2018 Drink Driving Most Recent Experience Application, HRO Medical, CDT results ETC

Convicted Driver Insurance

Ben2522

Member
Hi All. I wanted to write a post as I myself am due to finish my 40 month ban (reduced to 30 months from course, 2nd time in 8 years, long story) next week. The key thing I want to tall you right now is not to sit and stress about this entire process. I have read nearly every article in this website looking for answers and more answers. Its different for everyone so do the below and try and forget about it the rest of the time. Tough I know. No point in trawling google because most of the posts are way out of date. Like liver function test over CDT old.
Before my account of things:
The CDT, my understanding of this is that it detects the enzymes in your liver that break down alcohol. You will pass this is you don't get smashed repeatedly for the 12 weeks before you blood test. Drinking is not an issue but stick below the guidelines, or don't drink like me. It depends on how important getting your licence back is to you. Must be quite important if you reading this. 8-12 weeks and you will be safe from EVERYTHING you have consumed.

My timeline and advise from 2018 (I wouldn't read any of the others as mine is based on the questions I had and all the other threads combined here)


  1. Do your course if given it, the course will send all info over to dvla so don't worry on this. You can check your licence online at https://www.gov.uk/view-driving-licence
  2. Receive your letter from the DVLA stating that you need a medical (if you have moved since like me, you need to get the normal forms from the dvla website. The D1 for car and D2 for HGV
  3. Send off application and make sure you send a photo regardless and any changes of address all on the one form and enclose the £90 fee, I did this as a postal order and it cleared in 4 days. Cheque is apparently a long route. Do not send cash. Look on the back of your application form because there are different post codes for different departments.
  4. Ring the DVLA about 1-2 weeks later and go through to the medical department. From the phone. option 2 then 1, then 2 and you will join the call que.. The reason for this is so you dont have to wait for the post. They will fax your info to your appointed DVLA doctor for you and it will arrive on the same day. Otherwise you will be waiting 2 weeks for post and then 4 additional days as stated on the document for the DVLA doctor to receive theirs.
  5. Call the appointed doctor constantly until they scan your information onto there system. It took mine 2 days because they were "busy".
  6. Once your info is scanned on they will allow you to book the appointment and not before. You have 6 weeks to get this booked and attended or you have to do it all again and possibly even pay the £90 again.
  7. I didnt drink from 25th December until my medical on the 27th Feb 2018 , I am generally an all out drinker once every 2 weeks. Like a 12-14 hour sesh on a Friday and then nothing for 2 weeks. I arrived 15 minutes early for my appointment and got called in by the doctor, nice bloke really chilled out and didn't seem that judgey. I was also chilled out, nervs might raise some suspicion so get rid of them. The first thing he said was "im only here to do what the DVLA want, I dont have any other information about you, this wont take long its mainly filling out questions". I answered no to all the questions and said that my relationship with alcohol had changed since this incident and that I rarely drink. I said I had 4 cans of fosters over a 6 hour period on the 25th and nothing since. (i was out for 2 days on the Christmas sesh.) I then got asked to sit on the bed and he took my blood pressure, heart, breathing and felt my stomach area. They took my bloods and that's it. They get send off the same day. The CDT has to be done within 4 days to get accurate results so its in the DVLA's interest to rush this through.
  8. Medical was on the Tuesday 27th. The DVLA were closed on the Thursday and Friday because of the snow so I called on Monday and all my results had come in just not the paperwork. I got the doctors to send the paperwork through fax (always do fax) By Tuesday afternoon they had scanned my info on the system and gave me my result over the phone. I asked what percentage and they said there is no percentage however there is a value her of ...0.9. Boom in in the green. You want to aim for under 1% because this indicates you dont or rarely drink and that means no misuse. You do have up to 2.1% to be in the green zone. Anything above that up to 3% and they will look closer at you. 3%+ is a straight refusal.
  9. I then asked whats next and they said that it will now be sent for a decision and is with the team already 7th March. I asked are there any other actions like contacting my doctor etc and he said "no nothing like that" This was today.

I should have a decision in the next 48 hours and back on the road next Friday. I will update once I get the answer. Hope this helps, the key thing is to stop over thinking and stressing. You will either get your licence back or you wont. Dont pin your hopes on it. Lastly I haven't spellchecked and dont plan to.

Good luck.
 
Hi Ben,

I’ve had to have 2 medical as the first one wasn’t carried out to DVLA standards, been doing my nut in. My ban ended on January 25th.

Did they not contact your doctor at all?
In didn’t have any drink at all after New Year’s Eve, only had 4 pints then anyway, before that havnt had a Sean since September.

7 weeks and 2 days without a drop so my cdt should’ve been perfect.

I had to answer yes to having a crash as that’s what I got banned for.
My gp did the questionnaire yesterday and they faxed it back to DVLA today. I’ve seen him once about stress after my accident (October 2016) but before that nothing for 10 years?

Do you think I’d have my licence reissued by next week?
Got a massive job reliant on getting licence back .

I applied for my licence on 20th November!

Sorry for long response

Glenn
 
Hi, as far as I know it’s in for a decision as we speak. No mention of my doctor. I answered no to all questions and got a 0.9 on my cdt so there not a lot of point in them doing it. Unless they want to waste more of their and my time. I can understand why they contacted yours for the crash. However, if you have nothing odd at your doctors I suspect you will have your licence given to you in the next 2 weeks. They may give you a shorter term licence and have to do a medical once a year for 3 years but they will pay for that. Either way I’m sure you will be fine.
 
Thanks for your reply Ben, yeah hopefully within the next few weeks. Yours sounds like you’ll get in iminantly.
Did they give you your cdt reading over the phone?
 
Hi. Yea I hope so and yes, I called up and went through to the medical dep and said "out of interest what are my results of the CDT. is there a number value like 1.1 or 2 and they said yes there is no percentage but there is a value of 1.9 here. All you can do is ask. I might have got a good advisor. Just ask for the number at the bottom of the page.
 
Quick update. I rang the DVLA today 8/3/18 medical department and they have re-issued my licence. They have not contacted my doctor and have given me a full unrestricted licence. I want to clarify some things and my opinion on why its sailed through:

  1. I answered no to all the questions. If you answer yes to anything i.e memory loss or a crash then the will definitly contact your doctor regardless of CDT. If you do not have the crash DD codes then answer no... This will only be applicable of you have a DR10, DR20, DR30. IF you have the drivers code for death by or crash based then they will contact your doctor I believe so be honest on everything.
  2. ITs all about the CDT results. There is talk of the DVLA contacting peoples doctors regardless. This is bull. My opinion 1. if you go into the amber zone 2.1+ but I believe if you score under 1 they will not. Over 1 then they will. Honestly in my opinion its best to not drink for 2 months, shouldn't be difficult unless you have an issue.. Depends how important the licence is to you. Im not saying dont drink. im saying have a good think about what is important.
  3. Ask them to fax details over instead of post. Mainly for the medical.
  4. I do not need to wait for my licence in the post to come through my door before I can drive. If its re-issued and approved then you can drive when your ban ends/the day after to be safe. If the police ask you for your licence when they stop you, you have a week to produce it at the police station if you dont have it on you.
  5. There is a lot to be said about the DVLA but I have had a good experience. Being polite and understanding of them and their workload goes a long way. They are doing a job and things get done when they get done.

I hope this has been helpful for everyone and good luck. I will have email notifications so will reply where I can but I cannot answer questions on things that are not answered above.
 
Glad you got your licence back Ben, I rang DVLA this morning to ask if they’d received fax from doctors, says it can take 4 days to process. Asked for my cdt the lady on phone said she wasn’t medically trained to give me it.
Just gotta be patient
 
I got my medical in a few weeks, so best to say 'No' on the questionnaire? (I did go to my doctor in the last 2 years during my ban of a drink problem, haven't had a drink since then)!

When you say to fax it over, is that the questionnaire at the time of the medical?
 
Hi, if you have booked your medical the no need to fax anything your all sorted. The dvla sent everything already for you. Just attend and take your paperwork with you. Also take your passport or photo I’d and a proof of address. That’s important. In terms of going to the doctors previously. I too went to mine at the start of my ban probably for the same reason as you. I chose to say no and they didn’t go to my doctor. If you say yes they probably will. Your choice.

Good luck
 
Thanks for your reply - very helpful. If I tick all 'No' on the form, 'IF' they contact my doctor and then find out - what are consequences?
 
Phoned DVLA today, they received my fax back from doctors Wednesday was scanned onto system yesterday, said can take upto a week to make a decision. Am I right in thinking my licence will be issued anytime from now until next Thursday ?
Cheers
 
Hi. It depends on what your doctor says really. I dont know as It didnt happen to me. IF they did go to my doctor I would ring and speak to my doctor before they send the paperwork back and see what the doctor would reply to the dvla with. Perhaps book an appointment with them to discuss beforehand. See what was written at the time and if they would support you. A cant give anything other than that unfortunately,
 
No worries, I’m not worried about doctors, I saw him after crash but alchohol misuse was never spoken about, he just put me on pills for stress and anxiety , never went back. That was 17 months ago no so no issues with anything there.
 
Hi guys,

Just a quick one to say DVLA called me just now and I’ve had my full licence restored no restrictions, can drive straight away as van ended in January.

The relieve is unbelievable and I’ll be honest I got abit emotional, my life can finally get back on track again. Been a horrible 18 months since accident and the procedure to get licence back but I can now put this stupid mistake behind me.
Thanks guys

Glenn
 
Well done mate. Enjoy. Im back on Tuesday 20th. Wont be losing it again that is for sure.

Best of Luck,
 
Hi Ben2522

My driving licence shows a DR10 i got stopped after i had an accident that only involved me do i need to report this on my medical questionnaire or its that only DD cases.
Thanks
 
Hi, short answer. I would I was you to be honest, there is evidence against you if enquiries are made best to be safe than sorry on this one. So you are aware, they will probably co tact your doctor if you do. If you don’t you might be fine. It’s up to you to risk it.
 
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