Any legal types on here help with this? A traffic officer recently told me that since I wear glasses to be able to meet the requirements of the vision test I must have this recorded on my license. I could be done for not driving in accordance with my license. My license was issued in 1985 and I didn't need glasses to pass this test until recently. In fact if I squint I can actually read a number plate at 25m. the requirement is 20m. I called DVLA to update my license and was told that I only need to inform them when I applied for my license and I DONT have to update them for short or long sight, but I must wear my glasses when driving if I need them to meet the requirements. See DVLA You must wear glasses or contact lenses every time you drive if you need them to meet the ‘standards of vision for driving’. You must tell DVLA if you’ve got any problem with your eyesight that affects both of your eyes, or the remaining eye if you only have one eye. This doesn’t include being short or long sighted or colour blind. You also don’t need to say if you’ve had surgery to correct short sightedness and can meet the eyesight standards. A quick straw poll shows a marking on peoples licenses of 01, but only people who have worn glasses since school. Specsavers says Do I need to inform the DVLA if I need glasses for driving? There's no need to notify them if you need glasses for driving. When you apply for a driving license, however, you have to state at that time if you wear glasses when driving, in which case your license is usually endorsed with the code 01. Why don't you need to keep DVLA informed? Sure the database is incomplete if you don't. Your thoughts please.
I believe the traffic officer you spoke to is blowing out of his arse. Wearing glassess to correct short or long sightedness is not notifiable to the DVLA unless there are other factors like reduced field of vision or impaired depth of vision. Andy
I have wore glasses since I was a kid, I'm 52 now and have held a full license since 1984, including HGV and bike and they've never been annotated with a 01, nor has it ever been mentioned on those occasions when traffic branch (both in NI & mainland UK) have felt the need to stop me. I do also have an International driving license for the Middle East and it actually shows a logo of a pair of glasses. Maybe this is a new thing, if so it should state so on the license renewal application I would think.
Is it the case that if you need glasses to meet the driving standards that your driving licence photo must feature you wearing your glasses? That's how it is in Qatar ... which is not terribly relevant. Edit: Maybe it is relevant : o )
On the renewal there is no place to enter this information, only handicaps; glasses for eyesight is EXCLUDED. On the electronic renewal you cannot enter any changes except photo, address, email and telephone numbers.
If you have a valid UK passport less than 5 years old, the DVLA use the passport photograph to issue a new photo license and you can't wear glassess for a passport photograph. I did a quick check and there appeared to be no guidlines if you are providing a new photo. Andy
I used to wear glasses, then contact lenses as I was extremely short-sighted. Following successful operations to remove floaters, I can see without correction now! I bet I'd have had a hard time getting such an endorsement removed if it had been on my licence!
