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Color blindness & driving

Can You Get a Driver's License If You're Color Blind?

Short answer

Usually yes: most countries allow color-blind people to hold a standard private driving licence. Commercial licences and some countries have stricter color vision requirements; check your local rules.

Yes — in most countries you can get a standard private driver's license if you are color blind. Color vision deficiency does not bar a private (non-commercial) license in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, or across the EU; you only need to recognize traffic signals in practice, which most color-blind people do by position and context. The rules are stricter for commercial and professional licenses, and a few countries do require you to distinguish red, green, and amber at the licensing medical. The table below summarizes the requirement country by country, with a link to each official source.

Worried that being color blind means you can't drive? For the vast majority of drivers, it doesn't. Traffic signals are designed to be read by position as well as color (red on top, green on the bottom), and almost everyone with a red-green deficiency drives without any problem. What varies between countries is the paperwork: whether color vision is checked at the licensing medical, and whether commercial or professional licenses add extra requirements. This page lays out the rules per country so you can check yours.

Color-vision driving rules by country

For a standard private car license. Every row links to the official source. Commercial and professional licenses are usually stricter — see the last column.

No restriction
Color blindness does not affect eligibility for a standard private car license.
Conditional
Allowed, but you may need to pass a signal-recognition check or meet a specific condition.
Restricted
Some restriction applies (e.g., certain license classes, or extra conditions on the license).
Not permitted
A color vision deficiency can bar a standard private license.

North America

United States

No restriction

Color blindness does not disqualify you from a private car license in almost every state (Massachusetts is the lone exception, requiring you to distinguish red, green and amber).

No color vision test for a private license in nearly all states; vision screening is visual-acuity only.

Commercial
Commercial drivers (CDL) must recognize red, green and amber traffic signals (FMCSA 49 CFR §391.41).
Source
FMCSA 49 CFR §391.41 (Cornell LII)As of 2026

Canada

No restriction

No color vision standard; the requirement is functional (being able to tell traffic lights apart), and congenital color blindness alone does not bar a license.

No standardized color vision test — no Ishihara requirement.

Commercial
The CCMTA national standard applies the same functional color criterion to all classes — no separate commercial color threshold.
Source
CCMTA Medical Standards (NSC Std 6), via RoadSafetyBCAs of 2025

Mexico

No restriction

No national medical standard — licensing is run by each state and color blindness is generally not a disqualifier (Mexico City requires no vision exam at all for a permanent license).

Varies by state; many require only a visual-acuity certificate, not a color vision test.

Commercial
Federal/commercial transport licenses require fuller medical certification; a uniform color rule is not documented.
Source
SEMOVI Ciudad de MéxicoAs of 2024

Europe

European Union (general)

No restriction

EU Directive 2006/126/EC sets minimum eyesight standards but includes no color vision requirement for private (Group 1) or commercial (Group 2) drivers — color vision is left to each member state.

None mandated by the EU directive.

Commercial
Even Group 2 has no EU color-vision standard (stricter acuity and visual field instead).
Source
EUR-Lex — Directive 2006/126/EC, Annex IIIAs of 2018

United Kingdom

No restriction

Color blindness is not a notifiable condition and does not affect a car (Group 1) license; there is no color vision requirement.

No color vision test; the only eyesight check is reading a number plate at 20 metres.

Commercial
No color-vision bar for bus/lorry (Group 2) licenses either.
Source
GOV.UK / DVLA — Eye conditions and drivingAs of 2023

Ireland

No restriction

Color blindness is explicitly excluded from the eye conditions requiring a medical report; it is no bar to a private (Group 1) license.

No color test; the RSA eyesight report checks visual acuity and field only.

Commercial
No separate color-vision disqualifier for Group 2 (follows EU acuity/field standards).
Source
Road Safety Authority (RSA) IrelandAs of 2024

Germany

No restriction

No color-vision requirement for Group 1 (car) licenses under FeV Anlage 6, so color blindness does not affect a private license.

None for Group 1; Group 2 medicals do test color vision (Ishihara / Velhagen plates).

Commercial
Group 2 is stricter: red-deficiency is flagged with mandatory counselling, and bus/passenger classes are excluded below an anomaly quotient of 0.5.
Source
FeV Anlage 6 (gesetze-im-internet.de)As of 2024

France

No restriction

Color vision deficiency is not an incompatibility for the light group (Group 1: B etc.); daltonism does not prevent a private license (Arrêté du 28 mars 2022).

None disqualifying for Group 1.

Commercial
For the heavy group (Group 2), color-vision disorders are compatible — the candidate is simply warned.
Source
Légifrance — Arrêté du 28 mars 2022As of 2022

Spain

Conditional

Color-blind applicants can obtain and renew a license, but the examining ophthalmologist must warn them to drive cautiously in fog, rain and low light and to avoid night driving (RD 818/2009).

Chromatic sense is assessed at the medical centre; a deficiency triggers a precautionary advisory, not a refusal.

Commercial
Group 2 (professional) applies the standards strictly, without the Group 1 exceptions.
Source
BOE — Real Decreto 818/2009, Anexo IVAs of 2009

Italy

Conditional

Applicants must have color sense sufficient to quickly and safely distinguish the colors used in road signage (Art. 322, DPR 495/92); fitness for a color-deficient applicant is left to the examining physician.

Color vision is examined (commonly with Ishihara plates); the physician decides based on severity and ability to compensate.

Commercial
The same color wording applies to all categories; C/D/E classes carry stricter acuity.
Source
Codice della Strada reg. (DPR 495/1992), Art. 322As of 1992

Netherlands

No restriction

Color vision has 'no requirements' (Geen eisen) under the Regeling eisen geschiktheid 2000, so color blindness is no bar for any license category.

None — color vision is not assessed by the CBR for fitness to drive.

Commercial
'Geen eisen' applies to Group 2 (commercial) as well.
Source
Regeling eisen geschiktheid 2000 (wetten.overheid.nl)As of 2017

Asia-Pacific

Australia

No restriction

There is no color vision standard for drivers (private or commercial); color blindness alone does not disqualify.

None — color vision is not tested at licensing (acuity and visual fields are).

Commercial
Austroads applies no color-vision standard to commercial drivers either (specific occupations may set their own).
Source
Austroads — Assessing Fitness to DriveAs of 2022

New Zealand

No restriction

No color vision standard or pass/fail test for a private license; color-blind drivers are not barred.

None — screening is visual acuity (and fields where indicated).

Commercial
No color-vision standard for commercial classes either (stricter acuity/field instead).
Source
NZ Transport Agency (Waka Kotahi)As of 2025

Japan

Conditional

The licensing aptitude test requires distinguishing the three signal colors — red, green (blue) and yellow; only an inability to tell signals apart disqualifies, so mild deficiency passes.

Signal-color recognition test at the license centre (some authorities use the Panel D-15).

Commercial
Same color standard; commercial classes add stricter acuity and depth perception.
Source
Japan e-Gov — Road Traffic Act Enforcement Regs, Art. 23 (NPA)As of 2025

South Korea

Conditional

The aptitude test requires distinguishing red, green and yellow; someone who cannot distinguish these cannot get a Class 1 or 2 license, but mild deficiency passes.

Color-distinction check in the aptitude exam at acquisition (not re-applied at renewal).

Commercial
Class 1 (incl. commercial) adds stricter acuity; the color requirement is the same across classes.
Source
Korea Law Info Center — Road Traffic Act Enforcement Decree, Art. 45As of 2025

China

Restricted

Red-green color blindness is an explicit disqualifier for a license, but color weakness (色弱) is allowed as long as you can clearly distinguish traffic lights (MPS Order No. 172, Art. 14).

Color-discrimination screening in the mandatory medical at application (pseudo-isochromatic plates).

Commercial
The 'no red-green color blindness' rule applies to all classes; commercial classes add higher acuity.
Source
MPS Order No. 172 — Motor Vehicle Driving License Provisions, Art. 14As of 2025

South Asia & Middle East

India

Conditional

Color vision is tested with an Ishihara chart; since a 2020 amendment only severe or total color blindness disqualifies, so people with mild-to-medium color blindness can get a private license.

Ishihara plates, certified by a registered doctor on Form 1A.

Commercial
The Form 1A medical is mandatory for all transport licenses; the severe/total threshold is the same.
Source
MoRTH — Central Motor Vehicles Rules, Form 1A (Parivahan)As of 2020

Pakistan

Conditional

Color vision (red/green) is checked on the provincial medical certificate and inability to distinguish signal colors can disqualify; no graded severity threshold is published for private drivers.

Color vision checked at the medical (Ishihara / red-green) on the provincial traffic-police form.

Commercial
Professional / transport licenses apply color-vision and fitness standards more rigorously.
Source
Punjab Traffic Police / DLIMS PunjabAs of 2023

Bangladesh

Conditional

The BRTA medical certificate asks whether you can distinguish red and green; a failure can bar issuance, but no graded severity threshold is published for private licenses.

Red/green distinction on the BRTA medical certificate (Form-2), completed by a physician.

Commercial
The same certificate covers non-professional and professional; professional applicants face stricter fitness standards.
Source
Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA)As of 2024

United Arab Emirates

Conditional

A mandatory eye test at an approved center checks color vision (distinguishing red, green and amber signals via Ishihara); inability to distinguish signal colors is a listed reason to fail.

Ishihara plates at a traffic-department-approved eye-test center when opening the traffic file.

Commercial
Heavy-vehicle and professional categories apply stricter visual / medical criteria.
Source
The Official Portal of the UAE Government (u.ae)As of 2024

Saudi Arabia

Conditional

A mandatory medical (Efada) eye test requires distinguishing red and green to confirm you are not color blind; inability to differentiate red/green is a documented failure point (no public graded threshold for private).

Red/green color test plus visual acuity at an Efada-approved medical center, linked to Traffic (Muroor).

Commercial
Public / commercial licenses use the same report under stricter overall assessment.
Source
Saudi Ministry of Interior (MOI / Absher)As of 2026

Latin America, Africa & SE Asia

Brazil

No restriction

Color-blind people can drive and are eligible for any license category; you only have to recognize the standardized positions of signal lights, not identify the hues (CONTRAN rules).

Ophthalmological exam at a DETRAN-accredited clinic using a traffic-light simulator — you identify light position, not color.

Commercial
The same color-vision rule applies to all categories (commercial differs only in acuity/field).
Source
CONTRAN Resolução nº 927/2022As of 2022

Philippines

No restriction

Color blindness does not disqualify and adds no restriction code for a non-professional (private) license; color vision is assessed mainly for signal/hazard-light recognition.

Medical certificate from an LTO-accredited clinic; the exact color test is left to the examining physician.

Commercial
Stricter for professional licenses — typically a daytime-only driving restriction rather than an outright bar.
Source
Land Transportation Office (LTO), PhilippinesAs of 2023

Indonesia

Conditional

Partial color blindness (buta warna parsial) is generally tolerated, but total color blindness is not permitted and disqualifies the applicant; the examining police-designated doctor decides.

Mandatory health exam (Rikkes) by a Polri-designated physician, including a color-blindness test (commonly Ishihara plates).

Commercial
Same SIM health framework applies (note: police recruitment is far stricter and bars any color deficiency — a separate standard).
Source
Perpol No. 5/2021; Korlantas PolriAs of 2021

Nigeria

Conditional

The medical-fitness exam explicitly includes a color-blindness check and lists 'defective vision' as a disqualification, but the regulation sets no numeric color cutoff — the call is left to the examining government hospital.

Vision-acuity and medical-fitness certification (Form MVA 13) at a government hospital; color blindness is a named component without a fixed threshold.

Commercial
The same color/vision exam is mandated for all classes, reinforced for commercial and school-bus drivers.
Source
National Road Traffic Regulations 2012 (FRSC), NigeriaAs of 2012

South Africa

No restriction

Disqualifying vision standards are defined by visual acuity and field only — color blindness is not a statutory disqualifier, so color-blind applicants are not barred from a private (Code B) license (Regulation 102, NRTA).

Eye screening at the DLTC covering visual acuity and field; color blindness alone does not fail the test.

Commercial
Professional/heavy categories (PrDP) need stricter acuity and a fuller medical, but color vision is still not a statutory disqualifier.
Source
National Road Traffic Act 93/1996, Regulation 102As of 2000

Last reviewed June 28, 2026. Rules change — always confirm the current requirement with your own country's licensing authority. Informational only, not legal or medical advice.

What driving color-vision rules actually check

Where color vision is checked for a license, the test is almost always whether you can recognize traffic-signal colors — red, amber, and green — not whether you have clinically normal color vision. Traffic lights are standardized by position (red on top, green on the bottom), so people with a red-green deficiency read them by location as well as hue. That is why color blindness rarely affects a private license, even where a check exists.

Commercial and professional licenses are stricter

Commercial driving (trucks, buses, taxis) more often requires a color vision check, and related transport roles — aviation, rail, and maritime — have their own, tighter standards. See jobs that require a color vision test for those role-by-role. If you are pursuing a commercial or professional license, check the commercial column above and confirm the exact rule with the licensing authority, since it can differ from the private-license rule in the same country.

Not sure if you are color blind?

Take a free screening first. The Ishihara test checks for red-green color blindness in about a minute, or take the full color vision test for an estimate of your type and severity across all three cones.

Take the color blind test

Color blindness & driving — frequently asked questions

Can you drive if you are color blind?
Yes. In almost every country, color blindness does not stop you from holding a standard private driver's license. Traffic lights are standardized by position (red top, amber middle, green bottom) so they can be read without relying on color, and most people with a red-green color vision deficiency drive normally. A few countries check color vision at the licensing medical, and commercial or professional licenses can be stricter — see the table for your country.
Which countries restrict color blind drivers?
Restrictions on private licenses are rare. Most countries — including the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and EU members — place no color vision requirement on a private car license. Some countries assess color vision at the medical exam and may add a condition or require you to identify signal colors, and commercial licenses are more often restricted. Check the per-country table above for the specific rule and the official source.
Do I have to tell the DMV or DVLA that I am color blind?
Generally no. Where there is no color vision requirement for a private license (such as the UK's DVLA or most US states), color blindness is not a notifiable condition for a car license. Always confirm with your local licensing authority, especially for commercial or professional licenses, where reporting and testing rules can differ.
Can color blind people get a commercial or truck license?
Often yes, but the rules are stricter than for private licenses. For example, US commercial drivers (CDL) must be able to recognize traffic-signal colors under FMCSA rules, and many countries test color vision for professional, bus, and heavy-vehicle licenses. Some roles tied to driving (rail, aviation, maritime) have their own, tighter color vision standards. Check your country's commercial rule and the official source in the table.
Does the CDL physical test for color blindness?
Yes, indirectly. The US CDL medical exam (DOT physical) doesn't run a full Ishihara-style color test, but FMCSA rules (49 CFR 391.41) require commercial drivers to recognize and distinguish traffic signals and devices showing standard red, green, and amber. A mild color vision deficiency usually still passes if you can tell those signal colors apart. Not being able to distinguish them is what disqualifies you. The examiner checks this during the physical, and the standard is stricter than for a private license.
Will color blind glasses help me pass a driving color vision test?
Color-correction filters can help some people with red-green weakness tell certain colors apart, but they do not cure color blindness and may not be permitted during an official color vision test. They also do not change a true dichromat's result on a clinical test. If your license depends on a color vision standard, check with the licensing authority whether filters are allowed before relying on them.
Is this list official?
No — this is a free reference compiled from official government and licensing-authority sources, with a link to each, and it is reviewed quarterly. Rules change, so always confirm the current requirement with your own country's licensing authority before making any decision. This page is informational, not legal advice.