Reporting requirements for physicians, nurse practitioners and optometrists

In Ontario, under section 203 of the Highway Traffic Act, mandatory reporting requirements for high risk medical conditions, vision conditions and functional impairments that make it dangerous for a person to drive apply to:

  • physicians
  • nurse practitioners
  • optometrists

In addition, physicians, nurse practitioners, optometrists and occupational therapists have the discretionary authority to report other conditions that do not fall under mandatory reporting but, in the opinion of the healthcare practitioner, make it dangerous for a person to drive. On occasion, we also receive reports from police.

Optometrists are only required to report about visual impairments. See reporting requirements for optometrists.

Conditions and impairments that must be reported

The Ontario Regulation 340/94:

  • provides six categories of medical conditions/impairments
  • describes the high-risk conditions/impairments that must be reported by:
    • physicians
    • optometrists
    • nurse practitioners

Find the full mandatory requirements in Ontario Regulation 340/94.

The reporting form provides a list of the most frequently reported conditions under each category that make it unsafe to drive.

When a report of a mandatory condition is made, it will result in a licence suspension.

For more information about mandatory reporting requirements and discretionary reporting authority, see Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act, section 203, and Ontario Regulation 340/94.

Involving your patient

The decision to report a patient is never an easy one. Healthcare practitioners must consider the impact of the decision on the patient within the context of the safety of all road users. Although reporting by certain healthcare practitioners is mandatory, we encourage you to inform your patient in advance of submitting the report, even though you are not required to get consent.

It is important for your patients to understand that:

  • in some cases, making such a report is a mandatory requirement
  • a discretionary report is being made in the interest of not only their safety but that of all road users
  • a discretionary report to the Registrar of Motor Vehicles does not always mean a licence suspension

Information contained in discretionary reports is assessed against national medical standards. Where appropriate, additional medical information may be requested.

Medical reporting form for physicians, nurse practitioners and occupational therapists

Physicians, nurse practitioners and occupational therapists must use the standardized reporting form, called the Medical Condition Report form, when they report patients who are unfit to drive.

We designed this form to complement reporting legislation.

The drop-down selections for the most frequently reported conditions:

  • are not mandatory
  • are examples of some of the most frequently reported high-risk conditions that warrant a licence suspension
  • are included for ease of completion by the reporting practitioner
  • include an ‘other’ option so that any high-risk condition that is not listed can be reported

Under the law, prescribed practitioners are required to report:

  • the name, address and date of birth of the person being reported
  • the condition or impairment diagnosed or identified by the person making the report
  • a brief description of the condition or impairment
  • any other information requested by the form

Get the Medical Condition Report form

To get copies of the Medical Condition Report form:

  • download the Medical Condition Report (PDF - 309 KB)
  • save a link to the form on your computer to access it in the future

To make sure the form can be read, please do not photocopy it.

Note: this form is not intended for drivers who want to upgrade their driver’s licence or for commercial drivers filing their re-examination report. Standard medical report forms are available through DriveTest.

You can complete and submit the form to the Ministry of Transportation online, by mail or by fax.

Reporting requirements for optometrists

The law requires optometrists in Ontario to report to the Registrar of Motor Vehicles any individual who may be suffering from certain eye conditions that may make it dangerous to drive. Optometrists are only required to report about visual impairments.

The law

Ontario has amended section 203 and 204 of the Highway Traffic Act (HTA) to introduce new mandatory reporting requirements for vision impairments.

As of July 2018, optometrists must report the following vision conditions:

  • A best-corrected visual acuity that is below 20/50
  • A visual field that is less than 120 continuous degrees along the horizontal meridian, or less than 15 continuous degrees above and below fixation, or less than 60 degrees to either side of the vertical midline
  • Diplopia that is within 40 degrees of fixation point (in all directions) of primary position

Optometrists will also have the discretionary authority to report vision conditions that, in their opinion, make it dangerous for a person to drive using the discretionary section of the reporting form.

Learn more about mandatory reporting requirements and discretionary reporting authority in Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act, section 203, and Ontario Regulation 340/94.

Vision reporting form for optometrists

The Ministry of Transportation has a reporting form for optometrists to use when they need to report a patient.

To get copies of the Vision Report to the Registrar of Motor Vehicles form:

To make sure the document can be read, please do not photocopy it.

Complete and submit the form

  • complete it on your computer
  • if you are reporting a mandatory condition (section A), select the box beside the vision condition(s) you are reporting
  • when reporting visual acuity or visual fields below standards, indicate the visual acuity or visual field readings in the boxes provided
  • complete section B if you are making a discretionary report of a visual condition that is not listed as mandatory but that may make it dangerous for your patient to drive
  • complete part 3 – practitioner’s information
  • print it
  • sign it
  • submit the form to the Ministry of Transportation by fax or mail

Note: complex visual defects, diseases or injuries may require further assessment. We will review these cases on an individual basis in accordance with the vision standards found in Ontario Regulation 340/94 and with the ministry’s vision policies.

Submit a medical or vision reporting form

Submitting reports online

Physicians and nurse practitioners can report a driver who may be medically unfit to drive if they have access to eForms, an online reporting tool at the clinic. This option is available to some clinics starting May 2022. Other Driver Medical Review forms can be found and sent through eForms as well. 

Submitting reports by mail or fax

Health care professionals can still fax medical reporting forms or submit them by mail.

Follow these steps to complete and submit the form:

  1. Download the Medical Condition Report (PDF) 
  2. Complete it on your computer
    • when you complete the patient information on page 1, it will automatically populate the same information on page 2
  3. If you are reporting a mandatory condition, select the box beside the medical condition(s) you are reporting
    • in some cases, you will have to click two boxes (for example, if you are reporting a seizure due to alcohol withdrawal you will click the boxes next to “Seizure due to:” and “Alcohol Withdrawal”)
  4. Complete section 7 if you are making a discretionary report of a condition that is not listed as mandatory, but may make it dangerous for your patient to drive
  5. Complete part 3 - practitioner’s information
  6. Print it
  7. Sign it
  8. Submit the form either:  

By mail:
Ministry of Transportation
Registrar of Motor Vehicles
Driver Medical Review Office
77 Wellesley Street West, Box 589
Toronto, Ontario M7A 1N3

By fax:  416-235-3400  or  1-800-304-7889

The form is two pages in length. Make sure that you submit both pages of the completed form. We cannot process incomplete reports.

 If you submit the report by fax, please do not mail the original. Keep a copy of your form for your own records.

Patient access

The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) requires the ministry to provide your patient with a copy of the report if they request it.

If you’re concerned that releasing the report would threaten someone’s health or safety, notify the ministry by:

Reporting process for police

If you are a police officer and you want to report a driver who might be medically unfit to drive, you can submit a report through the driver licence review service on the Inquiry Services System (ISS).

We will continue to process forms and reports received by fax, however submitting reports through ISS is faster and more convenient.

Submitting reports by fax

If you can’t submit your report electronically through ISS, you can report a driver by fax in one of two ways:

  • using the Driver Information – Request for Driver’s Licence Review form
  • using a police service letterhead

If you’re submitting a report using letterhead, you must also include the following information:

  • name, date of birth, gender and driver’s licence number
  • investigating officer’s observations of the individual that led to the report
  • investigating officer’s name and badge number

You can fax reports to either:

General public reporting

If you are concerned about an individual’s medical fitness to drive, you should discuss your concerns with a physician or the police depending on the circumstances and your relationship with the driver. The physician or police can then determine whether a report should be made to the ministry.

How we make decisions about licence status

To determine an individual’s licence status, we consider:

  • the details of the condition or functional impairment reported by the healthcare practitioner
  • any mandatory requirements (for example, vision or hearing standards for certain licence classes)
  • national medical standards

We may seek the advice of the Medical Advisory Committee if:

  • national medical standards don’t have enough detail
  • the medical information provided is complex, with multiple conditions and/or test results

Role of healthcare practitioners reporting

We rely on information provided by healthcare practitioners to help identify individuals who are at significant risk so we can take immediate action.

This includes suspending the licence of any individual reported to have a high-risk - chronic or deteriorating - condition that has resulted in:

  • impaired judgment, problem-solving, planning and sequencing
  • sudden incapacitation
  • motor or sensory impairment affecting muscle strength and control
  • impaired vision
  • uncontrolled substance use disorder
  • acute psychosis, severe abnormalities of perception or suicidal plan involving a vehicle

Other reports of conditions that aren’t deemed to be high risk (for example, a discretionary report) do not always result in a licence suspension. If an individual is reported to have a medical condition or functional impairment that is well-controlled, we won’t necessarily suspend their licence.

If the stability of a condition is questionable, we may request:

  • follow-up medical information
  • a functional assessment of the individual with an occupational therapist
  • other appropriate assessments

National medical standards

The Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators’ (CCMTA) national medical standards offer detailed information for physicians and licensing authorities to help provide for a fair and consistent approach to decision-making.

Learn more and access the national medical standards at the CCMTA website.

Functional driving assessments

Individuals with certain medical conditions or functional impairments may need to undergo a formal functional driving assessment with an occupational therapist (OT).

The assessment includes:

  • an in-clinic evaluation conducted by the OT
  • an on-road evaluation with the OT and a qualified driving instructor

These assessments are not funded by the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) or by the Ministry of Transportation. The individual being assessed is responsible for payment.

Individuals with certain visual field defects may also need to undergo a functional driving assessment at an approved functional assessment centre.

See a list of approved functional assessment centres

Appeal process

If you have had your licence suspended for medical reasons, you can appeal to the Licence Appeal Tribunal. However, you cannot appeal a suspension for failing to meet mandatory vision standards or for failing to file a medical report by the required due date. There is a fee to appeal, which is payable to the Licence Appeal Tribunal.

For more information on the appeal process your patient can call either:

Contact us

Mail:
Ministry of Transportation
Driver Medical Review Office
77 Wellesley Street West, Box 589
Toronto, Ontario M7A 1N3

Business hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday

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