Commercial Drivers
If you are medically qualified for interstate operation, the RMV is required to electronically verify the medical certification information the medical examiner who performed your examination is required to enter into the National Registry. A physical copy of your medical examiner’s certificate can no longer be provided to the RMV.
If you are medically qualified for intrastate operation only, the submission of the medical certification information into the National Registry by a medical examiner is optional. The RMV will accept a physical copy of the Medical Examiner Certificate (MEC) for intrastate operation only, if the medical certification information cannot be verified electronically on the National Registry.
You should be aware that when a medical examiner performs a new physical, that information supersedes any previously issued MEC or medical certification information in the National Registry. Any medical certification information entered by entered by a medical examiner and electronically transmitted from the National Registry to the RMV is considered the official record of a driver's certification status and the RMV cannot accept separate documentation.
DOT physical examinations must be performed by a medical examiner that is registered on the FMCSA National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners.
Medical Downgrade
Expiring Medical Examiner Certifications
When the MEC expires, the RMV updates your medical certification status to “not certified” and downgrades your CDL/CLP commercial privileges at midnight of the second day after the expiration of their current MEC. You will receive a reminder letter 60 and 30 days prior to the expiration of their your certification.
Medical Certification Status Changes Requiring Immediate Downgrade
When the RMV receives a Medical Certification Qualification Status Code of medically unqualified from the National Registry or is notified that the medical certification information has been voided or rescinded by the medical examiner, the RMV is required to change your medical certification status to “not certified”, and you will be downgraded in real time. If this occurs, you will receive email and letter notifications to inform you that they are no longer medically qualified to operate a Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV).
Conflict between Self-Certification Category and Medical Certification Status
If you are found to only be medically qualified for intrastate operation but are self-certified in a Non-Excepted Interstate (NI) category, you must update your current CDL Self-Certification status from Non-Excepted Interstate (NI) to Non-Excepted Intrastate (NA) or Excepted Intrastate (EA) to avoid being downgraded. You will receive a notice from the RMV informing you of the conflict and that you have 10 days to resolve the conflict before being downgraded.
If you believe that the medical examiner made an error when entering the medical certification information into the National Registry, and that it should reflect as medically qualified for interstate operation, you should contact the medical examiner that completed the examination to make a correction.
Restoring a CLP/CDL Privilege
- In order to restore your CDL privilege without having to re-test for commercial privileges, a new medical certification must be submitted to the RMV either electronically or by you within one (1) year of the notice date on the downgrade letter.
- For medically qualified for interstate operation, the CDL will be restored upon receipt of the updated medical certification information electronically from the National Registry. You can view self-certification and medical certification information on your profile on the myRMV Online Service Center to confirm the CDL has been restored.
- For only medically qualified for intrastate operation, if the medical provider enters the updated medical certification information into the National Registry it will be transmitted to the RMV and the CDL will be restored. However, since entry of medical certification information into the National Registry for intrastate medically qualified is optional, you should confirm with the medical examiner whether or not the information has been uploaded or not. If it has not, you will be required to provide a physical copy of your new medical examiner’s certificate at a Service Center.
- If your CDL is not restored within one year of the downgrade, you will be issued a Class D non-commercial license, and a $25.00 fee will be applied to your record. This fee may be paid at the next transaction, or you can go to myRMV Online Service Center to make the payment.
- If your Commercial Learner’s Permit is within the 6 month term of the permit, you can restore the commercial privilege by visiting a Service Center.
CDL Self-Certification
Visit the Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) Self-Certification page for self-certification process updates related to this implementation.
Employer Impact
Drivers Medically Qualified for Interstate Operation - An employer will no longer be required to verify that a Medical Examiner’s Certificate, Form MCSA-5876, issued to a driver was issued by a medical examiner on the National Registry. Employers must obtain the employee’s driving record from the current licensing State with driver medical certification information and retain it in the driver’s qualification file.
Drivers Medically Qualified for Intrastate Operation Only – Submission of the medical certification information into the National Registry by a medical examiner is optional for drivers that are medically qualified for intrastate operation only. If a medical examiner does not enter the driver’s medical certification information into the National Registry, they should be issuing the driver a Medical Examiner’s Certificate, Form MCSA-5876. Employers will either need to obtain the employee’s driving record from the current licensing State, or request a copy of the Medical Examiner’s Certificate from the driver depending on the circumstance.
Non-CDL holders - Employers are required to continue to verify that the medical examiner who issued a Medical Examiner’s Certificate, Form MCSA-5876, to a non-CDL holder is listed on the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners and maintain a copy of the Medical Examiner’s Certificate, Form MCSA-5876 in the driver’s qualification file.
It is recommended that employers encourage drivers to schedule their physical in advance of the expiration of their current medical certification information to allow time for the information to be transmitted from the medical provider to the National Registry and then to the RMV.
Employers who participate in the Driver Verification System (DVS) Program can access driver self-certification and medical certification information. There is no fee to participate in the DVS Program and receive license status notifications.
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners
Visit the National Registry Learning Center to obtain additional information about the Medical Examiner’s Certification Integration FAQs, fact sheets and brochures for drivers, employers, medical examiners and law enforcement.