SA licence conditions: how to add or remove glasses, automatic and other conditions
If your eyesight changes after laser surgery, if you start needing glasses, or if your doctor changes your medication for a condition that affects driving, the law requires you to update your licence. Here is exactly what the codes on your SA licence mean, what your legal duties are, and the step-by-step process at Service SA.
Quick read
SA licences carry codes on the front: S (corrective lenses), A (automatic only), Z (no alcohol), X (other).
You must declare any health change that affects driving at every renewal AND between renewals. Section 148, Motor Vehicles Act 1959 (SA).
To add or remove: get the right form (MR204 for car eyesight, MR713 for heavy/commercial), submit to Service SA (13 10 84), pay $20. Driving in breach is an offence and can void your insurance.
What licence conditions are
A licence condition is a restriction the Registrar of Motor Vehicles places on your driving. It is recorded in the SA database and printed on your card if it is a main code. Police can read all conditions, printed or not.
The four main SA condition codes
| Code | What it means |
|---|---|
| S | You must wear corrective lenses (glasses or contact lenses) at all times when driving. |
| A | You may only drive a vehicle with automatic transmission. |
| Z | You must have zero blood alcohol concentration when driving. Applies to all learners and P-platers automatically. |
| X | Miscellaneous condition. The details are printed on the back of your licence card. Common examples include daylight driving only, vehicle modifications (hand controls, spinner knob), or a maximum speed restriction. |
Some conditions are not printed on the card at all, just recorded against the licence (for example, a requirement to undergo periodic medical reviews).
What the law requires you to declare
Section 148 of the Motor Vehicles Act 1959 (SA) requires you to truthfully declare any illness, disease or disability that could affect safe driving at every application and renewal. Examples on mylicence.sa.gov.au include diabetes, epilepsy, sleep disorders, blackouts, vertigo, stroke, psychiatric disorders, severe heart disease, and needing glasses to drive.
You must also notify Service SA when your fitness to drive changes between renewals, not just at renewal time. Failing to declare is itself an offence, separate from driving-contrary-to-condition.
Who you contact: Service SA
The licensing authority is technically the Registrar of Motor Vehicles, under the Department for Infrastructure and Transport (DIT). But for everything a normal driver does (add or remove conditions, submit forms, replace the card), you deal with Service SA. Phone 13 10 84, or visit any Service SA centre (Modbury, Tea Tree Plaza, Marion, Currie Street, Elizabeth, Gawler, Mount Barker and others; full list at sa.gov.au).
Which form do you need: private vs commercial driver
The form your doctor or optometrist needs to complete depends on what kind of licence you hold. The medical standards for commercial vehicles are stricter because the consequences of a crash are higher.
| Your licence | Form |
|---|---|
| Car (C class), eyesight only | MR204 Eyesight Certificate. Optometrist, or doctor for simple cases. |
| Car (C class), other medical | Certificate of Fitness (light vehicle/private). Doctor completes. |
| Heavy vehicle or commercial | MR713 Certificate of Fitness for Heavy Vehicle and Commercial Drivers. Stricter standard, sometimes needs a specialist letter. |
Both standards come from the national publication Assessing Fitness to Drive (Austroads), which has separate private and commercial sections. If you drive a heavy vehicle and are part of the National Heavy Vehicle Accreditation Scheme (NHVAS), you also need to meet the scheme's separate medical requirements. NHVAS medicals do not replace the Service SA process. You do both.
Choose the right provider for your condition
There is no single government-approved "special facility" in Adelaide. Any registered GP can complete an MR713 for most cases. The form is not restricted like aviation or maritime medicals are. But picking the right provider for your specific situation saves time and money. Match your situation to the table below.
| Your situation | Who to see |
|---|---|
| Car driver, just need glasses condition added or removed (no other issues) | Your optometrist (Specsavers, OPSM, Eyecare Plus, local independent). Often same-day. Cheapest path. |
| Car driver, complex eyesight issue (diplopia, one eye, visual field defect, after surgery) | Optometrist or ophthalmologist. A GP cannot sign off on these. |
| Car driver, general medical change (diabetes, heart, neurological etc.) | Your regular GP. They know your history. |
| Heavy vehicle / commercial driver, no specialist conditions | Your regular GP, or a commercial-driver medical clinic (Jobfit, KINNECT, Assist Group). |
| Heavy vehicle / commercial driver, specialist condition (cardiac, neurological, sleep apnoea, insulin diabetes) | Your treating specialist (cardiologist, neurologist, sleep physician, endocrinologist). They complete the relevant section; your GP can finish the rest. |
| After stroke, brain injury, disability, or licence previously medically suspended | Driving occupational therapist (Williams OT). They specialise in complex driving assessments. |
Search keywords to find a provider
- Optometrist near me (for eyesight only, MR204)
- "Commercial driver medical" Adelaide or "Heavy vehicle medical" Adelaide (for MR713)
- "Bulk billing GP near me" (cheapest MR204/MR713 if your GP does them)
- "Driving occupational therapist Adelaide" (complex cases)
If unsure, call Service SA on 13 10 84 first. Tell them your licence class and what's changed. They will tell you which form you need and which type of practitioner is acceptable, so you do not waste a consultation fee.
The full process, start to finish
1Phone Service SA (optional but recommended)
Call 13 10 84 and confirm which form you need (MR204 vs Certificate of Fitness vs MR713) and whether a GP, optometrist, or specialist must complete it for your case.
2Get the medical check done
Book with the provider from the table above. Bring your current licence, glasses or contact lenses if you wear them, and the names of any medications. The provider completes the form. You pay the consultation fee directly to them. Service SA does not cover it. Costs vary: bulk-billed GP can be $0 out of pocket, optometrist eyesight certificates are often free with a routine eye test, commercial driver clinics typically charge $100–$200.
3Return to Service SA
Take the completed form, your current licence, and photo ID to any Service SA centre (Modbury, Tea Tree Plaza, Marion, Currie Street, Elizabeth, Gawler, Mount Barker, etc.; full list at sa.gov.au). The form also lists postal submission to GPO Box 1533, Adelaide SA 5001 as an option, but in-person is faster.
4Pay the $20 fee and get the new licence
Pay the $20 replacement licence fee. Service SA usually issues an interim paper licence on the day; the new photo card arrives in the mail in about 10 business days. You can keep driving in the meantime unless Service SA or your doctor advises otherwise. From the moment the condition is added or removed in their system, that becomes the legal state of your licence, not when the new card arrives.
What happens if you drive without complying
Driving in breach of a licence condition is an offence under the Motor Vehicles Act 1959 (SA), with a fine and demerit points. The condition is "at all times when driving", so even forgetting your glasses for one trip counts.
The insurance consequence most drivers do not know about
If you crash while in breach of a condition, your insurer can deny the claim. An S-coded driver without their glasses, or an A-coded driver in a manual, can be left personally liable, even if the crash was not technically their fault.
If your doctor reports you, or you turn 75
SA doctors are encouraged but not legally compelled to report patients they consider unsafe. If they do, you may be sent a Certificate of Fitness form and required to undergo a medical assessment. Outcomes range from no change to a new condition to a suspension. Do not ignore the form. Not returning it on time can cancel your licence. You have a right to appeal.
Some conditions trigger automatic periodic reviews (controlled diabetes annually, certain heart conditions every 3-5 years). From age 75, all SA drivers get an annual self-assessment form (a checklist, not a medical exam); concerning answers trigger a full assessment.
Bottom line
Match your situation to the provider table, get the right form, take it to Service SA, pay $20. If unsure, phone Service SA on 13 10 84 before booking your medical. That five-minute call saves a wasted consultation.
Keep learning
For more practical guides for Adelaide drivers, see our articles on SA mobile phone rules, Adelaide's new AI phone-detection cameras, and getting test-ready for the VORT.
Sources: mylicence.sa.gov.au (Fitness to Drive and The Driver's Handbook), sa.gov.au (Conditions, Restrictions and Exemptions; Report a Medical Condition; Driver's Licence and Permit Fees), Motor Vehicles Act 1959 (SA), South Australian Law Handbook (Driver's Licences chapter), Assessing Fitness to Drive (Austroads national standard). Last verified 30 May 2026.