California, Oregon and Pennsylvania require clinicians to report certain conditions that can impair driving, while Delaware repealed its physician reporting law in 2024.,,, So whether doctors have to report dementia to the DMV depends on where your parent lives. If you're weighing a memory evaluation and worried it will cost your parent their license, the wording of these laws matters: in California and Oregon, the duty to report turns on whether the condition is severe enough to affect driving, not on a dementia diagnosis by itself.,

In This Guide

Do Doctors Have to Report Dementia to the DMV? The Short Answer

There is no single national rule on whether doctors have to report dementia to the DMV. Each state decides, and the laws differ in who reports, which conditions count and how fast the report is due. The table below covers the state laws we have checked against the statute or the state's own motor vehicle agency. It is not a list of every state's rule, so if your state isn't here, ask the doctor and your state's driver licensing agency directly.,,,,,,

State Who must report What triggers it Deadline Dementia named?
California Physicians, to the local health officer, who reports to DMV A disorder characterized by lapses of consciousness, in a patient 14 or older Immediately Yes: the definition must include Alzheimer's and related disorders severe enough to impair driving
Oregon Designated physicians and health care providers A severe and uncontrollable cognitive or functional impairment, in a patient 14 or older Not stated in the rule we cite Memory loss and confusion are listed impairments
Pennsylvania Physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners and others who diagnose or treat A disorder or disability defined by PennDOT's Medical Advisory Board, in a patient 15 or older Within 10 days The statute leaves the list to the Board
New Jersey Physicians Recurrent seizures, recurrent unconsciousness or impairment, or loss of motor coordination that persists despite treatment Within 24 hours No
Nevada Physicians and advanced practice registered nurses Epilepsy that severely impairs driving Within 15 days No
Massachusetts The driver A medical condition or medication that affects driving Upon learning of it Not named
Delaware No one: the physician reporting law was repealed effective August 2, 2024 Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable

California: Alzheimer's Is Written Into the Law

If your parent lives in California, this is the state where the law speaks most directly to dementia. California Health and Safety Code section 103900 requires every physician and surgeon to report immediately, in writing, to the local health officer each patient 14 or older diagnosed with a disorder characterized by lapses of consciousness, and the local health officer then reports the person in writing to the Department of Motor Vehicles. California's Health and Safety Code section 103900 requires the state's definition of disorders characterized by lapses of consciousness to include Alzheimer's disease and related disorders severe enough to be likely to impair a person's ability to drive.

That qualifier matters for families. Under California's law, the reporting duty reaches Alzheimer's and related disorders when they are severe enough to be likely to impair driving, not every mention of memory trouble. A California physician who reasonably and in good faith believes a report will serve the public interest may also report a patient even when the definition does not require it.

The California DMV tells drivers plainly that their doctor is required by law to report conditions characterized by loss of consciousness or control, including Alzheimer's disease.

Oregon: A Report Turns on How Driving Is Affected

Oregon's rule is built around function rather than a diagnosis, which can be a relief to hear. Under OAR 735-074-0110, designated physicians and health care providers must report to DMV a person 14 or older who has a severe and uncontrollable cognitive or functional impairment. The cognitive impairments the Oregon rule lists include attention, judgment and problem solving, reaction time, memory (including confusion or memory loss), and loss of consciousness or control.

The Oregon DMV's At-Risk Driver Program explains the two key words. For Oregon DMV, "severe" means the impairment substantially limits a person's ability to perform activities of daily living, including driving, because medication, therapy, surgery or adaptive devices do not control or compensate for it. "Uncontrollable," in Oregon DMV's definition, means the impairment persists despite those efforts. Oregon DMV also says it is prohibited by statute from acting on a diagnosis or medications alone, so a report has to describe how the driver is actually affected.

When Oregon DMV accepts a report as a mandatory report, it issues an immediate suspension that gives the driver five days' notice before it takes effect.

Pennsylvania: A Report to PennDOT Within 10 Days

Pennsylvania casts a wide net over who must report, so if your parent lives there, the duty isn't limited to physicians: a nurse practitioner or physician assistant who does the memory evaluation is covered too. Under 75 Pa.C.S. section 1518, physicians, podiatrists, chiropractors, physician assistants, certified registered nurse practitioners and others authorized to diagnose or treat the listed disorders must report to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), in writing and within 10 days, each person over 15 diagnosed with a disorder or disability that PennDOT's Medical Advisory Board has defined. The Board defines the disorders characterized by lapses of consciousness and the other mental or physical disabilities that affect a person's ability to drive safely.

PennDOT's medically impaired driver page describes the duty as covering any patient 15 or older diagnosed with a condition that could impair safe driving, and it says reports are not required when a condition is expected to last less than 90 days, such as a broken leg.

Whether a particular dementia diagnosis has to be reported in Pennsylvania depends on the Board's definitions and the clinician's judgment about driving, so this is a good question to ask the doctor directly at the evaluation.

Do Doctors Have to Report Dementia to the DMV in New Jersey, Nevada or Delaware?

You may see these three states named in articles about dementia and the DMV. Here is what their laws actually say.

New Jersey. Under N.J.S.A. 39:3-10.4, New Jersey physicians must report a patient to the Motor Vehicle Commission within 24 hours after determining that the patient has recurrent convulsive seizures, recurrent periods of unconsciousness or impairment, or loss of motor coordination due to conditions such as epilepsy that persist or recur despite treatment. Dementia and Alzheimer's disease are not named among the conditions New Jersey's law lists.

Nevada. Nevada's clinician statement law, NRS 629.047, is about epilepsy. When a Nevada physician or advanced practice registered nurse decides a patient's epilepsy severely impairs safe driving, the clinician must inform the patient of the dangers, sign a statement saying so, and send a copy to the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles within 15 days.

Delaware. Delaware used to require physicians treating people subject to losses of consciousness from a disease of the central nervous system to report them to the Division of Motor Vehicles within a week. That law, 24 Del. C. section 1763, was repealed effective August 2, 2024. A 2024 study classified Delaware with California, Oregon and Pennsylvania as states requiring clinicians to report dementia to the DMV; that classification predates the August 2024 repeal, so lists drawn from it are out of date.

When the Duty Falls on the Driver

In some states the obligation sits with the person behind the wheel rather than the doctor. The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles describes Massachusetts as a self-reporting state: a driver who has a medical condition, or takes a medication, that affects their driving must self-report to the RMV upon learning of it, regardless of when the license is due for renewal.

The Massachusetts RMV has set minimum medical standards for vision, loss of consciousness and seizures, and cardiovascular and respiratory conditions. When the RMV has reason to believe a person may not be able to drive safely because of another condition, its Medical Affairs unit conducts an individualized assessment of that person's ability to drive.

The 2024 study discussed below also sorted a group of other states into a "driver self-report" category. That grouping is the researchers' classification, not a list of legal duties we have checked, so confirm your own state's rule with its licensing agency.

Why the Worry Shouldn't Delay a Diagnosis

It's completely understandable to hesitate before an evaluation if you think it could end your parent's driving. Researchers have also looked at whether reporting laws affect how often clinicians diagnose dementia. A cross-sectional study in JAMA Network Open (Jun and colleagues, April 2024) looked at 2017 to 2019 Medicare data on 223,036 primary care clinicians. In that 2024 JAMA Network Open study of 2017 to 2019 Medicare data, clinicians in states the researchers classified as requiring DMV reporting of dementia had an adjusted 12.4% probability of underdiagnosing dementia, compared with 7.8% in states the study classified as driver self-report states and 7.7% in states with no explicit requirement.

The study's authors conclude that mandatory DMV reporting by clinicians may be associated with a higher risk of missed or delayed dementia diagnoses. That is an association, not proof that reporting laws cause missed diagnoses.

For your family, the practical point is this: driving with dementia is a question of timing. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration puts it plainly, saying that for someone diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or another dementia, the issue is not whether the person will have to stop driving, but when. A diagnosis gives your parent access to treatment and planning, and it gives you time to arrange the driving question on your own terms rather than after a crash.

What Your Family Can Do Now

You don't have to wait for a law to make the driving decision. A few steps help no matter which state you live in.

  1. Ask the doctor directly. At the evaluation, ask whether your state requires a report for your parent's diagnosis and what the doctor would do. The laws above show how much the answer varies.
  2. Ask for a written "do not drive" note if it's time. The Alzheimer's Association suggests asking the physician to advise the person not to drive and to write a letter or prescription saying the person must not drive, which the family can use as a reminder of what was decided. The National Institute on Aging notes the doctor can write "Do not drive" on a prescription pad.
  3. Know that a family member can raise it with the DMV too. NHTSA says that in almost every state a family member can report a driver to the DMV by letter, that the DMV must examine the claims carefully so the driver isn't harassed unfairly, and that depending on the state the letter may or may not be confidential. Our guide on how to report an unsafe older driver to the DMV walks through that process.
  4. Watch the driving, not just the diagnosis. Our guide on when an older adult should stop driving covers the warning signs, how to have the conversation, and what to do about the keys.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does an early dementia diagnosis mean my parent loses their license right away?

Not automatically in California or Oregon. California's definition reaches Alzheimer's and related disorders severe enough to be likely to impair driving, and Oregon requires a report only for a severe and uncontrollable impairment and says its DMV cannot act on a diagnosis alone, though once Oregon DMV accepts a mandatory report it issues a suspension with five days' notice., In Pennsylvania, whether a diagnosis has to be reported depends on how PennDOT's Medical Advisory Board defines the reportable disorders. The National Institute on Aging notes that some people in the early stages of dementia are able to keep driving for a time.

Is a doctor's report to the DMV confidential?

In California, Oregon and Pennsylvania, the law makes these reports confidential and limits their use to deciding whether the person can drive. Oregon adds one exception: the report becomes a hearing exhibit if the driver requests a hearing.,,

Can my parent sue the doctor for reporting them?

California's law says a physician who makes a required or authorized report is not civilly or criminally liable to the patient for it, Pennsylvania bars civil or criminal action against anyone for providing the required information, and Oregon makes a designated provider immune from civil liability for a good-faith report, and for not making one.,, Other states' rules may differ.

Will my parent have to retake a driving test after a report?

It depends on the state. NHTSA says that even a driver who is re-examined and passes may face future periodic reviews, and that a DMV might require periodic road tests for people with progressive medical conditions or some forms of dementia.

Learn More

CaregiverWhen Should an Older Adult Stop Driving? How to Know and What to DoThere's no set age to stop driving. The warning signs it may be time, how to have the conversation, dementia and driving, and how to stay mobile after. CaregiverHow to Report an Unsafe Older Driver to the DMVIn almost every state you can report an unsafe elderly driver to the DMV in writing. What to include, what happens next, and whether your parent will know. CaregiverUnderstanding the Stages of Dementia: What to Expect as a CaregiverA caregiver's guide to the stages of dementia: mild, moderate, and severe, what changes at each stage, the signs of each transition, and how to plan ahead. CaregiverDementia Care Resources by StateMedicaid waivers, respite, adult day, and Alzheimer's support for dementia caregivers vary by state. See how they differ and open a full guide for your state. CaregiverSenior Transportation: How to Get Around When You No Longer DriveSenior transportation options when an older adult stops driving: aging-network rides, ADA paratransit, Medicaid medical rides, and how to pick the right one.

Find personalized help planning for driving after a dementia diagnosis at brevy.com.

The information on Brevy.com is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal, financial, or medical advice. Rules vary by state and program and change frequently. Always verify with the relevant agency or a qualified professional. Brevy is not a law firm, financial advisor, or healthcare provider.

Still have questions?

Brevy answers from this guide and every other guide here, and can check what you qualify for.

BC

Brevy Care Team

Expert eldercare guidance from Brevy's team of healthcare professionals and researchers.