New Zealand
Australia
HealthLink, in partnership with NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA), is introducing a digital version of the Medical certificate for driver licence (DL9) form.
The DL9 form is used by health professionals to assess a patient’s medical fitness to drive and is currently completed on paper. The new digital DL9, available within HealthLink, will modernise this process and improve the experience for health professionals, drivers, and NZTA.
Why this change matters
Each year, more than 160,000 DL9 medical certificates are completed by GPs and other health professionals across New Zealand. Moving the DL9 online will
- Reduce administrative burden in practices
- Improve data quality and completeness
- Enable faster, more secure transmission to NZTA
- Support timely decision-making around medical fitness to drive
“Moving the DL9 medical certificate online is an important step in modernising the driver licensing process. We’re making it easier for health professionals to submit complete, accurate information securely, while also improving the experience for drivers and supporting timely licensing decisions.”
– Chris Rodley, Head of Driving Regulation, NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi
What’s changing
With the digital DL9:
- Health professionals complete and submit the form directly from HealthLink
- Mandatory fields help reduce incomplete applications
- Embedded guidance links support clinical assessments
- Most drivers will no longer need to transport DL9 paper forms to licensing agents
There is nothing drivers will need to worry about with the change to the online system, the process is completed by health professionals and NZTA.
Built for health professionals
- The online DL9 has been designed to fit into existing practice workflows:
- Familiar HealthLink interface – launched within the GP PMS
- Auto population of patient details
- Easier access to form history
- Reduced time spent on administration
Ahead of the wider rollout, the digital DL9 was piloted for 5 weeks with 4 GPs and 1 workplace health provider, located in various areas of the country to test the form in real-world practice settings Feedback from participating GPs has been overwhelmingly positive, particularly regarding the time saved in completing the form, as it is easier to complete and provides direct access to relevant guidance.
The strong response has continued beyond the pilot. GPs who have spoken with the NZTA team have expressed enthusiasm about the move to a digital process, while the HealthLink team also received significant positive feedback from health professionals at the Rotorua GPCME 2026 Conference. Many GPs are looking forward to the digital DL9 becoming available more widely.
“Having the opportunity to trial the online DL9 prior to official rollout has been an exciting experience for our busy practice. We have a team of 7 GPs, 5 nurses and 4 admin staff who have all benefitted from it. The reduction in paper-based administration for the whole team has been a real highlight, along with the ability to attach documents directly from the PMS or desktop, having the form save directly to the patient file and the added security that a form won’t be misplaced. Navigating the HealthLink form has been simple and straightforward, and we love it.”
– Queens Park General Practice Ltd, Invercargill
A collaborative step forward
This initiative is part of a broader effort by HealthLink and NZTA to modernise health-related licensing processes and strengthen road safety outcomes through smarter, secure digital solutions.
“The digital DL9 has been designed with health professionals in mind. By embedding the form into existing HealthLink workflows, we’re reducing administrative effort while maintaining the clinical integrity of these important assessments. We’re proud to partner with NZTA to deliver a solution that supports both practices and road safety outcomes.”
– David Young, Commercial Director, HealthLink
Click here for further information about the digital DL9, including user guides and FAQs to support practices through the transition.