“I am sorry to all those who have been impacted by the delays,” said Simon Lightwood, addressing the growing frustration among drivers waiting for their medical driving licenses. The DVLA has been grappling with an overwhelming backlog, which has now stretched processing times for these critical applications to over 14 weeks.
As of February 2026, the average time for a medical case licensing decision hovered around 71.4 working days, a stark contrast to the typical expectations of timely service. This increase in delays has prompted widespread concern, particularly as the DVLA reported that it processed 498,780 contacts through its chatbot without human intervention in FY26. Yet, this technological advancement has not alleviated the pressing issues faced by applicants.
The backdrop to this situation is a notable rise in applications requiring medical checks—an increase that has overwhelmed existing resources and processes. “The DVLA is stuck in manual whilst the rest of us are on automatic,” remarked Vikki Slade, highlighting a glaring disparity in how standard and medical license applications are handled.
The DVLA has taken steps to address these mounting pressures, hiring 43 new medical caseworkers. However, as applications flood in, with nearly 8,929,400 customer queries received last year alone, the effectiveness of these measures remains uncertain.
Recent advancements include the launch of an online portal for reporting new medical conditions on March 31, 2026. This digital service aims to streamline processes but also raises questions about accessibility and efficiency compared to traditional methods.
The statistics reveal:
- Processing times for medical licenses exceeded 14 weeks as of February 2026.
- The average time for a medical case licensing decision fell to 56.6 working days by April 2026.
- The DVLA’s contact center handled 964,576 queries via webchat in FY26.
- The average handling time via webchat was approximately 90 seconds quicker than through telephone inquiries.
A spokesperson for the DVLA acknowledged the challenges: “We are currently seeing exceptionally high demand for applications from customers with medical conditions, which has regrettably impacted some processing times.” As stakeholders push for reform, it remains crucial that the agency adapts swiftly to meet the needs of all drivers—especially those facing health-related hurdles.