How California's DMV re-examination process works for older drivers in San Diego County, and what to do when it's time to talk about giving up the keys.
By Patricia Nguyen, CDP · September 01, 2026
California does not require a special road test at any specific age, but the DMV can order a re-examination for any driver at any time if it receives a "Request for Driver Re-Examination" (form DS 699). These reports most often come from physicians, who are required by state law to report patients diagnosed with conditions that involve a lapse of consciousness or certain cognitive impairments, but they can also be filed by law enforcement, DMV field staff, or family members with direct knowledge of a driving concern.
Once a report is filed, the DMV Driver Safety Office reviews the driver's record and medical information and can require any combination of a written knowledge test, a vision screening, and a behind-the-wheel drive test. Drivers 70 and older who apply to renew a license in person, rather than online or by mail, are also more likely to be flagged for additional screening if the office has any record of a concern on file.
San Diego County drivers dealing with a DMV re-examination notice work through the local Driver Safety Office, which can be reached at (858) 495-5100. Bringing a written summary from the driver's physician about any treated conditions, and a current medication list, often speeds up the review.
California's Older Driver Program is built around the idea that most seniors self-regulate their driving well and should keep their licenses as long as it's safe to do so. Anyone who witnesses unsafe driving by a family member or neighbor can submit a Confidential Driver Safety Report to the DMV describing specific, observed incidents. The report is confidential — the driver is not told who filed it — and it prompts a case review rather than an automatic suspension.
This matters for adult children in San Diego who are worried about a parent's driving but don't want to have that conversation head-on. Filing the confidential report lets the DMV's trained evaluators make an independent, medically grounded determination, which can take some of the emotional weight off the family relationship.
A private, comprehensive driving evaluation from a certified driving rehabilitation specialist is one of the most useful — and most underused — tools for families who are unsure whether a loved one should still be driving. These evaluations, typically run by an occupational therapist, combine a clinical assessment of vision, reaction time, and cognitive processing with an actual on-road test in a dual-brake vehicle.
The evaluation produces a written report that can recommend continued unrestricted driving, driving with modifications such as a wider mirror or limits on nighttime and freeway driving, or retirement from driving with a referral to transportation alternatives. Several San Diego-area hospital rehabilitation departments and private practices offer this service; Scripps and Sharp rehabilitation services are a reasonable starting point for a referral, and a primary care physician can also order one directly.
These evaluations are rarely cheap and are not always covered by Medicare, so it's worth calling ahead to ask about self-pay pricing, which in the San Diego area commonly runs in the $300 to $500 range for a full evaluation.
Giving up driving is consistently ranked by older adults as one of the hardest transitions in aging, often tied closely to identity and independence. Having a concrete transportation plan ready before the conversation happens makes it easier for everyone. San Diego County's Aging & Independence Services (AIS) operates an information and assistance line at (800) 510-2020 that can walk families through local options, including senior van and shuttle programs run by community-based organizations in different parts of the county, MTS Access paratransit for adults with qualifying disabilities, and volunteer driver programs through local senior centers.
Rideshare and taxi-style options have also become more central to many families' plans, and some Medicare Advantage plans now include a limited number of non-emergency medical transportation trips as a supplemental benefit — worth checking on a parent's plan documents or by calling the number on the back of the insurance card.
For veterans, the VA San Diego Healthcare System, including the La Jolla campus, offers the Veterans Transportation Program and Disabled American Veterans van service for medical appointments, which can reduce how often driving is even necessary.
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