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In Great Britain you must not drive if a sleep condition makes you excessively sleepy, until your symptoms are under control. You must tell the DVLA if you have confirmed moderate or severe obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) with excessive sleepiness, or narcolepsy. For milder or suspected OSA, you tell the DVLA if your sleepiness cannot be controlled within 3 months.
Sleep conditions and a car licence
The DVLA rules for Group 1 (car) licences, as of November 2026:
| Condition | Driving | Tell the DVLA? |
|---|---|---|
| Excessive sleepiness from any cause, including mild OSA or a medicine | Do not drive until symptoms are satisfactorily controlled | Yes, if control is not achieved within 3 months |
| Suspected OSA, waiting for tests | Do not drive if you have excessive sleepiness, until it is controlled | Yes, if control is not achieved within 3 months |
| Confirmed moderate or severe OSA with excessive sleepiness | Do not drive | Yes. A licence needs confirmation that the condition is controlled, sleepiness has improved and you keep to treatment, with a review at least every 3 years. |
| Narcolepsy or cataplexy | Do not drive | Yes. A licence can be issued once symptoms have been satisfactorily controlled for at least 3 months. |
The DVLA grades OSA by the apnoea-hypopnoea index (AHI) from a sleep study: 15 to 29 is moderate and 30 or more is severe. Your sleep clinic will tell you which group you are in.
How to report
- Applying for your first provisional licence: declare the condition on the application.
- Already hold a licence: report online through GOV.UK, or send form SL1 for sleep conditions. The address is on the form.
- Penalty for not reporting a condition that affects your driving: a fine of up to £1,000, and possible prosecution if you have an accident.
If you are unsure whether your sleepiness affects your driving, GOV.UK says to ask your doctor.
Ordinary tiredness is different
Feeling tired after a late night is not a notifiable condition, but it still matters on the road. Highway Code Rule 91 advises against starting a journey tired and recommends a break of at least 15 minutes every two hours. Those rules are covered in fitness to drive and tiredness. The DVLA rules above are about sleepiness from a medical condition or medicine that is likely to affect driving.
Scenario: a learner waiting for a sleep study
You are 18, your GP suspects sleep apnoea, and you often feel very drowsy in the afternoon. Under the DVLA rules you should not drive, lessons included, while you have excessive sleepiness. If treatment controls it, you can drive again. If it is not controlled within 3 months, you must tell the DVLA. If you do not feel excessively sleepy, ask your GP how the rules apply to you while you wait.
Common questions
Does using CPAP mean I can drive?
For moderate or severe OSA, the DVLA needs medical confirmation that your condition is controlled, your sleepiness has improved and you are keeping to treatment. Ask your sleep clinic for the evidence the DVLA needs.
Can medicines cause this?
Yes. The DVLA rule on excessive sleepiness covers medicines as well as conditions. See prescription medicines and driving.
Back to the GB medical conditions and disability guide. Related: heart conditions, fainting and stroke, mental health and driving, driving at night.
Sources
- DVLA, “Miscellaneous conditions: assessing fitness to drive” (excessive sleepiness), updated 7 November 2025 (gov.uk)
- DVLA, “Neurological disorders: assessing fitness to drive” (narcolepsy), updated 7 November 2025 (gov.uk)
- GOV.UK, “Sleep apnoea and driving” (gov.uk)
- Department for Transport, “The Highway Code: Rules for drivers and motorcyclists (89 to 102)” (gov.uk)