California DMV Form DS-326, the Driver Medical Evaluation, is a questionnaire the DMV’s Driver Safety Office sends when it needs medical information to decide whether you can keep driving. You complete the health-history section yourself, your treating physician completes the clinical sections, and you return the form to the Driver Safety Office listed on your notice before the deadline printed there. Missing that deadline can cost you your license.
Why the DMV Sent You This Form
The DMV opens a medical review under California Vehicle Code 13800, which lets the department investigate whether a license should be suspended, revoked, or placed on probation.1California Legislative Information. California Vehicle Code 13800 – Investigation and Re-examination Reviews commonly start from a physician’s report of a lapse-of-consciousness disorder, a law enforcement report after a traffic stop or collision, a written request from a family member or other person, or something you disclosed yourself on a license application or renewal.
Under Vehicle Code 12806, the DMV can refuse to issue or renew a license for anyone who has had a lapse of consciousness or episode of marked confusion within the last three years, or who has any physical or mental condition that could affect safe driving, unless the department has medical information showing the person can drive safely.2California Legislative Information. California Vehicle Code 12806 DS-326 is how that medical information gets to the DMV.
Getting a Blank Copy
In most cases the DMV mails the blank DS-326 with your reexamination notice. The notice names the Driver Safety Office handling your case and sets your deadline. You can also download the form from the DMV website.3California Department of Motor Vehicles. California DMV Form DS-326 Any DMV field office can hand you a physical copy, but field offices do not process Driver Safety cases.
What You Fill Out
Page one is yours. It collects your personal details and a health history made up of yes-or-no questions, with space to explain each “yes.” The form specifically asks you to list every medication you take, with dosage and frequency.3California Department of Motor Vehicles. California DMV Form DS-326
Be thorough and honest. The DMV compares what you write against what your doctor writes, and inconsistencies raise red flags. If you take five medications, list five. A hearing officer will notice if your list and your doctor’s list don’t line up.
What Your Doctor Fills Out
Sections 5 through 13, on pages two through five, are for your treating medical professional. The form can be completed by a U.S.-licensed doctor of medicine (M.D.), doctor of osteopathy (D.O.), or a licensed physician assistant or nurse practitioner working under physician supervision.3California Department of Motor Vehicles. California DMV Form DS-326
The physician sections cover:
- Section 5, vision: acuity readings for both eyes together and each eye alone, with and without corrective lenses, plus any eye injuries or diseases.
- Section 6, other treating professionals: name of any other provider treating you and the condition being treated.
- Section 7, treatment under the physician’s supervision: diagnosis, prognosis, whether the condition is improving, stable, worsening, or subject to change, prescribed medications with dosages, and three consequential yes-or-no questions about whether the condition currently affects safe driving, whether medication side effects interfere with driving, and whether the physician advises against driving.
- Section 8, functional impairments: ratings for visual neglect and upper- and lower-extremity motor control loss, and whether adaptive devices could help.
- Section 9, dementia or cognitive impairments: none-to-severe ratings for memory loss, depression secondary to dementia, judgment, attention, language and visual-spatial skills, impulsivity, problem-solving, and awareness of disability, plus an overall impairment rating.
- Section 10, lapse of consciousness disorders: dates of episodes within the past three years, date of onset, and post-episode effects such as confusion or diminished concentration.
Additional sections address diabetes and other specific conditions. If the diagnosis is a lapse-of-consciousness disorder, dementia, or diabetes, the corresponding supplemental page must be completed. Skipping it will get the form sent back.3California Department of Motor Vehicles. California DMV Form DS-326
The three yes-or-no questions at the end of Section 7 carry the most weight in the DMV’s review. A physician who supports your continued driving should provide detailed clinical context explaining why the condition is manageable, not just check boxes.
Where and How to Submit It
Return the completed form to the specific Driver Safety Office listed on your reexamination notice. Do not send it to a regular field office. California has ten Driver Safety offices located in City of Commerce, City of Orange, El Segundo, Oakland, Oxnard, Redding, Sacramento, South San Francisco, San Jose, and Van Nuys.4California Department of Motor Vehicles. Driver Safety Offices Your options for submitting:
- Online, through the DMV’s Driver Safety case management system at dmv.ca.gov/driversafety, which lets you upload documents and manage your case electronically.
- By mail to the address on your notice. Certified mail with return receipt gives you proof of delivery and the postmark date, which matters when the deadline is tight.
- By fax to the number on your notice.
- By phone for questions, at (833) 543-7703.
Submit before the deadline printed on your notice. If you cannot get a physician appointment in time, call your assigned Driver Safety Office before the deadline passes and ask for an extension. Ignoring the notice or missing the deadline without explanation gives the DMV grounds to suspend your license.
What Happens After You Submit
A hearing officer at the Driver Safety Office reviews your DS-326 against DMV safety guidelines. Review typically takes several weeks. The officer looks at the physician’s clinical findings, whether the condition is stable or progressing, whether medications are being taken as prescribed, and whether the doctor’s opinion supports continued driving.5California Department of Motor Vehicles. Evaluating Driver Impairment
If the form leaves gaps or raises concerns, the DMV can request additional medical records or schedule a reexamination. At a reexamination, the hearing officer can ask about your driving history, specific incidents, your medical background, and how you would handle various driving situations. You may also be required to take a vision test, a written knowledge test, or a behind-the-wheel drive test. If a drive test is required, you must provide the vehicle and proof of insurance, and it is scheduled as a separate appointment.6California Department of Motor Vehicles. Deteriorated Driving Skill You can bring someone with you for support, but that person cannot take any test on your behalf.
Possible Outcomes
The DMV’s decision usually falls into one of four categories.
- No action. If the medical information shows you can drive safely, the concern is cleared and your license remains unrestricted.
- Medical probation. Under Medical Probation I, you must comply with treatment and report any health changes to the DMV. Under Medical Probation II, your physician must submit updated DS-326 forms on specified dates, typically annually. Probation conditions can also limit driving by time of day or geographic area.7California Department of Motor Vehicles. Lapse of Consciousness Disorders
- License restrictions. The DMV can add restrictions such as corrective lenses only, daylight driving only, or no freeway driving. These appear as codes on your physical license.
- Suspension or revocation. Under Vehicle Code 13953, the DMV normally gives 30 days’ written notice before a suspension or revocation takes effect. When the department determines that your condition requires immediate action for your safety or the safety of others, the suspension can be effective the moment you receive the notice.8California Legislative Information. California Vehicle Code 13953
The DMV can require a new DS-326 at any time if it suspects information on a previous form was inaccurate or your condition has become unstable, and can schedule a fresh reexamination or impose an immediate suspension.7California Department of Motor Vehicles. Lapse of Consciousness Disorders
If the Decision Goes Against You
You have 10 days from receiving a notice of suspension, revocation, or probation to demand a hearing under Vehicle Code 14100. The hearing is granted automatically when you request it in that window.9California Legislative Information. California Vehicle Code 14100 Requesting a hearing does not pause the DMV’s action; the suspension or revocation stays in effect while you wait.
At the hearing you can present additional medical evidence, bring your physician’s testimony, and explain the clinical context behind your DS-326. Bring updated medical records showing your condition is controlled and documentation of medication compliance. If the hearing officer rules against you, you can request a departmental review within 15 days of its effective date. After that, your remaining option is a petition for a writ of mandate in California Superior Court, asking a judge to review whether the evidence supports the DMV’s decision.
If your license was revoked, you can reapply when you can show the condition meets DMV safety standards, typically by submitting a new DS-326 showing the condition is stable and under control.