Professional drivers

• Taxi driving
• Driving lorries and buses (Categories C and D)
• Driving on private land

Taxi driving

You will need to hold a valid car licence (category B) to be able to apply for a licence to drive a taxi. These licences are either Hackney Carriage or Private Hire and are obtained from the Vehicle Licensing and Enforcement department of your local council. Each council sets its own criteria and some impose the extra health requirements that are needed to hold a category C or D licence (see below).

Driving lorries and buses (Categories C and D)

You can get a licence if you:

• hold a full car licence; and
• have been free of seizures for ten years; and
• have not had to take anti-epileptic drugs during this ten year period; and
• have been declared fit to drive after a medical examination by a consultant nominated by the DVLA (in other words, you do not have any other medical condition that prevents you from driving).

Driving on private land

A driving licence entitles people to drive on public highways. Driving vehicles on private land only (for example, fork-lift trucks and farming machinery) is not restricted by the driving regulations.

However, if someone’s epilepsy could pose a risk in this situation, there could be restrictions under the Health and Safety at Work Act. The employer’s liability insurance would also only cover someone to drive on private land if they were considered safe to do so.

10 July 2007