Special assessment of fitness to drive

According to regulations, a prerequisite for undergoing a special fitness-to-drive assessment is holding a valid Group 1 medical certification for at least 60-90 days (or a valid driver’s license). If the client has been classified as unfit, the assessment cannot be conducted! If the examination is carried out at own request, timely payment of the assessment fee is also required.

There are two ways to initiate the special fitness-to-drive assessment: at the client's own request, or upon the request of an official authority (e.g., police, court, employer).

Clients may request the assessment for the following reasons:

  • failure to pass the driving test five times;
  • no existing driving license, but the client would like to assess whether the necessary abilities to learn to drive are present and/or if an existing limiting factor or impairment raises concerns about their fitness to drive (e.g., health issues, mobility impairments, mental illness), and the family doctor or specialist recommends the assessment;
  • poessession of a driving license, but due to a newly developed medical condition (e.g., health issues, mobility impairments, mental illness), fitness to drive has become questionable, and the family doctor, medical board or specialist recommends the assessment;
  • a previously held driving license has been revoked, and its reinstatement requires a fitness-to-drive assessment (e.g., in case of five unsuccessful driving tests after retraining or an official ruling);
  • a previous fitness-to-drive assessment resulted in an unfit or limited-fit certification.

Application process

  • Clients who have failed the driving test five times must register at the relevant county branch of the Examination Center. Contact details for county branches can be found here >>  The county branch records the application in the Examination Center’s system and forwards it to the Fitness-to-Drive Examination Directorate, which processes the request. Clients will then receive instructions on how to register for an appointment.
  • Clients who have failed the driving test five times after retraining must follow the same registration process as first-time driving test failures. The Examination Center assigns an appointment and notifies the client via registered mail.
  • Other voluntary applications may be submitted via email, post, or in person. The following documents must be provided in full:
    • Personal details (full name, place and date of birth, mother’s name);
    • Contact information (residential address, mailing address if different, email, phone number);
    • Copy of both sides of a valid driving license (if applicable). If no valid license is held, a valid Group 1 medical certificate must be provided;
    • A written request, including the reason for the application;
    • Relevant medical documentation or official records.

Applications submitted via email must be sent to pavig@kavk.hu. For paper-based applications, the documents must be mailed to the Fitness-to-Drive Examination Directorate (1082 Budapest, Vajdahunyad utca 45). In-person applications can be submitted during customer service hours. Further details are available at >>  
Once the application is processed, the Examination Center schedules an appointment and notifies the client via registered mail.

  • Applications initiated by an authority may be submitted by:
    • -> Police, court, or prosecutor’s office;
    • -> Employer.

Once the official request is received, an appointment is assigned, and the client is notified via registered mail. If requested by law enforcement, the examination fee is included in procedural costs. If requested by an employer, the invoice is issued to them. If recommended by a medical professional, the fee must be paid by the client.

Rescheduling or canceling an appointment

For voluntary assessments, rescheduling, cancelation or refund requests can only be submitted at least five days before the examination date via email or post and must be approved by the Directorate.

For assessments ordered by an authority, rescheduling is only possible if the request is received at least five days in advance and the requesting authority is notified. If a client fails to attend a mandatory assessment without valid justification, the authority will be informed, and legal consequences may follow. If a client misses a mandatory fitness-to-drive assessment due to their own fault, their driving privileges will be suspended from the date of the missed examination. The Examination Center is required to notify the relevant Government Office, which will take action to revoke the client's driver’s license.

Conducting the examination

Clients must arrive in a rested state, free from the influence of alcohol or any substance affecting driving ability (except prescribed, regularly taken medications). The examination lasts between 2 to 5 hours, depending on the type of assessment required. Clients are responsible for bringing their own food and drinks.

The examination consists of instrumental ability and skill assessments and a personality assessment conducted by a psychologist. 

If the client already holds a previous Fitness-to-Drive (PÁV) certification, the assessment will be conducted for that specific category, and the client will receive a qualification for all lower categories as well. If a client possesses a valid driver’s license but fails the PÁV4 assessment, their driving privileges will be suspended for all categories starting from the day of the examination.

Following the assessment, a fitness-to-drive certificate will be issued within 15 days. No detailed expert opinion is prepared. The certificate will be sent only via registered mail to both the client and the requesting authority.