To keep our roads safe, drivers must meet certain vision requirements to qualify for a license. You can take a vision screening at any DMV customer service center.
Note:
If you wear bioptic telescopic lenses, see Bioptic Telescopic Lens Wearers for requirements.
Vision Requirements
| License Type | Minimum Vision Requirements | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Driver's License - Unrestricted |
| |
| Driver’s License - Restricted to Daylight Only |
| A license restricted to daylight hours only permits you to drive during the period of time beginning one-half hour after sunrise and ending one-half hour before sunset. |
| Commercial Driver's License (CDL) or Commercial Learner's Permit (CLP) |
| You must meet these visual requirements without the aid of a telescopic lens. Some drivers may be granted waivers from these requirements by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration or by Virginia DMV. See below. |
Exemptions for CDL/CLP
If you don’t meet the minimum vision requirements for a CDL or CLP, drivers who are self certified EI or EA can apply to Medical Review Services for a disability waiver to qualify for an intrastate-only CDL or intrastate-only CLP, provided you meet the following requirements in one eye:
- 20/40 or better vision, corrected or uncorrected
- 120 degrees horizontal vision
See how to qualify to transport hazardous materials with limited vision.
What to Expect at a Vision Screening
To see if your vision meets the necessary requirements, we will ask you to look into a machine and read lines of letters or numbers. If you fail the vision screening, we will ask you to see an eye care professional for a vision exam.
If you need to wear glasses or contact lenses to pass the vision screening, you must wear them when you drive. Your license will show this restriction.
The vision screening is not a medical exam and is not intended to measure the health of your eyes.
Note: See our Visual Field Policy for questions about visual field loss.
How to Remove Restrictions After Getting LASIK
If you must wear glasses or contact lenses when you drive, your driver's license will show a vision restriction. To have the vision restriction removed after having LASIK surgery, you must either:
- Visit a DMV customer service center and get a replacement license by passing the vision screening without wearing glasses or contact lenses, or
- Submit all the following by mail:
- A completed Driver's License and Identification Card Application.
- A Vision Screening Report (MED 4) that has been signed by an ophthalmologist or optometrist within the last three months. The MED 4 must show that you meet the minimum visual requirements without wearing glasses or contact lenses.
- A $20 payment for the replacement license. We accept check or money order.
Mail these items to:
Department of Motor Vehicles
Medical Review Services
P.O. Box 27412
Richmond, VA 23269-0001
Fax: 804-367-1604
DMV will process your request and send you a replacement license with the vision restriction removed. If the expiration date on your license is less than one year away, consider renewing your driver's license instead of replacing it.