If your OT driving assessment did not end in a straightforward pass, you may have been told your licence will carry a condition. That word can sound bigger than it is. A condition is not a punishment and it is not a partial licence loss. It is a specific limit that lets you keep driving safely within it, based on what the assessment actually found.
This article explains the main condition codes used in Queensland, how they connect back to your assessment, and what changing or removing one involves later.
What is a licence condition, in plain terms?
A condition is a legal restriction printed on your licence that you must follow every time you drive, in any vehicle. The Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) applies conditions based on medical or functional information, most often a Medical Certificate for Drivers (Form F3712) your GP submits after receiving our report.
The point of a condition is to match your licence to what you can safely do, rather than removing the licence altogether where a full restriction is not necessary. In our experience, most people who leave an OT driving assessment with a condition are relieved once they understand it, because it means they are still driving.
The main condition codes you might see
Queensland licences use letter codes to show which conditions apply. The ones that most often follow an OT driving assessment are:
A: automatic transmission only. You may only drive vehicles with an automatic gearbox. This is common after a stroke or amputation affecting one leg, where clutch control is unreliable but automatic driving is not.
S: corrective lenses required. You must wear your glasses or contact lenses whenever you drive. Getting the right prescription is a job for your optometrist, not something we assess or recommend directly, though we do consider vision as part of the broader picture.
V: vehicle must be fitted with specified driver aids. This applies when hand controls, a spinner knob or other equipment are required, and the exact equipment is listed on a written notice you must carry.
M: current medical certificate required. You must hold a valid F3712 and meet any conditions listed on it, most often tied to a specific review date.
Some people are given more than one code, for example A and S together. Each code is independent and stays in force until TMR removes or changes it.
How does the assessment lead to a specific condition?
Every condition we recommend is tied to something we actually observed, either on the road or in the off-road component of your assessment. If reduced sensation in your right foot made pedal control unreliable during braking, that supports an automatic transmission condition rather than a general comment about your leg. If your visual scanning was fine with glasses on but errors increased without them, that supports a corrective lens condition. This is why the on-road part of the assessment matters as much as the off-road testing.
We do not recommend a condition to be cautious. Each one should mitigate a specific error or risk we identified, and our report says so explicitly. If a condition on your licence does not seem to match anything discussed in your assessment, it is worth checking directly with TMR.
Can a condition be changed or removed later?
Yes. Conditions are not necessarily permanent. If your function changes, for example after further rehabilitation or recovery, you can be reassessed and TMR can update your licence accordingly. This usually starts with your GP, who can refer you back for a further OT driving assessment if there is a genuine reason to believe your driving has changed.
Reassessment is not automatic and it is not guaranteed to remove a condition. Some conditions are not really something to work toward removing at all, corrective lenses being the clearest example. Plenty of drivers carry an S condition for life, assessment or not, because it reflects a stable, ordinary need rather than a driving risk. If you are approaching this for the first time, how to prepare for an OT driving assessment is a useful starting point.
What happens if I do not follow a condition on my licence?
Driving outside a licence condition, for example driving a manual vehicle when you are restricted to automatic, is its own offence under Queensland's driver licensing rules, separate from unlicensed driving, and it can complicate an insurance claim if you are in a crash. If a condition genuinely does not work for your daily life, the answer is to raise it with your GP and consider reassessment, not to ignore it. Our general reporting guide covers how ongoing obligations like this fit into the wider Queensland system, and if the idea of another assessment feels daunting, what to expect on the day may help.
Frequently asked questions
Does a licence condition mean I failed my assessment?
No. A condition is a specific, workable limit based on what was found, not a failure outcome. Many people who receive a condition continue to drive for years within it.
Will my condition show up if someone checks my licence?
Yes, condition codes are printed on the physical licence and are visible to anyone who checks it, including police at a roadside stop.
Can I choose not to have a condition and just have my licence cancelled instead?
The condition exists because the evidence supported continued driving within that limit. Refusing a recommended condition is not usually an option, since the alternative TMR considers is typically a greater restriction, not an unconditional licence.
How long does a condition last before review?
This depends on the code and your medical certificate. Some, like corrective lenses, are reviewed alongside your regular medical certificate renewal. Others carry a specific review date set by TMR based on your GP's recommendation.
Do I need a new OT assessment every time my medical certificate is renewed?
Not necessarily. Your GP decides whether your condition has changed enough to warrant a further OT assessment. Stable conditions often do not need repeat assessment at every renewal.
Ready to book an OT driving assessment on the Gold Coast? Steer Driving is a mobile assessment service covering the Gold Coast and surrounding areas. Whether you already have a referral or you're just getting started, get in touch and we'll guide you through the next steps.
This article was written by Elise, an AHPRA-registered Occupational Therapist and driver assessor. Elise is the founder of Steer Driving, a mobile OT driving assessment practice.
References
Department of Transport and Main Roads. (2026). Licence types, classes and conditions. Queensland Government. https://www.qld.gov.au/transport/licensing/driver-licensing/types
Transport Operations (Road Use Management–Driver Licensing) Regulation 2021 (Qld) s 201.
Austroads. (2022). Assessing fitness to drive for commercial and private vehicle drivers (6th ed.). Austroads. https://austroads.gov.au/publications/assessing-fitness-to-drive/ap-g56
