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California CDL Requirements
California law requires all CDL drivers to meet Federal Motor Carrier qualification requirements under 49 CFR part 391 and have a valid DOT medical card.
- Non-Excepted Interstate
You must meet the Federal DOT medical certificate requirements. - Non-Excepted Intrastate
You must meet the Federal DOT medical certificate requirements.
California does not have any State variances or exemptions from the federal physical standards. A commercial driver who does not pass the medical examination may qualify for a California intrastate restricted medical certificate (DL 51B). These drivers must submit a MER to DMV showing they did not pass the medical examination in order to be considered for an intrastate restricted medical certificate.
- Excepted
California does not issue a commercial driver license that is “Excepted” from driver qualification requirements.
Submit your Medical Certificate to California DMV
Drivers renewing their medical certificate may mail a copy of their forms MCSA-5875 and MCSA-5876.
Mail the completed MER and MEC to the address below at least four weeks prior to the expiration of your previous medical or your privilege to drive commercial motor vehicles could become invalid.
When submitting the MER, you are only required to submit pages 1-4. Page 5 of the MER addresses meeting medical standards with a State variance. A State variance would exempt a driver from the federal physical standards. California does not have any State variances or exemptions from the federal physical standards.
Mail to:
Department of Motor Vehicles
CDL Unit, G204
P.O. Box 944278
Sacramento, CA 94244-2780
Other Contact Information:
California Department of Motor Vehicles website: http://www.dmv.ca.gov/
California DMV Commercial Driver License information: http://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/commercial/commercial
CDL Helpdesk: 916-657-5771 or 916-657-5772
Other Info (California Only):
If you are required to have a commercial driver license as part of your job, your employer shall pay the cost of the examination unless it was taken before you applied for the job (Labor Code §231).
Special Information Updates Pertaining To ALL STATES
MEDICAL EXAMINERS MUST CONTINUE TO ISSUE MEDICAL CERTIFICATES TO ALL DRIVERS
The FMCSA has requested that all medical examiners continue providing drivers with a paper copy of the Medical Examiner’s Certificate – Form MCSA-5876, so that Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) holders can provide a copy to the State licensing agency, and the non-CDL drivers can provide the documentation to their employers and Federal and State enforcement officials.
The Agency is currently completing efforts to put into place an electronic system to enable medical examiners to transmit the medical certificate information from the National Registry system to the State licensing agencies.
Until that system is completed, which compliance date according FMCSA is June 23, 2025, medical examiners must continue to issue paper copies of the medical certificates to drivers who pass the medical exam.
ALL DRIVERS MUST CONTINUE TO CARRY A PAPER COPY OF THEIR MEDICAL CERTIFICATE
Commercial Drivers – You still need to carry a paper copy of your medical card, until FMCSA announces that this is no longer necessary.
Your Feedback Is Welcome
Dealing with Federal DOT Regulations across the board is tough enough!
But when it comes to State Regulations — There are 50 different sets of rules. Someone could move the goal posts at any time…
To help us all avoid the black eye experience — AARGH! —
Please leave your feedback about your experience in this State.
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updated 11/13/18
I am getting the run around from DMV and medical examiner regarding which “circle” is to be marked on the top of the medical examiners certificate. My local DMV (California) is requiring that the first “circle” (in the section that reads: I certify that I have examined…) be marked and the examiner is refusing and stating it is the 2nd “circle” which is to be marked. Would you happen to have any information for me or have I confused you as much as they confused me?!
@Ashly
Top circle is for federal, over the road, interstate drivers in the class A and B groups and the second circle is for individuals that are driving intra-state with state variances. So depending on what class driver you are and if there are any state variances that need to be met.
Give us some more information and we’ll try to do better on the answer, if this isn’t enough.
The state of california does not except the second box checked on the MEC (state) nor does it except page 5 of the MER(state)
Hey, new here and appreciate help. I am thoroughly confused. The CA DMV no longer issues the DL-51 form, but the Department of Transportation requires the DL-51 and will not take the MSCA in lieu as it states on the CA DMV website. How do I get the DL-51 form then? I found an older one online that is provided from a hospital, but will the DMV even accept it?
Thanks.
@K
California did away with the DL-51 as of January 2016. If you try to use this form, it will not be accepted. When the FMCSA came out with the new DOT physical and the new forms, then Cal. started using the new MCSA-5876, which is the new medical card for the new DOT physicals.
Hope this helps clear things up.
Trucker Docs – I’m confused with your response based on the fact that the above Medical Certificate Renewal states to use the DL 51. If this form is now obsolete, why is it still listed, on your website, as the form to use when renewing the medical?
@M
Updated. Thank you!
I’ve had s class a license for about twenty five years now. It’s really not the changes in laws ( more restrictions) that upset me. It’s after getting all your “ducks in a row” getting the paperwork to DMV. Since California has became so crowded, it’s impossible to drop off your paperwork at the DMV office, you can’t even get in the door. The lines are most days a block long.
So why wouldn’t a DMV official think off a way to help us. Just a simple drop box for us working guys to drop the paperwork into, instead of waiting in line behind hundreds of people that obviously have just came to this country. I spent three hours in line last year just to drop off an envelope. There’s got to be s better way?
Make an appointment online. When you get there go straight to the information booth and tell them you have an appointment. You won’t have to wait that long.
I drive a box truck for my company in California. I don’t have a CDL. I do some interstate driving. Am I required to obtain and carry a medical exam certificate in California?
@Clayton
Yes.
I’m most likely going to fail my DOT physical because I have high blood pressure can they give me an extension when I fail they did one time. Is it up to the physician?
@Jesse
FMCSA will allow a one time 90 day extension to get your BP under control, after that you will be disqualified until you get it below 140/90. Not up to CME at this point.
I have a CA CDL and I don’t remember getting that green colored card when I took my DOT medical this year. Now, the new company that wants to hire me is asking for that card again.
Do I still need that greenish card? Thank you!
@Marinas
No, if you have a valid medical certificate, that is all you need. CA did away with the green cards a couple years ago.
So I don’t need anything paper work to show for law enforcement or jobs..?
I am a California Qualified Medical Examiner and see that the required federal forms are changing substantially in May. Is California going to update their DL 51 form or will they start accepting the required federal forms? I’ve spoken with my local DMV office manager and she states they will only accept the DL51. Am I going to require every driver to fill out federal and state forms for interstate CDLs?
@Porscha
The new Federal forms will go into effect April 20 of this year, I believe.
For California, don’t know if they will change, so keep a close eye on that from the state.
As far as drivers, all you need is the federal forms for out of state drivers and dl51 for all california.
If all you have is dl51, it will work for now with all drivers, but when the new forms go into effect, you will probably want to use the new FMCSA form for out of state drivers.
I am a family physician in California and have done drivers physicals for years. Since the National registry I do not do interstate as chose not to register. Heretofor I have been able to do intrastate. Since start on new year a form bounced asking for medical examiners certificate. There are two certificates as I have searched. One is the National registry and the other is the form I give for the driver to carry.. My question is if I can still do CA intrastate without being certified for interstate?
@Gary
Your best bet is to get the answer “straight from the horse’s mouth”, especially with respect to California, which has it’s own form.
Check with California State Drivers License Department.