Driving tests over 70s: government consults on eye tests

What is changing and when

Driving tests over 70s are not being introduced, but the way older drivers prove their eyesight could change. The Department for Transport (DfT) published a consultation on 7 January 2026 on mandatory eyesight testing for drivers aged 70 and over.

At present, entitlement to drive in Great Britain expires at 70. Drivers must then renew their licence, and after that at most every three years. To renew, they make a legal declaration that they meet the eyesight standards and say whether they have any listed medical conditions.

The consultation asks whether to move away from that self-declaration system and make an eyesight test part of renewal. The DfT said the consultation “does not present a preferred option”, so no test design has been chosen. The closing date is 11.59pm on Monday 11 May 2026.

Who is affected by the new rules for over-70s

Any change would apply to drivers aged 70 and over in England, Scotland and Wales. The consultation says driver licensing is a reserved matter for Scotland and Wales, so changes would cover all of Great Britain. Northern Ireland is not covered.

The numbers show why the issue is being raised. In 2024 there were 1,224 older car driver casualties killed or seriously injured, according to the ministerial foreword. That is a decrease of 3% on 2023 but an increase of 7% on 2014.

The 2014 and 2023 figures are our own rounded estimates, worked back from the DfT percentages, and are not published numbers.

Take a driver who turns 70 and renews straight away. Because renewal is needed at most every three years, they would renew again by age 73, 76 and 79. If tests were attached to renewal, that is how often a test could fall due, though the consultation does not say how often a test would be required.

What supporters and critics say

The case for change comes from the minister. Lilian Greenwood, Minister for Local Transport, wrote that she had “listened to the calls to consider the current process of self-declaration”, including recommendations from coroners after fatal collisions. She also said eyesight deterioration is common with age, with conditions such as glaucoma and macular degeneration becoming more common in later years.

The consultation also cites a Fatal Accident Inquiry in Scotland and coroner’s inquests in England, which it says raised concerns about self-declaration. The idea sits within the government’s road safety strategy, which aims to cut deaths and serious injuries on Britain’s roads by 65% by 2035. Heidi Alexander, the Transport Secretary, said the measures would “save thousands of lives over the coming decade”.

The sources reviewed contain no named critic of the eyesight proposal. The minister does acknowledge the tension, saying the government must balance older people’s independence with safety, and that “having a driving licence is a lifeline for many”. A UK Parliament petition for full retests for over-70s, covering reaction time, hazard tests and manoeuvring, closed with only 264 signatures. That is far below the 10,000 needed for a government response.

What to do now

Nothing changes for drivers yet, and renewal at 70 still works through self-declaration. Anyone with views can respond to the DfT consultation before it closes on 11 May 2026. Families who help older relatives with licence renewals may want to read the consultation page first.

Drivers approaching 70 can check their own eyesight now, since they must already declare that they meet the standard. If you are unsure, an optician can tell you. If you have a listed medical condition, the current rules already require you to say so when you renew.

Once the consultation closes, the DfT will consider responses. The sources do not give a date for any decision or for any new law, so nobody should assume a test is coming at a particular age or date. The documents say cognitive assessments may be considered in future, but no proposal on them has been published in the sources reviewed.

Your questions answered

Do you have to retake your driving test when you reach 70?

No. At 70 you renew your licence and declare that you meet the eyesight standards and whether you have any listed medical conditions. You then renew at most every three years. The consultation covers eyesight tests, not a full practical driving test.

What are the three new DVLA rules?

The sources do not set out three new DVLA rules. The consultation is a DfT proposal with no preferred option, and nothing is yet law. It mentions the DVLA’s 2023 call for evidence on medical fitness to drive, and says options could include a legal duty on healthcare professionals to report unfit drivers to the DVLA.