The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) (No. 5) Regulations 2025
These Regulations, made by the Secretary of State under powers in the Road Traffic Act 1988, amend the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1999 to update the medical standards for Group 2 driving licences (bus and lorry drivers) concerning diabetes management, specifically by replacing the requirement for 'blood glucose monitoring' with 'appropriate monitoring to assess glucose levels and any risk of hypoglycaemia' and modifying requirements for monitoring devices.
Arguments For
Modernizing medical standards for professional drivers by allowing the use of contemporary glucose monitoring methods, which may be less invasive or more accurate than older blood testing requirements.
Reducing the administrative and practical burden on Group 2 licence holders who manage diabetes by adapting the regulations to modern diabetes technology.
Maintaining road safety standards by ensuring that drivers can use systems that provide "appropriate monitoring to assess glucose levels and any risk of hypoglycaemia," even if those systems are not traditional blood glucose monitors.
Arguments Against
Potential concerns regarding the reliability or standardization of newly permitted 'appropriate monitoring' systems compared to established blood glucose testing methods for fitness to drive assessment.
Possible need for updated medical guidance and training for licensing authorities and medical examiners to correctly evaluate data from diverse, non-blood-based glucose monitoring devices.
Risk of adverse outcomes if the substituted monitoring methods do not adequately capture or communicate severe hypoglycaemic risks compared to the previously mandated testing methods.
The Secretary of State makes these Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 92(4)(b) and 105(1), (2) and (3) of the Road Traffic Act 1988.
Representative organisations have been consulted in accordance with section 195(2) of that Act.
The Secretary of State enacted these Regulations using specific legal powers granted under sections 92(4)(b) and 105(1), (2), and (3) of the Road Traffic Act 1988.
Consultation occurred with relevant representative organisations as required by section 195(2) of that Act.
Citation, commencement and extent
1.
(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) (No. 5) Regulations 2025.
(2) These Regulations come into force on 7th November 2025.
(3) These Regulations extend to England and Wales and Scotland.
These legislative rules are officially named the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) (No. 5) Regulations 2025.
They officially begin to operate on November 7, 2025.
The legislation applies to the jurisdictions of England, Wales, and Scotland.
Amendment of the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1999
2.
In the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1999, in regulation 73 (disabilities prescribed in respect of Group 2 licences)—
(a) in paragraph (6B)(a), for “blood glucose monitoring” substitute “appropriate monitoring to assess glucose levels and any risk of hypoglycaemia”;
(b) in paragraph (6C)(b), for the words from “a device” to “blood” substitute “an appropriate device that measures and records”.
This section updates the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1999, specifically targeting regulation 73, which covers prescribed disabilities for Group 2 licence holders (lorry and bus drivers).
Subparagraph (a) changes the required monitoring method in paragraph (6B)(a), replacing the specific term 'blood glucose monitoring' with a broader requirement for 'appropriate monitoring to assess glucose levels and any risk of hypoglycaemia.'
Subparagraph (b) updates paragraph (6C)(b) by changing the description of the required device, substituting the phrase starting 'a device' and ending 'blood' with 'an appropriate device that measures and records.'
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