HGV Medical (D4 Form): What It Involves and What It Costs

Yes. Every HGV and PCV driver needs a medical before the DVLA will issue provisional entitlement. It is called a D4, after the form the doctor completes, and it takes about 20 minutes.

It costs £50 when you train with us. Most drivers pay £70 to £80 elsewhere.

Almost nobody fails it. The people who worry most are usually fine, and the conditions that genuinely cause problems are narrower than the internet suggests.

What is a D4 form?

D4 is the DVLA's medical examination report. A doctor examines you, fills it in, and it goes to the DVLA alongside your D2 application form for provisional entitlement.

The two forms travel together. Without a completed D4, the D2 will not be processed, which is why the medical comes first in every timeline.

Who needs one?

Anyone applying for their first provisional HGV or PCV entitlement, whatever the category — Class 2, Class 1, C1, PCV or D1.

Existing licence holders need one at 45, then every five years, then every year from 65. If you are upgrading from Class 2 to Class 1 and your last medical has expired, you need a new one.

What does the D4 medical involve?

A registered doctor goes through five things.

Your medical history. Past and current conditions, particularly diabetes, epilepsy, heart conditions, sleep apnoea and anything affecting vision or consciousness.

Your eyesight. You must meet the vocational standard, which is higher than the car standard. Glasses and contact lenses are fine — the test is with your usual correction.

Your blood pressure. Very high readings can cause a problem, though controlled blood pressure on medication is normally acceptable.

Neurological and cardiovascular checks. A basic assessment of anything that could cause sudden incapacity at the wheel.

Alcohol and drug history. A conversation rather than a test.

There is no fitness test, no treadmill and no blood sample. It is closer to an insurance medical than a physical.

What actually stops you passing?

Very little, and less than people assume.

Diabetes does not disqualify you. Insulin-treated diabetes requires additional forms and monitoring, but thousands of insulin-treated drivers hold vocational licences.

Epilepsy is the strictest area. The DVLA requires a long seizure-free period for vocational entitlement, and this is genuinely restrictive.

Sleep apnoea needs to be diagnosed and treated. Untreated, it is a bar; treated and controlled, it is not.

Heart conditions depend entirely on the condition and how well it is managed. Many drivers with a cardiac history hold licences.

Eyesight that cannot be corrected to the vocational standard is the most common genuine reason for a fail. If you have not had an eye test recently, get one before you book.

If something is flagged, it usually means further information from your GP or consultant rather than an outright refusal. Do not disqualify yourself before a doctor has looked at you.

How much does an HGV medical cost?

£50 when you train with us. The typical price elsewhere is £70 to £80, and some providers charge more.

Your own GP may do it, but many decline vocational medicals or charge considerably more, and waiting times can be weeks. We arrange it, so you are not ringing round surgeries.

Full pricing for everything else is on our HGV training cost page.

How long is a D4 medical valid?

Four months from the date of examination for the purposes of your application. Get the medical, send the paperwork off promptly, and it will not be an issue — but do not have it done and then leave the forms in a drawer for six months.

Once you hold the licence, the renewal cycle is age 45, every five years thereafter, and annually from 65.

The medical is the same. What follows it is not.

The D4 does not change with the category you are applying for — same examination, same form, same £50. What changes is the training that comes after it, and it is worth knowing the shape of that before you book.

Class 2 training is five days on a rigid lorry and the usual first step. Class 1 training is the articulated licence — longer if you are starting from a car licence, shorter if you already hold Class 2. C1 7.5 tonne training is three days, and it is the category most ambulance, patient transport and courier drivers actually need. PCV training covers bus and coach.

If you are having a medical because you are renewing rather than starting — the one at 45, or annually after 65 — and you have been off the road for a while, you may not need a full course at all. A refresher course puts you back in a vehicle with an instructor for a day or two rather than starting again from scratch.

Training runs from our Kent centre, and most of our learners take their practical test at Gillingham. Our HGV training in Gillingham page explains how the two fit together.

Frequently asked questions

Can my own GP do the D4?

Yes, if they are willing. Many are not, and those that are often charge more than £50 and have long waits. Any registered doctor can complete it.

Do I need to fast or prepare?

No. Bring your glasses or lenses if you wear them, a list of any medication you take, and your driving licence. That is it.

What happens if I fail?

Usually it is a deferral rather than a refusal — the doctor wants more information from your GP or a specialist. Genuine permanent refusals are rare and almost always relate to eyesight or uncontrolled epilepsy.

Does the D4 medical expire once I have my licence?

The licence entitlement carries its own renewal cycle, with a fresh medical at each renewal. The original D4 does not need repeating in between.

Do I need one for C1 if I passed my car test before 1997?

If you already hold C1 automatically, you do not need a medical to keep it until you turn 70. If you are applying for anything new, you do.

What to do next

Book the medical first — everything else waits on it. Then the D2 application, then the theory test, then training.

Call 01795 667 008 and we will book the medical for you at £50 and handle the paperwork that follows it. If you have a health condition you are worried about, tell us — we have seen most of them and we will be straight with you about where you stand.