DMV is required by law to investigate and reexamine your ability to operate a vehicle safely when informed that a physical or mental condition exists, or your driver’s record indicates 3 accidents within 12 months, traffic law convictions, reckless, negligent or incompetent driving habits, fraudulent use of a driver’s license, or other grounds which would cause DMV to refuse a driver’s license.

DMV receives information from a variety of sources, such as:

• Your doctor or surgeon who is required by law to report to DMV medical conditions or disorders characterized by loss of consciousness or control, including Alzheimer’s disease and other conditions that, in their opinion, may affect your ability to operate a vehicle safely.
• Emergency medical personnel who may treat you in an emergency facility due to a sudden loss of consciousness, awareness, or control.
• A DMV employee observes a physical or mental condition that could affect your ability to safely operate a vehicle and refers their observation to Driver Safety for review.
• Unsolicited letters from family members, friends, or neighbors who report that you may no longer be able to drive safely.
• A law enforcement officer who observes you driving, stops you for a traffic law violation, or is at a collision scene in which you were involved, and determines you need to be reexamined to ensure you can operate a vehicle safely.
• You indicate you have a medical condition that affects your ability to drive within the last 3 years on your driver’s license application, renewal notice, or renewal application.
• Your driver’s record indicates 3 accidents within 12 months, traffic law convictions, reckless, negligence, or incompetent driving habits, fraudulent use of a driver’s license, or other reasons that would cause DMV to refuse a driver’s license.

If you were referred by a Priority reexamination (law enforcement referral), you must contact DMV within 5 working days of receiving the notice (citation) from the traffic enforcement officer. Once DMV receives the referral information, DMV will notify you to submit medical information and/or a reexamination appointment will be scheduled.

Once DMV is notified that you have a medical condition that may cause a potential driving risk to yourself or others, or your driver’s record indicates negligent driving activity, DMV will evaluate your driving abilities to ensure you can drive safely. DMV may do one or more of the following:

• Request medical information from you. If the medical information shows that you do not present a driving risk, DMV’s investigation may end an action or take no action against your driving privilege.
• Conduct a “regular” reexamination. The reexamination may be conducted in person or over the telephone depending on the reason for the reexamination. You may be required to present medical information and submit to law, vision, and drive tests, if appropriate.
• Conduct a “priority” reexamination. If you were served with a notice of priority reexamination, you must contact Driver Safety within 5 days. If you do not contact Driver Safety, your driving privilege will be suspended. You are required to submit to knowledge, vision, and drive tests and present medical information.
• Take an immediate action to suspend or revoke your driving privilege if your physical or mental condition presents an immediate threat to public safety.

After a reexamination, the DMV Driver Safety Hearing Officer has the authority based on Vehicle Code (VC) §14250 – to place an individual’s driving privilege on probation in lieu of suspension or revocation, or will decide to take one or more of the following administrative action(s):

No Action: Your condition or driver’s record does not warrant an action against your driving privilege.

Medical Probation: You or your physician must submit a Driver Medical Evaluation (DS 326) form completed by your physician to DMV on specified dates.

Calendar Reexamination: You must appear for a follow up reexamination.

Restriction: You may only drive under specific conditions and circumstances, such as, during daylight hours, within certain geographical areas, or with specialized equipment in your vehicle.

Suspension: Your driving privilege is suspended for an indefinite period of time. Your driving privilege can be reinstated if you demonstrate that you are compensating for a physical or mental condition, or your driving behavior no longer presents a safety risk and there is no other action in effect.

Revocation: Your driving privilege is terminated. Generally, this action is taken when your physical or mental condition is so severe that improvement seems unlikely, or a driving incident is so severe that you present a safety risk.

DMV will notify you in writing of:

• Any action taken.

• Your legal rights, including the right to an administrative hearing.

Note For additional information on DMV hearings, please refer to the Driver Safety Administrative Hearing Process (FFDL 26) Fast Facts brochure.

Yes. DMV can reexamine a driver when information suggests they do not have the knowledge and/or skill necessary to drive safely. Such reexaminations are based on information DMV receives from peace officers, physicians, family members, relatives, acquaintances, or other persons that share specific observations about the person’s ability to drive safely. Information about the age of the individual is not considered relevant, nor will DMV reexamine a driver solely on the basis of their age.

No, a person’s age is not a sufficient reason for reexamination.

At a reexamination, a Driver Safety Hearing Officer may ask you a wide range of questions about your driving history and about specific incidents on your driving record, your health and medical history, and the rules of the road and how you would handle specific driving situations. You may be asked to provide medical reports from your physician, medical records, or similar documents. All information concerning your health and medical history are confidential by law, and DMV cannot share this information with anyone else.

The Driver Safety Hearing Officer may require you to submit to a vision test, a written test of your knowledge of the rules of the road, and a drive test. If a drive test is required, you will be scheduled for a separate drive test appointment. When taking a drive test, you must provide the vehicle you will use to drive for the test and present acceptable proof that you have financial responsibility (FR) (insurance) in effect at the time of the drive test.

After the reexamination, the Driver Safety Hearing Officer decides whether any action should be taken against the person’s driving privilege in the interest of public safety. If DMV does decide to take an action, the action may be a restriction, probation, suspension, or revocation of the driving privilege. The driver is notified in writing of the action and usually would have the right to a hearing to contest the action if they believe it is unjustified.

If you do not appear for the reexamination as scheduled, your driving privilege will be suspended as stated by law (CVC §13801) until such time as you do appear and complete the reexamination. You may not send another person to take the test in your place, but you can have someone come with you to the reexamination if you wish.

It depends on several factors. Generally, the length of such a suspension or revocation is indefinite. However, DMV may consider reinstating your driving privilege under various circumstances. If the suspension is due to a medical condition or disorder, DMV will consider reinstatement of your driving privilege when you are able to show that the condition or disorder has been controlled, and is no longer a potential threat to your ability to drive safely. If the condition will not change (such as partial paralysis or vision loss from a stroke), you may be able to show that you have learned to compensate for the condition, which would allow DMV to consider reinstatement.

If you need a sign or language interpreter, DMV will provide one. Contact DMV immediately so an interpreter is available on the date of your reexamination. Interpreters cannot be used during the drive test.

The California Code of Regulations §100.01 and VC §§12818, 13800, and 13801 govern Driver Safety investigations and reexaminations conducted by DMV and can be found in public libraries, DMV Driver Safety Offices, and leginfo.legislature.ca.gov.