Turning 70. Can I get my normal license before the C1 part?

[stevec]

I’m 70 in the summer and fully expect to have problems getting the C1 part (coronary artery disease on my medical records). As I expect to not get the license with C1 until next spring we are going abroad for a couple of weeks at the end of September. Is it possible to apply for a “normal” license to hopefully come through in a matter of weeks whilst still applying for the C1 part which will inevitably take longer. We are going as a party of six and don’t want to leave all the driving to just my brother in law.

 

[corconx]

But could you drive over 3.5 tonnes in the UK while waiting for the C1?

No. We had to delay trip. In end MP chased it after changing it twice. Heart stent one only no problems but had to go for a treadmill test. All this took months

 

[stevec]

not overly concerned with the treadmill test as I’m out walking everyday with the dogs minimum 5 miles

Don’t get too complacent. How much walking uphill do you do? As I mentioned above it’s the gradient thats the difficult bit. At present I can get about 1 minute into the 14% before running out of steam. I do walk a lot.

 

[Pausim]

Don’t get too complacent. How much walking uphill do you do? As I mentioned above it’s the gradient thats the difficult bit. At present I can get about 1 minute into the 14% before running out of steam. I do walk a lot.

14% is 1:7 in old money.

 

[Pausim]

No. We had to delay trip. In end MP chased it after changing it twice. Heart stent one only no problems but had to go for a treadmill test. All this took months

If you are driving over 3500kg you have to report heart problems and Section 88 does not apply until you have been cleared. For normal renewals you can drive over 3500kg using Section 88. I believe they can get sniffy on renewal if they learn about health problems that they should have had reported to them earlier.

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[stevec]

My diagnosis was in 2010 and I had no treatment for it and was effectively signed off. However I will discuss this with my GP.

 

[stevec]

14% is 1:7 in old money.

My gym‘s treadmill only works in new money. Also only in kph so had to convert from mph! (3.4 mph =5.5 kph)

 

[Pausim]

My gym‘s treadmill only works in new money. Also only in kph so had to convert from mph! (3.4 mph =5.5 kph)

Yes new money measurements would be the norm these days. I mentioned old money 1:7 only because my old brain interprets this as very steep whereas 14% might sound like a gentle slope to some who have yet to face the test.

 

[PaulyP]

Don’t get too complacent. How much walking uphill do you do? As I mentioned above it’s the gradient thats the difficult bit. At present I can get about 1 minute into the 14% before running out of steam. I do walk a lot.

I’m not saying I’ll pass the treadmill but I think I have a good chance, it’s the eyesight test which may be dodgy

 

[PaulyP]

Don’t get too complacent. How much walking uphill do you do? As I mentioned above it’s the gradient thats the difficult bit. At present I can get about 1 minute into the 14% before running out of steam. I do walk a lot.

Actually a few months ago we were staying on a site called shear barn just above Hastings it was approx two miles downhill to the old town, obviously two miles back up hill which I thought of in three section, extremely steep, then very steep and finally just steep three days out of four we walked back up, one day we got a taxi.

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[stevec]

Whilst on the subject of renewing licence at 70 is it compulsory to send your existing one back with the application?

 

[nicholsong]

Whilst on the subject of renewing licence at 70 is it compulsory to send your existing one back with the application?

Last time I re-newed I enclosed a letter stating that I was visiting countries that required me to carry my licence when driving, sodid not enclose it. No problem.

Even in UK one could be required to produce within 5 days, in which one is unlikely to receive the new one from day one posts it to DVLA, so it seems to be an unreasonable rule for anyone.

 

[Rozzer]

I got my C1 renewed in Jan 2023. Quite a faff, used D4D who were much cheaper and quicker than the GP and did the eye test. I had a stent in 2009 and ops for AF which eventually worked but reasonably fit. Yes, 3rd part of Bruce was surprisingly demanding and practice in the gym strongly recommended. Bit OTT I thought. Certainly for a Moho but you could equally be driving a bunch of people around on the C1. After the D4D completed the form, DVLA got in touch with the relevant appointments for tests. No problems but took a while, you need to apply for C1 renewal within the three months prior to 70. 2022 we bought a 4.5t KonTiki after selling our 3.5t Adria duh, will be going back to 3.5t as you have to renew every 3 years…I only found out about the C1 because of MohoFun, thanks all!

 

[Rozzer]

PS, once you start the application ball rolling, if you run over your 70th as I did you can continue to drive your Moho until the application is approved or not. It does take a while if you’ve got heart issues in the past.

 

[angusboy]

That's the problem I'm going to get with by-pass

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[stevec]

PS, once you start the application ball rolling, if you run over your 70th as I did you can continue to drive your Moho until the application is approved or not. It does take a while if you’ve got heart issues in the past.

You got your licence in January. When did you send the forms off?

 

[Rozzer]

End of October Steve but I think licence arrived mid Feb.

 

[stevec]

End of October Steve but I think licence arrived mid Feb.

That’s remarkably quick for all the back and forth to doctors and nhs for a treadmill test. I’m expecting a 6 to 9 month wait so not planning any trips abroad after July until next spring. Planning for the worst but hoping for the best!,

 

[The Artilleryman]

If you phone DVLA medical section you will get a person who has NO medical knowledge at all and cannot answer your questions.

I've had 2 occasions recently that needed answers from DVLA and neither time did I get an answer.

First one will mean the person I was enquiring for, doing a D4 medical just to get a yes or no to retain there C1.

Second one, was to try and clarify C1 (test passed before 01/01/1997), whether my letter (from DVLA) saying I can continue to drive Group 1 (car/motorcycle) would cover me for C1 as I had had a minor stroke or do Group 2 medical rules apply (automatic 1 year ban). Complicated by still having a valid CPC (till September 2024).

 

[Pausim]

If you phone DVLA medical section you will get a person who has NO medical knowledge at all and cannot answer your questions.

I've had 2 occasions recently that needed answers from DVLA and neither time did I get an answer.

First one will mean the person I was enquiring for, doing a D4 medical just to get a yes or no to retain there C1.

Second one, was to try and clarify C1 (test passed before 01/01/1997), whether my letter (from DVLA) saying I can continue to drive Group 1 (car/motorcycle) would cover me for C1 as I had had a minor stroke or do Group 2 medical rules apply (automatic 1 year ban). Complicated by still having a valid CPC (till September 2024).

If you are over 70 C1 is a Group 2 license and Group 2 medical rules apply. Bit more debatable whether C1 grandfather rights is Group 2 before 70 but if your letter only mentions cars and motorcycles I wouldn’t risk driving over 3500kg. I would use the official online complaints procedure saying you can’t get a straight answer from the medical section. When I used this procedure I got a very quick reply and everything was put right within a few days.

GOV.UK - Complaints

contact.dvla.gov.uk

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[The Artilleryman]

Found a better definition for Group 1 here.

Group 1 Driving Licence Entitlements

Group 1 licence means a driving licence which authorises its holder to drive vehicles listed under the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1999.

www.transportsfriend.org

 

[Pausim]

Found a better definition for Group 1 here.

Group 1 Driving Licence Entitlements

Group 1 licence means a driving licence which authorises its holder to drive vehicles listed under the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1999.

www.transportsfriend.org

That is not the official definition and is just someone else’s interpretation of it. The official definition is what matters and it is found on the Government website here.

General information: assessing fitness to drive

General information for medical professionals about the assessing fitness to drive guide.

www.gov.uk

Where it says:
“ Drivers who were awarded a Group 1 category B (motor car) licence before 1 January 1997 have additional entitlement to categories C1 (medium-sized lorries, 3.5t to 7.5t) and D1 (minibuses, 9 to 16 seats, not for hire or reward). Drivers with this entitlement retain it only until their licence expires or it is revoked for medical reasons. On subsequent renewal or reapplication, the higher medical standards applicable to Group 2 will apply.”
It is clear that after the renewal at age 70, C1 becomes a Group 2 license and the higher medical standard applies. Before that age the DVLA control lies in having to be notified of certain medical conditions when they can impose restrictions if they feel it is appropriate.