Medical Requirements for Drivers

Drivers Are Critical to Highway Safety

For commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers, the most important safety feature is YOU – the driver! Each time you turn the key, you are responsible for your own safety, as well as the safety of all the people who share the road with you. The physical examination you take for your medical certificate confirms that you are healthy enough to safely perform the demanding job of a CMV driver and keep our Nation’s roads safe.

Highway Safety Begins With YOU

Driving a 5-ton, or more, large truck or bus is not like driving a passenger vehicle. Stopping time and distance, blind spots, and limited maneuverability, require drivers to be in top driving performance. It is important to be alert to changes in traffic and be able to make quick decisions. Because making the right decisions saves lives.

About the Exam

A Department of Transportation (DOT) physical examination must be conducted by a licensed "medical examiner" listed on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) National Registry.  The term includes, but is not limited to, doctors of medicine (MD), doctors of osteopathy (DO), physician assistants (PA), advanced practice nurses (APN), and doctors of chiropractic (DC). O

A DOT physical exam is valid for up to 24 months. The medical examiner may also issue a medical examiner's certificate for less than 24 months when it is desirable to monitor a condition, such as high blood pressure.

Record Keeping

If the medical examiner finds that the person he/she examined is physically qualified to drive a commercial motor vehicle (CMV), the medical examiner will furnish one copy of the results to the person who was examined and complete a Medical Examiner's Certificate.