In almost every state, you can report an unsafe elderly driver in your family to the DMV by writing a letter that describes the specific unsafe driving or medical concerns you've seen. That's the national picture from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which also says the DMV has to examine the claims carefully so the driver isn't harassed unfairly. The question most families actually lose sleep over, whether a parent will find out who sent the report, has no single national answer. Each state sets its own confidentiality rule, and the states below show how far apart those rules can be.

In This Guide

Before You Report: Talk First, Then Write It Down

NHTSA's advice is that before contacting the DMV, a family member or friend should carefully consider sitting down with the driver first to talk through the concerns and possible plans. A report is easier to live with when the conversation has already happened, even if it went badly. If you haven't had that talk yet, our guide to when an older adult should stop driving covers how to raise it and what to say.

Whether or not the talk works, start keeping notes now. A DMV report is only as strong as its specifics, and a list of dated incidents carries far more weight than "Dad isn't safe anymore." The warning signs the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and NHTSA describe make a good checklist for what to record:

  • New dents or scrapes on the car, near misses, or crashes
  • Two or more traffic tickets or minor accidents, or a jump in insurance premiums
  • Drifting out of the lane, sudden lane changes, or trouble with left turns
  • Getting lost in familiar places, or taking a long time on a simple errand without being able to explain why
  • Stopping at green lights or in the middle of an intersection
  • Comments from neighbors or friends about unsafe driving, or a doctor's advice to cut back or stop

For a parent with dementia, those notes matter even more. NIA says people with dementia often don't realize they are having driving problems, so family members need to watch the person's driving carefully rather than rely on the driver's own sense of it.

Age by itself is not the thing to report. NHTSA says decisions about a person's ability to drive should never be based on age alone, though some state DMVs do place restrictions on drivers once they reach a certain age, so check your own state's renewal rules. What the DMV needs is behavior you've seen.

How to Report an Unsafe Elderly Driver to the DMV, Step by Step

The exact form and address differ by state, but the process tends to follow the same shape. Here's how to work through it.

  1. Find your state's driver licensing agency. It's often called the DMV, but the name varies (in Utah it's the Driver License Division). Search the agency's own .gov site for its unsafe-driver, driver-reexamination or medical-review form.
  2. Use the state's form if it has one, or write a letter. California accepts either a Request for Driver Reexamination (form DS 699) or, if you prefer, a letter to your local Driver Safety office that identifies the driver and gives your reasons. Oregon uses a Driver Evaluation Request. Utah uses an Unsafe Driver Review form that must be notarized.
  3. Describe what you've seen, specifically. NHTSA says the letter should describe specific examples of unsafe driving behavior and/or the medical conditions you believe put the driver at risk. Oregon asks reporters to describe the specific driving behaviors that worried them, along with the events, dates and places where they happened. California's DS 699 asks for details about the driver's medical, physical or mental condition, if you know them, and has you check off the driving problems you've observed.
  4. Identify the driver and yourself. Expect to give the driver's name and date of birth, or enough description for the agency to find the right record. Oregon's rule requires the driver's name and date of birth (or a description sufficient for DMV to identify the driver), plus the reporter's name and signature. California requires every request to be signed.
  5. Ask about confidentiality on the form itself. If your state lets you request that your name be withheld, as California does, make the request in writing when you submit the report.
  6. Keep a copy. Hold on to what you sent and your incident notes, in case the agency asks for more information.

Will Your Parent Know You Reported Them?

NHTSA's answer is that, depending on your state, the letter may or may not be confidential, which means the older driver could find out who wrote it. There's no reliable national count of which states protect a reporter's identity, so the only safe move is to read your own state's rule before you send anything. The three states below show how much those rules differ.

State How you report Will your name be shared with the driver? What can follow
Utah Unsafe Driver Review form, notarized The Driver License Division says it will not disclose the identity of the person who notified it Written knowledge test, vision exam and driving skills test; a form from the driver's health care professional or vision specialist; a restricted privilege, or denial if minimum testing standards aren't met
California Request for Driver Reexamination (DS 699) or a letter to your local Driver Safety office; must be signed You may ask that your name not be revealed; DMV honors that to the fullest extent possible Medical information and law, vision and drive tests if appropriate; restriction, probation, suspension or revocation, with written notice and usually a right to a hearing
Oregon Driver Evaluation Request with your name and signature; anonymous reports aren't accepted Kept confidential, with exceptions; if the driver requests a hearing, the report becomes a hearing exhibit the driver receives A Suspension Notice when a report is accepted, a right to a hearing, and possible vision, knowledge and skills tests

Sources for the table: Utah Driver License Division, California DMV, and Oregon DMV.,,

None of these three states (Utah, California and Oregon) takes a fully anonymous report in the way many families hope. Utah requires a notarized form and California requires a signature, so the agency knows who you are even when it won't tell the driver., Oregon says it is prohibited by law from accepting anonymous reports, and its rule lets the report be used as evidence in a hearing on suspending the driver's license, which is one way an Oregon driver could see who reported them.

If confidentiality decides whether you report at all, read your own state agency's guidance, or call it, before you send anything.

What Happens After You Report an Elderly Driver to the DMV

What a report sets in motion depends on the state. In each example here, the licensing agency, not the person who reported, decides what happens to the driver's license.

The review itself. In Utah, the Driver License Division may require a driver review with a written knowledge test, a vision exam and a driving skills test, plus a form completed by the driver's health care professional or vision specialist. In California, a driver called in for reexamination may have to present medical information and take law, vision and drive tests, if appropriate. Oregon works differently: when Oregon DMV accepts a report, it sends the driver a Suspension Notice, and the driver may be required to pass vision, knowledge and skills tests.

The possible outcomes. Utah may grant a restricted driving privilege, or deny the privilege if the driver can't meet minimum testing standards. California's possible actions after a reexamination are a restriction, probation, suspension or revocation of the driving privilege, and the driver is notified in writing and usually has the right to a hearing to contest the action. Oregon drivers also have a right to request a hearing.

Passing isn't always the end. NHTSA notes that even if a re-examined driver passes, the DMV may still require periodic reviews: a regular report from the driver's physician, periodic road tests for people with progressive conditions or some forms of dementia, or a report from an eye care specialist for a progressive eye disease such as macular degeneration. For a parent whose condition is getting worse, that follow-up can matter more than the first review.

If the License Is Restricted or Taken Away

A restriction or a lost license changes daily life overnight, and the practical problem becomes getting to the doctor, the pharmacy and the grocery store. Our guide to senior transportation walks through the ride options for an older adult who no longer drives, and the state guides for Utah, California and Oregon list local programs. If your parent is pushing back on help more broadly, see when an aging parent refuses help.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you report an elderly driver to the DMV anonymously?

Not in the three states covered here (Utah, California and Oregon), and it helps to separate two ideas. Anonymous means the agency never learns who you are; confidential means it knows but limits whether the driver is told. Each of the three states covered here requires you to identify yourself, with a notarized form in Utah, a signature in California, and your name and signature in Oregon, so what you can realistically hope for in these states is confidentiality.,, The table above shows how far each state's confidentiality goes.

Can I report my parent just because of their age?

You can send a report, but age won't carry it. California says a person's age is not a sufficient reason for reexamination, and Oregon won't accept a report based on age alone., If your worry starts with a birthday, turn it into a list of what you've actually seen, using the warning signs earlier in this guide. Age can matter at renewal instead: NHTSA notes that some state DMVs place restrictions on drivers once they reach a certain age, so it's worth checking your state's renewal rules.

Will reporting my parent mean they lose their license right away?

Not necessarily, and the decision isn't yours. The licensing agency decides, usually after a review. In California, a Driver Safety Hearing Officer decides after the reexamination whether any action should be taken at all, and NHTSA notes a re-examined driver can pass., Oregon moves differently, sending the driver a Suspension Notice once it accepts a report, but even there the driver can ask for a hearing.

Are there extra rules if my parent has dementia?

You don't have to wait for a report to get your parent's driving checked. NIA suggests asking the state's department of motor vehicles for a driving test or other driving evaluation, or arranging a professional driving assessment, which may carry a fee. And if your parent passes a DMV review, that may not be the last one: the DMV may require periodic road tests for people with some forms of dementia. For how dementia affects daily life more broadly, see our guide to the stages 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. 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. CaregiverWhen an Aging Parent Refuses Help: How to Talk About It and What to Watch ForWhy aging parents resist help, how to approach the conversation gently, the signs a parent may need more care, and when it's time to involve a doctor. 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. CaregiverSigns Your Aging Parent Needs Help: What to Watch ForHow to tell when an aging parent needs help: warning signs in daily tasks, personal care, safety, medications, and memory, plus what to do and where to start.

Find personalized help planning for a parent's driving and getting around after the keys 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.

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