DVLA warns drivers who hit certain age will lose freedoms on their licence

Elderly drivers have to renew their licence every three years once they reach 70 years of age.

Drivers born before a certain year risk "losing" their ability to drive amid a medical conditions review restricting vehicle usage. Elderly drivers have to renew their licence every three years once they reach 70 years of age.

And these motorists will automatically lose certain categories on their licence which could impact their ability to drive larger vehicles like motorhomes and campervans. When a driver reaches 70, they automatically lose the C1 (medium-sized vehicles between 3,500kg and 7,500kg) and D1 (minibuses) categories on their licence.

Drivers must complete a D2 application form and undergo a D4 medical examination to keep their licences, experts say. The C category, which permits driving larger vehicles, is also lost and requires retaking a test to maintain.

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The Older Drivers Forum explained: “When you are 70 years old, your ordinary driving licence will expire. As we get older, many of us take up voluntary work, like driving minibuses to help others get around. Your standard licence will not cover you to do this when you renew your licence at 70, unless you renew your minibus entitlement.”

Minibus owners and operators must renew the D1 entitlement which allows them to operate the vehicles, which requires completing a D2 form and passing a full pressure-controlled ventilation (PCV) medical examination with this process being repeated every three years.

Motorhome owners in vehicles between 3,500kg and 7,500kg must retain their C1 entitlement by submitting a D2 form and undergo a medical examination. Drivers with only B licences can still operate minibuses after passing a PCV medical.

But their licence will show B(120), which indicates they have met the higher medical standard while other B entitlement restrictions apply. It comes as one third of all Brits believe drivers should have their licences revoked at a certain age.

But surprisingly, the new research also found one in 20 people said this should happen as early as 50-years-old. With the Automated Vehicle Act set to take effect in 2026, around 34% of people who initially thought all drivers aged 70+ should lose their licence also support the idea of allowing older drivers to keep their licence if they have guaranteed access to a safe and reliable self-driving car.