Driving with a physical disability

If you have a physical disability and want to obtain a Tasmanian licence, you will be required to meet the same requirements as a person who has no disability.

If you have a disability, you will need to provide a medical fitness to drive assessment and/or specialist report(s) that states you are medically fit to drive and that details:

• the nature and extent of the physical disability
• any other medical information relevant to your ability to drive safely.

The information provided will be reviewed and you may also be requested to undertake an occupational therapy driving assessment to determine if any medical condition(s) and/or disabilities impact on your fitness to drive.

Where appropriate, a qualified Occupational Therapist can work with you to identify any modifications you can make to your vehicle to retain your licence.

If you are required to drive a vehicle with modifications, this will be added as a licence condition on your licence.

If you currently hold a licence and your physical ability to operate a vehicle changes, you should notify the Registrar of Motor Vehicles by completing a Self-Notification form or have your doctor complete a Medical Fitness to Drive Assessment.

Temporary medical conditions  such as a broken arm or leg may not prevent you from driving, but you need to make sure that you are able to drive safely.

For example, even if you are permitted to use the affected limb, a plaster cast may make it difficult for you to control a vehicle. You should seek your doctor’s advice on whether you should drive and how your condition will affect your ability to operate the vehicle’s controls.

Vehicle modifications can help people with a disability to drive safely and independently. As disabilities vary between people, vehicle modifications must be appropriate to the needs of the individual driver.

Occupational therapists specialising in driver assessment can advise what modifications or aids you may need and where the vehicle modifications can be fitted.

If you have a conditional licence that relates to the vehicle modifications, you are only able to legally drive a car or motorcycle with the modifications that are designed to accommodate your disability.

It is illegal to operate a vehicle that has been modified unless:

• the vehicle, as modified, complies with the relevant standards and ADRs Vehicle standards and
• the modifications meet our requirements.

If you wish to operate a vehicle that has been modified, you should contact Driver Licensing (dlu@stategrowth.tas.gov.au) to ensure your licence reflects the correct modifications.

If you have queries about modifications to a vehicle you need to contact Vehicle Modifications (avc@stategrowth.tas.gov.au).

If your physical disability improves, you can request to review your licence conditions. If appropriate, the modifications to your vehicle and the information on your driver licence can be removed or updated.

Contact dlu@stategrowth.tas.gov.au or call Service Tasmania.