DVLA requirements for alcohol misuse or dependence.

[C J 1980]

CJ sorry me again....you seem to be the oracle on here! Hence further questions....my lfts were finally normal back in September (being high because of having fatty liver diagnosed prior) so apart from kicking myself for Christmas period of probably 8 bottles wine over 2 week period and nothing since Christmas Day.....you still feel that if I can delay medical 6 eeeks that I will be OK? I would think my gp would have said misuse. I have a friend who is an alcoholic and also has liver cancer (unknown primary) who got his license back 18 months ago with a reading of 1.7?! It's confusing as it seems most on here need to be under 1%! Sorry this is rambling but my real question is please confirm as much as you are obviously able to if you really think 6 weeks will be enough? There are so many people including family and my gp that I can't bear to let down. BW

Someone with liver damage or liver cancer would not get a low CDT score. Someone like yourself who is fit and healthy, should have a liver that returns to normal after a few weeks of no alcohol.

As it is now two weeks since Christmas, your CDT levels at the time of your last drink should have reduced by half. So if say if you had a few sherberts your CDT was very high at 3.0%, two weeks later it should be down to around 1.5% if you haven’t consumed any further alcohol.

This % will then slowly reduce until it reaches its lowest level your body can measure that will be somewhere between 0.2 - 1.0%, but the CDT levels do begin to slow down after the first two weeks, which is important that you have at least a further four weeks of sobriety to reach a very low score.

Most forum members on here say six weeks is a comfortable time period of abstinence to guarantee a low CDT level if you are in the HRO/misuser/dependant category. However, I have always encouraged longer if possible just for piece of mind.

CJ

 

[Ritchie1957]

Someone with liver damage or liver cancer would not get a low CDT score. Someone like yourself who is fit and healthy, should have a liver that returns to normal after a few weeks of no alcohol.



As it is now two weeks since Christmas, your CDT levels at the time of your last drink should have reduced by half. So if say if you had a few sherberts your CDT was very high at 3.0%, two weeks later it should be down to around 1.5% if you haven’t consumed any further alcohol.



This % will then slowly reduce until it reaches its lowest level your body can measure that will be somewhere between 0.2 - 1.0%, but the CDT levels do begin to slow down after the first two weeks, which is important that you have at least a further four weeks of sobriety to reach a very low score.



Most forum members on here say six weeks is a comfortable time period of abstinence to guarantee a low CDT level if you are in the HRO/misuser/dependant category. However, I have always encouraged longer if possible just for piece of mind.



CJ

 

[Ritchie1957]

Thank you CJ....my 6 week timescale from date of letter will be 15th Feb and I would have been 7 weeks abstinent by then so to try to get medical beg that week or week before I'm hoping will be enough. I wonder if I'll be able to as gp who's doing medical those dates or whether I'll have to take date they offer. Perhaps best to leave calling them as late as possible in Jan?

 

[Xeronema]

Thank you CJ....my 6 week timescale from date of letter will be 15th Feb and I would have been 7 weeks abstinent by then so to try to get medical beg that week or week before I'm hoping will be enough. I wonder if I'll be able to as gp who's doing medical those dates or whether I'll have to take date they offer. Perhaps best to leave calling them as late as possible in Jan?

As stated previously, you don't need take the date they offer, just as long as it's within the timeframe the DVLA have given you to attend a medical. Not everyone can get to the appointment they provide, it would be ridiculous to make people do that. If they offer you a medical appointment next week or well before the 15th, just say you can't do that appointment.

If you ring for an appointment close to the 15th of Feb and they don't have one, what are you going to tell the DVLA? That you left it to the last minute? If I was the call handler, I'd be a bit suspicious of that. Just my thoughts on the matter anyway.

Edit: What I'm saying is, don't leave it too late to call. They can't force you to take the next available appointment. They'll ask you when you're available, just tell them that January is out of the question because of commitments and that you're good from the second week onwards in February. Nothing is stopping you from calling them up and asking what appointments they currently have in February. If they have one around the 15th but not after, book that one.

 

[DDGIRL]

Have you been back on the road since a drink driving ban or revocation? There isn’t a requirement to continue with regular LFTs once you are back on the road, but if you are subject to endless yearly licences with a DVLA medical in between, I would still encourage anyone to have at least one LFT done each year for good measure.

CJ

No i would have gone to prison lol my ban is up on th3 3rd Feb (3 year ban) 2nd offence in 10 Yr. Ah so there is no need to have an LFT if I haven't been back on the road since? I do wanna see my gp just to clear up that I've not drank in 12 month just incase, I only sent my D1 off last week judging by this forum I'm buggered tbh

 

[Ritchie1957]

As stated previously, you don't need take the date they offer, just as long as it's within the timeframe the DVLA have given you to attend a medical. Not everyone can get to the appointment they provide, it would be ridiculous to make people do that. If they offer you a medical appointment next week or well before the 15th, just say you can't do that appointment.



If you ring for an appointment close to the 15th of Feb and they don't have one, what are you going to tell the DVLA? That you left it to the last minute? If I was the call handler, I'd be a bit suspicious of that. Just my thoughts on the matter anyway.



Edit: What I'm saying is, don't leave it too late to call. They can't force you to take the next available appointment. They'll ask you when you're available, just tell them that January is out of the question because of commitments and that you're good from the second week onwards in February. Nothing is stopping you from calling them up and asking what appointments they currently have in February. If they have one around the 15th but not after, book that one.

 

[Ritchie1957]

You've both been amazingly helpful you and CJ thank you so much for that! BW Jo

 

[C J 1980]

Thank you CJ....my 6 week timescale from date of letter will be 15th Feb and I would have been 7 weeks abstinent by then so to try to get medical beg that week or week before I'm hoping will be enough. I wonder if I'll be able to as gp who's doing medical those dates or whether I'll have to take date they offer. Perhaps best to leave calling them as late as possible in Jan?

My understanding of the 6 / 12 week process is that you must have booked your medical in by then, but you can still have your DVLA medical conducted after the deadline (hope that makes sense?). If say, you six week deadline is the end of February, you can still have the medical done in March as long as it is book in beforehand. Also, as soon as the DVLA medical date is booked in, you must let Swansea know. If they are not kept abreast of your medical appointment, they may terminate your driving licence application and force you to begin from scratch again.

CJ

 

[Ritchie1957]

My understanding of the 6 / 12 week process is that you must have booked your medical in by then, but you can still have your DVLA medical conducted after the deadline (hope that makes sense?). If say, you six week deadline is the end of February, you can still have the medical done in March as long as it is book in beforehand. Also, as soon as the DVLA medical date is booked in, you must let Swansea know. If they are not kept abreast of your medical appointment, they may terminate your driving licence application and force you to begin from scratch again.



CJ

 

[C J 1980]

No i would have gone to prison lol my ban is up on th3 3rd Feb (3 year ban) 2nd offence in 10 Yr. Ah so there is no need to have an LFT if I haven't been back on the road since? I do wanna see my gp just to clear up that I've not drank in 12 month just incase, I only sent my D1 off last week judging by this forum I'm buggered tbh

In that case, if you have or serving a current ban I would encourage you to do an LFT every three months during the ban. Once you are back on the road under a temporary driving licence with further medicals in the future, there is no requirement to have regular LFTs done but I would always say have at least one LFT done part way through the year.

CJ

 

[Xeronema]

I'm fairly certain that my letter stated that I must attend a medical within 12 weeks of the date of the letter. That information maybe useless now as the goal posts may have changed once again. Talk about frustrating. It should state on the letter if you need to book it within 6 weeks or attend a medical within 6 weeks.

I just remember messaging my mum the following, after receiving my letter (which I can't find at the moment): "I have to have my medical with the DVLA within the next 10 weeks, otherwise they may stop my application. I'll have to give it another 4 weeks and if my passport hasn't arrived by then, I'll have to contact the DVLA and hope they give me an extension on the medical."

 

[Ritchie1957]

Letter does say if not booked during 6 week deadline then it will be terminated and will have to reapply. If can't be then to let them know. Must have medical within 6 weeks.
Quote
Timeline cannot be extended. I can send another application at a time more convenient to me. Etc
If you think 6 weeks is enough I'll go for it. Just couldn't bare failing after all this time. Last time in 22 I failed because after a year of abstinence I admitted to commencing 2 or 3 glasses of wine a month on my questionnaire and they rejected it even after they'd written to my gp who confirmed all I'd said. They then said I had to be abstinent for e years before they could use their discretion....hence another year of abstinence before I reapplied again in October 23! This time gp has sent his report vack and I've got this far. So you see why I'm terrified about it after bloody Christmas dip!!

 

[Xeronema]

Letter does say if not booked during 6 week deadline then it will be terminated and will have to reapply. If can't be then to let them know. Must have medical within 6 weeks.
Quote
Timeline cannot be extended. I can send another application at a time more convenient to me. Etc
If you think 6 weeks is enough I'll go for it. Just couldn't bare failing after all this time. Last time in 22 I failed because after a year of abstinence I admitted to commencing 2 or 3 glasses of wine a month on my questionnaire and they rejected it even after they'd written to my gp who confirmed all I'd said. They then said I had to be abstinent for e years before they could use their discretion....hence another year of abstinence before I reapplied again in October 23! This time gp has sent his report vack and I've got this far. So you see why I'm terrified about it after bloody Christmas dip!!

If you can't get an appointment until, let's say, the 20th February, still book it. Contact the DVLA and explain to them that you've got it booked for a few days after the deadline. I highly doubt they are going to drop your application because you're a few days or a couple of weeks over.

What is the worst thing that is going to happen? You'll have to start over.

Edit: That part about timeline can't be extended, I know for a fact that is BS. I have a good friend that had to extend his medical by several weeks. I'm certain they just put that in there to stop people from messing them around. I'm not saying you're not going to have to tell them a good reason for asking for an extension - just come up with a good reason, if that happens.

 

[DDGIRL]

In that case, if you have or serving a current ban I would encourage you to do an LFT every three months during the ban. Once you are back on the road under a temporary driving licence with further medicals in the future, there is no requirement to have regular LFTs done but I would always say have at least one LFT done part way through the year.

CJ

Well its too late for that now my ban is nearly up and u wasn't aware of this during my ban I don't think unless people do some proper fishing ..that they would be either , dvla telling me there's no need to have them done..knowing fine well it would support my chances pfft

 

[C J 1980]

Well its too late for that now my ban is nearly up and u wasn't aware of this during my ban I don't think unless people do some proper fishing ..that they would be either , dvla telling me there's no need to have them done..knowing fine well it would support my chances pfft

Has a member of staff at Swansea told you you don't need LFT's while banned as HRO? This is a complete disgrace, because there is a chance you won't get your licence back if you don't provide evidence of alcohol sobriety if you fall into the alcohol misuse or dependent category. Did you get the name of the idiot you spoke to? If not, then these jokers will deny that comment was made to you.

CJ

 

[Xeronema]

Has a member of staff at Swansea told you you don't need LFT's while banned as HRO? This is a complete disgrace, because there is a chance you won't get your licence back if you don't provide evidence of alcohol sobriety if you fall into the alcohol misuse or dependent category. Did you get the name of the idiot you spoke to? If not, then these jokers will deny that comment was made to you.

CJ

Agreed mate. I went off on a rant in DM's about how I thought that was pretty disgusting behaviour - I don't think I worded it as nice as that, which is why I said it privately. I think it's appalling behaviour.

 

[DDGIRL]

Has a member of staff at Swansea told you you don't need LFT's while banned as HRO? This is a complete disgrace, because there is a chance you won't get your licence back if you don't provide evidence of alcohol sobriety if you fall into the alcohol misuse or dependent category. Did you get the name of the idiot you spoke to? If not, then these jokers will deny that comment was made to you.

CJ

Yeah it was. I diddnt get his name but he sounded really genuine unless I'm just a gullible idiot, it was like he thought I was crackers asking that or that he's never heard of it been done, I've had nothing regarding booze on my file for 11 months so will be 12 once they speak to gp, what do u think if I speak to a gp and really lay it on thick try get them to write some positive notes down and give their name when I send my med form off ? Still likely to get refused?

 

[safama76]

Yeah haha, and yep.. that's what the dvla said not to bother I found that pretty strange , his exact words were "there's no need to go see your gp or have LFT's " obviously after I'd asked if that would help me ..thanks for the advice but on this occasion I'm gonna politely refuse oh god that's why I'm in this trouble in the first place

So how are you meant to prove abstinence if you don't get LFT'S? I'm going for my 2nd LFT in 3 weeks.

 

[safama76]

When I booked my medical last year I rang at the end of January and booked my medical for the end of March - it was the earliest appointment I could get, however I could have gone maybe a week later. I wanted it out of the way as soon as possible so I went for the earliest appointment.

Edit: I wouldn't leave it to the last minute to book, otherwise you could end up not getting an appointment within the 6 week deadline (or 12 weeks, depending on what the DVLA have told you is your deadline). I suspect that the DVLA wouldn't be very impressed if you left ringing for an appointment till the last minute. As long as it's within the alloted time, you're fine.

I presume these DVLA medical appointments normally run way over the date that you're meant to get your licence back?

 

[Xeronema]

I presume these DVLA medical appointments normally run way over the date that you're meant to get your licence back?

Pretty much. Some people on here have been driving under Section 88 for months. I think CJ did over a year on Section 88.

Don't expect your licence renewal to happen before your licence expiry date. I've yet to see it happen recently.