Medical Review Section

Physicians' Duty to Report Patients

In Ontario the law requires that physicians report patients who, in the opinion of the physician, may be unfit to drive for medical reasons. The mandatory reporting requirement for physicians is found in Section 203 of the Highway Traffic Act. The requirement states:

• Every legally qualified medical practitioner shall report to the Registrar the name, address and clinical condition of every person sixteen years of age or over attending upon a medical practitioner for medical services, who, in the opinion of such medical practitioner is suffering from a condition that may make it dangerous for such person to operate a motor vehicle.
• No action shall be brought against a qualified medical practitioner for complying with this section.
• The report referred to in subsection (1) is privileged for the information of the Registrar only and shall not be open for public inspection, and such report is inadmissible in evidence for any purpose in any trial except to prove compliance with subsection (1). R.S.O. 1980, c. 198, s.. 203.

Similar provisions are in place for optometrists to report visual conditions (s. 204).

This legislation has been in place since 1968 and was enacted at the request of the medical community. The request was made due to the medical community's concerns about their inability to persuade unfit patients to stop driving.

To simplify the reporting process, the Ministry of Transportation has worked with the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care-Ontario Medical Association Joint Forms Committee to develop a reporting form for legally qualified medical practitioners to use when reporting a patient.

How to Complete the Form

Physicians are required by law to provide the patient's name, address and the clinical condition; however, by including the patient's gender and date of birth, we can accurately identify the individual.

We suggest you keep a copy for your records. If you send by fax, please do not mail the original. To expedite your patient's file, please provide further elaboration of clinical condition (if available) or attach as a separate report: Diagnosis; Other Relevant Clinical Information (i.e. current status - including results of investigations, medication(s), treatment and prognosis); and whether or not the condition is a serious risk to road safety, threat to road safety is unknown or condition is temporary - weeks/months

Please complete the form on your computer. Indicate with an "X" the medical condition(s) you are reporting, and print for signature.

Note:  This form is used to report patients who may be unfit to drive.  This form is not for use for commercial drivers or for those drivers wishing to upgrade their driver’s licence.  Standard medical report forms can be obtained from your local DriveTest office.

Mail or fax completed forms to:

• Registrar of Motor Vehicles, Medical Review Section
  Ministry of Transportation
  (see mailing address and fax numbers in the left column of this page)

For your convenience, this form can also be saved on your computer for future completion and printing. To ensure document recognition, please do not photocopy this form.

If you are a physician and you would like to obtain copies of the Medical Condition Report form to report unfit patients to the Registrar of Motor Vehicles:

• download the Medical Condition Report (PDF - 376 KB). To complete this PDF file, you will require Adobe Acrobat Reader.
• To order forms: e-mail driverimprovementoffice@ontario.ca, or call 416-235-1773 or 1-800-268-1481

What Conditions to Report

The Canadian Medical Association publishes the "Physician's Guide to Driver Examination" to assist physicians in determining which conditions may make it dangerous to drive safely. The guide is available from the Canadian Medical Association.

How the Ministry Determines Licence Status

The ministry considers the details of the individual's clinical condition reported by the attending physician, using guidelines established by the Canadian Medical Association, and advice from the Ministry's Medical Advisory Committee, whose members are experts in the fields of neurology, cardiology, psychiatry, endocrinology, ophthalmology, internal medicine, substance abuse, geriatric medicine and physiatry.

The ministry relies on information provided on this form to help identify individuals who are at significant risk so that immediate action to suspend the licence of any individual reported to have a chronic or deteriorating condition that is likely to impair judgement or psychomotor skills or to be experiencing recurring or unexplained episodes of loss of consciousness.

If an individual is reported to have a clinical condition that is well controlled and the individual is under physician care, the ministry generally does not suspend the licence. Where stability may be questionable, the ministry may request follow-up medical information to confirm stability or request the individual undergo a driving examination or other appropriate assessments.

Patient's Right to Access This Report

The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act requires the ministry to provide your patient with a copy of this report if requested. It may be withheld only if there is evidence that its release would threaten the health or safety of you, the patient or another individual. If you are concerned that the release of this report would threaten someone's health or safety, make sure you notify the ministry by checking the appropriate box on the front of this form or by calling the ministry at 416-235-1773 or 1-800-268-1481.

Medical Review Process Brochure

In 2009 MTO developed a brochure, Understanding the Driver's Licence Medical Review Process. The brochure provides increased awareness to physicians, optometrists and the public regarding the mandatory medical reporting requirement and the medical review process.

Medical Review Process Brochure (PDF- 77 KB)

Driving and Dementia Pamphlet

In 2003 MTO developed a pamphlet with the Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington Dementia Network to educate physicians about reporting drivers with dementia. There is also a pamphlet available for patients and family members that is helpful in explaining the medical review process and dealing with a diagnosis of dementia.

These pamphlets are available online on the Providence Care Hospital's website. Click on Clinical Services then on the Geriatric Psychiatry section.

Nurse Practitioners

There is currently no mandatory reporting requirement for Nurse Practitioners in the province of Ontario.  Nurse Practitioners are authorized to complete two ministry forms on behalf of their patients.  Those are the standard medical form for commercial drivers or drivers wishing to up-grade their licence and the Substance Abuse Assessment form which is required when individuals have been reported by their physician due to substance abuse/dependence and/or as a result of certain drinking and driving offences.