Epilepsy and driving
State Law Physician required to report Seizure-free period
Alabama Decided by medical advisory board . Periodic updates from physician may be required No 6 months
Alaska Semi-annual neurological examination required No 6 months
Arizona Driving is permitted if seizure is the result of a medication change , is believed by physician to be an isolated incident , is predictable to patient by an aura , or occurs during sleep only No 3 months
Arkansas A one-year seizure-free period is required , and no exceptions are granted No 1 year
California Action taken against those who experience lapses of consciousness or confusion . After 3 months , reinstated under probation , and after 6 months , if no incidents occur , probation is lifted Yes 3-6 months
Colorado Anyone with a medical condition causing a lapse of consciousness must submit a physician statement certifying one 's ability to drive No No fixed amount of time
Connecticut All applicants for driver 's licenses or renewals are required to state any conditions they may have . If any involve a lapse of consciousness , physician statement is required No 3-6 months
Delaware Physicians are required to report seizure disorders involving lapses of consciousness to DMV . License restrictions are accordingly placed . Reviews are made annually thereafter Yes No fixed amount of time
District of Columbia Applicants are required to submit a physician certificate stating they have been seizure free for at least one year for the first 5 years of being seizure-free . Following the 5-year period , applicants are required to sign an affidavit that they have been seizure-free . Driving is permitted within a year of a seizure if seizures are nocturnal , or if they are an isolated incident No 12 months
Florida Drivers who are seizure-free for 6 months may be licensed if a physician feels it is safe . Those who are seizure-free for 2 years or longer do not need a physician certificate No 6 months
Georgia Those who are seizure-free for 6 months may be licensed . Those with nocturnal epilepsy are offered licenses restricted to daylight hours , even if they are actively having seizures No 6 months
Hawaii Those who are seizure-free for 6 months are offered licenses . Exceptions are considered on a case-by-case basis No 6 months
Idaho Licenses are denied to those who , at the discretion of a physician , can not safely operate a motor vehicle due to a medical condition causing lapses in consciousness , and can be reinstated when , at the physician 's discretion , the lapses in consciousness do not impede the patient 's ability to safely operate a motor vehicle No No fixed amount of time
Illinois All applicants are asked to answer a series of questions pertaining to their health . If any have a yes answer , a physician must certify that it is safe for the applicant to drive . The applicant must follow the physician 's instructions from then on No No fixed amount of time
Indiana Anyone whose physician certifies that s/he is seizure-free while medicated is permitted to obtain a license No No fixed amount of time
Iowa Must remain seizure-free for 6 months , and then submit an evaluation from a physician every 6 months thereafter . Those whose seizures occur only at night , or were only as a result of a failed medication change need not wait through the 6-month period No 6 months , with exceptions
Kansas Those who are considered to be a danger to themselves or others behind the wheel may be denied licenses . Exceptions are made for those whose seizures are nocturnal only , or who suffered them as a result of a failed medication change No 6 months , with exceptions
Kentucky Upon application or renewal of license , applicants are asked if they have had a seizure in the past 90 days . Those who are seizure-free must take medication No 90 days
Louisiana Applicants for a new license with any disability must provide a physician certificate detailing their fitness to drive . This report is waived for renewals , except for commercial licenses No 6 months
Maine Those who have been seizure-free for 3 months and are using medication may be issued a license . One who has a breakthrough seizure due to a medication issue may have this requirement waived No 3 months
Epilepsy driving laws by country -- United States
Epilepsy and driving is a personal and safety issue. A person with a seizure disorder that causes lapses in consciousness may be putting the public at risk from their operation of a motor vehicle. Not only can a seizure itself cause an accident, but anticonvulsants often have side effects that include drowsiness. People with epilepsy are more likely to be involved in a traffic accident than people who do not have the condition, although reports range from minimally more likely up to seven times more likely. It is for this reason that most people diagnosed with epilepsy are prohibited or restricted by their local laws from operating vehicles. However, most places have exceptions built into their laws for those who can prove that they have stabilized their condition. Individuals who may be exempt from such restrictions or may have fewer restrictions include those who suffered seizures as a result of a medical condition that has been cured, from a physician's experimental medication change that failed, as an isolated incident, whose seizures occur only while asleep, or who may be able to predict their seizures in order to ensure that they do not lose consciousness behind the wheel of a moving vehicle. After having one during the day they must wait 180 days to get their license back. The first seizure-related automobile crash occurred at the turn of the 19th century. Since then, laws have been enacted all over the world regarding driving for people with epilepsy. There is an ongoing debate in bioethics over who should bear the burden of ensuring that a person with epilepsy does not drive a car or fly an aircraft.