Group 2 medical for PHV drivers

What it is

A Group 2 medical is the DVLA medical standard for lorry, bus and taxi or private hire drivers. It is stricter than the Group 1 standard used for ordinary car licences, with tighter rules on eyesight, heart conditions, diabetes, epilepsy, mental health and sleep apnoea. Local councils and TfL require PHV and hackney carriage drivers to pass a Group 2 style medical at first application and at set intervals afterwards.

This page is general guidance about the licensing process, not medical advice. Ask your GP or a licensed occupational health provider about your own fitness to drive.

How it applies to gig workers

If you want a licence to drive Uber, Bolt, Addison Lee, FREE NOW or a local minicab firm, you need a Group 2 medical. Birmingham's licensing page shows medicals priced at about £82 alongside a DBS at £93.50 (last page update 10 December 2025). Wolverhampton, Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield and Liverpool run their own schemes with separate fees, which are often not clearly published online. Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen sit under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 and require a Group 2 style medical that their own pages do not cost up clearly. TfL also requires a Group 2 medical for London PHV applicants, typically from your GP.

A fail on a Group 2 medical can end your driving career, not just your Uber career, because the DVLA can be informed and your standard car licence reviewed. Common issues that trigger refusals include uncontrolled diabetes on insulin, untreated obstructive sleep apnoea, serious heart events within the last three months, certain arrhythmias and visual acuity that cannot be corrected to the Group 2 standard.

For a 22 year old in Manchester aiming at £42,000 turnover, the medical is a small line item (£60 to £120 typically) but a high-consequence one. If you have a condition that might fail, get it treated and documented before you book, not after. Councils vary on retest intervals, often age-banded, with more frequent checks over 45 or 65.

What you should do about it

• Speak to your GP about known conditions before you book the test.
• Budget £60 to £120 for the medical, plus any specialist letters.
• Gather evidence of treatment if you have diabetes, sleep apnoea or heart conditions.
• Get up-to-date eyesight testing. Glasses on the test if you need them.
• Save your pass certificate for the next renewal cycle.

Last reviewed

19 April 2026

Internal links this page emits (3-5):

• SERU assessment for London
• topographical test
• Birmingham PHV licensing
• Manchester PHV licensing
• TfL PHV licensing

Primary source used:

• Research/Gap/G8.1-non-london-phv-licensing.md