DVLA Form D2 is the paper application for a provisional lorry or bus driving licence, and you can only get the form pack in person from a Post Office branch that offers DVLA services. There is no fee to apply, but you must submit the D2 together with a doctor-completed medical report (Form D4) and post the whole pack, including original identity documents, to DVLA in Swansea.1GOV.UK. Become a Qualified Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) or Bus Driver – Fees
Where to Pick Up the D2 Pack
The pack is not available online. You cannot download the D2, print it from the DVLA website, or order it through the DVLA forms service.2GOV.UK. Download and Order DVLA Forms It has to be collected from a Post Office that carries DVLA forms, and not every branch does. Use the branch finder at postoffice.co.uk to locate one that offers DVLA services.
The pack contains two forms: the D2 application itself and the D4 medical examination report your doctor will fill out. Collect it well before you plan to apply, because you need time to book a medical appointment and gather identity documents before the whole pack can go in the post.
Which Licences the D2 Applies For
Form D2 is the application for provisional vocational entitlement, meaning the categories that let you drive large goods vehicles and passenger-carrying vehicles. The main ones are:
- Category C: vehicles over 3,500 kg with a trailer up to 750 kg.
- Category C1: medium vehicles between 3,500 kg and 7,500 kg with a trailer up to 750 kg.
- Category D: buses with more than eight passenger seats with a trailer up to 750 kg.
- Category D1: minibuses with no more than 16 passenger seats and a maximum length of eight metres, with a trailer up to 750 kg.
The combined categories (C+E, C1+E, D+E, D1+E) let you tow heavier trailers, but you need to hold the base category first before adding the trailer entitlement.3GOV.UK. Driving Licence Categories A common mistake on the form is ticking Category C when you actually need C+E, so match the boxes to the vehicle you intend to drive.
Minimum ages depend on the category. For C and C1, you can apply at 18. For D, the standard minimum is 21, though drivers completing the full initial Driver CPC qualification can apply at 18 for some entitlements. For D1, the minimum is generally 21.
Documents You Need Before You Start
Sit down with the following in front of you:
- Your current driving licence number, from your photocard. The D2 links the new entitlement to your existing driving record.
- Three years of address history with no gaps.
- Original identity documents if you need to update your photo or prove your identity. Accepted options include a passport, a UK National Identity Card, an Identity Card for Foreign Nationals, or an EC/EEA National Identity Card. If you hold none of those, a UK birth or adoption certificate plus one supporting document (National Insurance card, P45, P60, payslip, or marriage certificate) will do.
Fill the form in with black ink and block capitals. The eyesight declaration requires you to confirm you can read a standard number plate from 20 metres away, roughly the length of five parked cars; glasses or contact lenses are fine if you normally wear them for driving.4GOV.UK. Driving Eyesight Rules
The D4 Medical That Goes With It
Every D2 application must be accompanied by a completed Form D4, the medical examination report confirming you meet the higher health standards required for vocational driving.5GOV.UK. Applying for a Bus or Lorry Provisional Entitlement A registered doctor completes the D4 after examining you. It is not covered by the NHS, so you pay directly; fees vary between practices, but expect somewhere in the range of £50 to £120 for a standard vocational medical with a GP.
The D4 also has a section that an optician or optometrist fills in separately for the detailed vision assessment.6GOV.UK. Medical Examination Report for a Lorry or Bus Driving Licence (D4)
Timing matters. Once your doctor signs the D4, it is valid for four months. If you have not sent it to DVLA within that window, you will need a fresh examination, so do not book the medical too far in advance of posting the application.
Posting the Application
Once the D2 and D4 are both filled in, put the whole pack, including any identity documents, in the post to:
DVLA
Swansea
SA99 1BR7GOV.UK. Renew or Change a Lorry or Bus Licence
Use recorded or tracked delivery. You are sending original identity documents, and replacing them at your own expense if the envelope goes missing is a headache worth avoiding. Photocopy everything before you seal it.
What Happens After You Send It
Straightforward applications with no medical complications take roughly three weeks to process. If you declared a condition on the D4 that needs review by DVLA’s medical team, expect five to twelve weeks. Applications with missing or incomplete documents get returned unprocessed, which adds another month or more while you fix the problem and send it back.
DVLA posts the updated licence, now showing the provisional vocational entitlement, to the address on the application. You can track progress through the driving licence status service on GOV.UK. If DVLA needs more information, they write to you by post, so watch your mail during the processing period.
A provisional vocational entitlement does not let you drive commercially. It lets you drive the relevant vehicle class under supervision for training purposes while you work toward passing the Driver CPC tests.
Using Form D2 for Renewals
The D2 is also the form for renewing an existing vocational licence, and drivers past certain ages need a fresh D4 medical alongside it. The schedule is:
- Under 45: no D4 needed at renewal unless you hold a medically restricted licence.
- 45 and over: a new D4 every five years.
- 65 and over: a new D4 every year.
- 70 and over (C1 and D1 only): a new D4 every three years.
Drivers over 45 with a medically restricted licence also need a D4 every five years at renewal.8GOV.UK. D4 Medical Examination Report for a Group 2, Lorry or Bus Licence – Information and Useful Notes The submission route is the same: complete the D2, get the D4 signed inside its four-month window, and post the pack to DVLA in Swansea.