2 years after treatment.

Read about grades of brain tumours

Gliomas

Gliomas include:

• astrocytoma

• oligodendroglioma

• ependymoma

• glioblastoma (GBM)

You won't be able to drive for a year after treatment if you have a slow growing (grade 1 or grade 2) glioma. This is usually reviewed after a year and you might then get your licence back if you aren't having seizures and you don't have any disability that affects your ability to drive. 

If you have a fast growing (grade 3 or 4) glioma, you cannot drive for 2 years. You may be able to drive again after 2 years if you are not having seizures and you don’t have any disability that affects your ability to drive.

You need to tell the DVLA if your tumour starts to grow again.

Find out more about gliomas

Pituitary tumours

You can usually drive again after you have recovered from treatment for a pituitary tumour. If you had a type of surgery called a craniotomy you need to tell the DVLA or DVA and you need to stop driving for 6 months.  If you have problems with your eyesight, you may not be able to drive for longer than 6 months.

If you don’t need treatment, or if you had surgery through the nose (transsphenoidal surgery), or radiotherapy, you do not need to tell the DVLA. But you must not drive until you have recovered from treatment and do not have problems with your vision.

Read about treatment for pituitary tumours

If you had a brain tumour as a child

You can apply for a regular licence if you had a brain tumour as a child and you have not had a recurrence. This means that there is no sign of your brain tumour coming back. You must tell the DVLA that you had a brain tumour as a child. 

Brain biopsy

You must tell the DVLA if you have a brain biopsy. A biopsy means taking a small tissue sample from your brain and looking at it under a microscope. You might be able to drive 6 months after the biopsy if you don't have any problems that could affect your ability to drive. 

If the biopsy shows that you have a brain tumour, then you must follow the driving regulations for your tumour type. 

Find out about having a biopsy

Getting your driving licence back

It's common for the DVLA and DVA to ask people with a brain tumour to surrender their licence. They will send you a letter with information about how long you will need to wait before applying to get your licence back.

It is often easier to get your licence back if you choose to give it up yourself, rather than the DVLA taking it away.

The return of your driving licence is not automatic after you have given it up for medical reasons. The DVLA will contact your specialist and make decisions on an individual basis. It depends on what your doctor says about your level of fitness and the risk of further symptoms. You do not need to resit your driving test.

When you get your licence back, it may only be valid for a short period. After that, you need to check with your doctor if you are still fit to drive.

Coping

A lot of people feel upset when they find out they can't drive. You might worry about how you are going to get to work, pick up your children or travel to hospital appointments. You might need some time to adjust to this.

Ask your friends and family whether they can take you to appointments. Or check your local public transport system. Many areas have community transport services for people who have difficulty using public transport. These include door-to-door transport and trips to shopping centres.

Find out more about community transport services in your local area

If you have seizures and are taking medication to control them, you may be eligible for a free bus pass. There are different schemes in the UK. You usually need to apply for this with your local council. 

England

Wales

Scotland

Northern Ireland

We have more information about coping and living with a brain tumour

Living with a brain tumour