Which guide do you need?
Most drivers arrive here with one of a handful of questions. Someone applying to a bus company wants to know where the licence process starts. A lorry driver approaching 45 wants to know whether a medical is now due. A driver who has recently been diagnosed with a condition wants to understand whether it affects their licence. The table below matches the most common situations to the guide that answers them and the PCV Medicals service you would book.
| Your situation | Start with | The medical to book |
|---|---|---|
| Applying for a bus or coach licence for the first time | How to get a PCV licence | PCV medical |
| Applying for a lorry licence for the first time | What is a D4 medical? | HGV medical |
| Renewing a bus or lorry licence at 45 or over | What is a D4 medical? | D4 renewal |
| Worried about your eyesight or glasses | D4 eyesight requirements | D4 medical |
| Living with diabetes, a heart condition or another health issue | Medical conditions & Group 2 | D4 medical |
| Licensing as a taxi or private hire driver | What to bring | Taxi medical |
How a D4 medical with PCV Medicals works
Whichever guide you read, the practical next step is usually the same. The DVLA needs a completed D4 medical examination report before it will grant or renew bus and lorry entitlement, and PCV Medicals carries out that examination in Newcastle upon Tyne. Our doctors are GMC-registered, which the law requires for anyone completing the medical sections of a D4.
You start by requesting a quote through the form on this page. Tell us which medical you need, roughly when you would like to come in and anything the doctor should know about in advance. We reply by email with a fixed fee and the appointment options available, and the address is confirmed when you book. The appointment itself usually takes 20 to 30 minutes and includes the Group 2 eyesight test, a blood pressure check and a review of your medical history. The doctor then completes and signs the form, ready for you to send to the DVLA with your D2 application. The how it works page sets out each stage in more detail.
Booking for a group of drivers
Bus operators, haulage firms and training providers often need several drivers seen within the same period, whether for new recruits or a batch of renewals. PCV Medicals can coordinate those appointments through a single contact. Our operator and fleet medicals page explains how group bookings are arranged.
Booking a D4 medical in Newcastle
Appointments take place in Newcastle upon Tyne, and drivers travel in from Gateshead, Sunderland, North and South Tyneside, County Durham and Northumberland. If you are unsure whether the location suits you, the areas we cover page has local information. For the cost of each medical, see pricing: every fee is fixed and confirmed in your quote before you commit to a booking.
These guides are general information for drivers, correct to the best of our knowledge when written. Rules change, so check current guidance on GOV.UK, or ask the doctor at your appointment.