The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) officially launched a new electronic transmission process for commercial vehicle driver medical exams in an effort to reduce fraud and “hassle” for truck drivers.
Major Changes To Truck Driver Medical Certification Process
Effective Monday, June 23, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) Medical Examiner’s Certification Integration (NRII) rule went into effect, “marking a major advancement in the safety and integrity of the commercial driver licensing process,” according to USDOT. “This new process will replace outdated paper documents that are ripe for fraud, a hassle for truck drivers to maintain, and harder for law enforcement to assess.”
Under the new rule, medical examiners must electronically submit the results of a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) or Commercial Learner’s Permit (CLP) applicant’s physical exam directly to the FMCSA’s National Registry.
The rule requires medical examiners to submit the results by midnight of the calendar day following the exam.
The FMCSA then electronically transmits the exam results to State Driver’s Licensing Agencies (SDLA), eliminating the need for CDL and CLP holders to submit their own Medical Examiner Certificates (MEC) to SDLAs. SDLAs will post the information exam information received from FMCSA on the Commercial Driver’s License Information System (CDLIS) driver motor vehicle record (MVR).
Medical examiners will no longer be required to issue paper copies of MECs with NRII now in effect.
Under the new rule, motor carriers are no longer required to verify that an MEC issued to a CLP applicant or CDL holder was issued by a medical examiner on the National Registry. Motor carriers can no longer use a paper MEC as proof that a driver is medically certified. They must instead use records obtained from the CDLIS MVR to verify that the driver is medically qualified to operate a commercial vehicle.
USDOT Touts Benefits Of Switch To Electronic Records Transmission
The new rule will eliminate burdensome paper records, officials say, and will also provide law enforcement with real-time access to a driver’s medical certification status during roadside inspections.
“This new digitalized system will make life easier for lawful truck drivers and harder for bad actors who want to commit fraud. It will also enhance safety on our roads and ensure law enforcement has access to the real time data they need to do their jobs. America First means safety first,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy.
“Safety is at the core of all we do at FMCSA,” said FMCSA Chief Counsel Jesse Elison. “By integrating electronic medical certification records directly into state-managed systems, NRII helps ensure only qualified drivers are on our roads while giving our state and enforcement partners the real-time information needed to do their jobs more effectively. Implementation of this rule embodies FMCSA’s commitment to commonsense, efficient, and effective solutions that enhance safety and accountability.
The FMCSA’s Medical Examiner’s Certification Integration rule was published in 2015 with a compliance date initially set for June 22, 2018. Due to IT systems issues, this compliance date pushed to June 22, 2021, and then to June 23, 2025.
FMCSA’s Tips For Truckers
The FMCSA released several proactive steps drivers should take to ensure a successful transmission of medical certification information from the National Registry to SDLAs. Take a look at the agency’s tips below.
- Begin the certification process with a medical examiner well in advance of the current Medical Examiner’s Certificate, Form MCSA-5876, expiring to allow time for errors to be corrected in
- the driver data validation process if they occur.
- If you are a driver with a medical condition in which you believe the medical examiner may require supporting documentation from your treating clinician, be sure to bring it with you to your physical qualification examination to expedite the qualification decision.
- When completing the Medical Examination Report Form, MCSA-5875, ensure that you provide
- accurate information exactly as it appears on your driver’s license as these key identifiers (last
- name, DOB, licensing state, license #) will be used when transmitting the medical certification information from the National Registry to the SDLA. As discussed above, if inaccurate
- information is provided, there will be an error and your medical certification information will
- name, DOB, licensing state, license #) will be used when transmitting the medical certification information from the National Registry to the SDLA. As discussed above, if inaccurate
- not be transmitted from the National Registry to the SDLA.
- If a medical examiner’s office enters the results of your examination into the National Registry
- during your examination, this may be an opportunity for you to verify that all your information
- has been entered correctly. However, not every medical examiner enters the results of
- examinations in this manner, while the driver is present. Therefore, when possible, drivers are encouraged to review their information as the medical examiner has entered it into the National Registry system for accuracy.
- Remind the medical examiner or their staff, if they do not ask, to make a copy of your driver’s
- license so they have it to refer to in case there is an error during the transmission of your
- information from the National Registry to the SDLA.
- Ask the medical examiner the most efficient way to for you to work with the medical office if
- you are aware that there is an issue with your physical qualification results posting to your CDLIS driver MVR.
For more information on the new medical certification transmission process, click here.