Please read through the Q&A before posting a question. This will help everyone to not have duplicate questions. Thank you!
If you still can’t find a related answer, then you are welcome to ask your question in the comments section below.
Q&A
What are the vision requirements to get a DOT medical card?
What if I have monocular vision?
Can I wear contact lenses to do the vision test?
What if I have had laser eye surgery?
I need to obtain a vision waiver. Where can I get the forms?
What are the vision requirements to get a DOT medical card?
You must have a distant visual acuity of at least 20/40 with or without corrective lenses:
- see at least 20/40 with both eyes together
- see at least 20/40 with the right eye
- see at least 20/40 with the left eye.
Monovision is a disqualification. Use of a contact lens in one eye for distant visual acuity and another lens in the other eye for near vision is not acceptable, nor are telescopic lenses acceptable for driving a commercial motor vehicle.
Exemption: A driver with monocular vision may be able to get a Federal Vision Exemption Certificate, if medically fit for duty in all other categories of the physical exam.
What if I have monocular vision?
If you pass all other aspects of the DOT physical, and you meet all vision requirements in the functioning eye, then you may be considered for a Federal Vision Exemption.
Can I wear contact lenses to do the vision test?
You are permitted to wear contact lenses provided you’re used to wearing them and have a good tolerance for wearing contacts. Be aware that monovision is a disqualification, so use of a contact lens in one eye for distant visual acuity and another lens in the other eye for near vision is not acceptable.
What if I have had laser eye surgery?
Provided you meet the vision requirements, you should have no problem.
I am legally blind in one eye from an injury? With documentation from my eye specialist can I pass the DOT physical?
This type of injury will require documentation.
If you are going to drive only within your state borders, it will be easier. Just check with your DMV to see what the states rules and regulations are.
To pursue an interstate medical card will require an exemption that you can only get from FMCSA. Check out the requirements to determine if this is something you want to pursue. It is possible, but a bit tough to do. Lots of hoops, but do-able.
I need to obtain a vision waiver. Where can I get the forms?
FMCSA has a Vision Exemption Program which has specific requirements for each application. You will get a decision within 180 days of completing your application. To find out more and get the forms go to this FMCSA official webpage.
I have 20/20 vision corrected, right eye. 20/200 uncorrectable in my left eye, 70 degree plus horizontal left and right. Does this fail the DOT physical?
DOT requires you have a minimum of 20/40 vision in each eye, and in both eyes together, either non-corrective or with corrective lenses. Your peripheral vision is within normal limits.
All that being said, you could be driving skills tested with a FMCSA exemption. Check with the FMCSA for the requirements for that particular exemption.
I’ve been a CDL driver for 16 years. Last week, for my DOT physical the doctor made me do the color test from a book with numbers and dots. I could get only half of them right. I have always been able to see the colors red, green and amber and pass my DOT physical. Now the book test has made me fail the color portion of the DOT physical. What’s going on with this?
It looks like the doctor is trying to determine if you may be color blind. But the primary reason for the DOT physical color test is to determine your ability to distinguish red, amber/yellow and green – not a color blindness examination. Not really sure as to why they would do this. Especially since you have been driving for so long. You are correct to question this.
Can’t Find An Answer For Your Question?
If you have a question that you feel has not been answered, scroll down to the Questions and Comments box and post your question.
- Before posting, please make sure you are on the appropriate Category page, so that relevant questions and answers can be found by other drivers too.
- To save us all from zombie spammers, your question will not appear on this page until it has been approved.
- Trucker Docs™ will answer your question as soon as possible.
- Visit this page again soon to see our response.
P.S. Your email address will not be published.
Your comments are also welcome.
I have diabetes which is controlled by oral medicine. Do I have to have an exam/paperwork from an ophthalmologist to give the DOT medical examiner to obtain my medical card now? Or is a regular optician exam sufficient?
@PLP
If you are having any difficulty with your vision, then get your ophthalmologist to fill out the visual portion of the DOT medical exam.
You should not need a waiver or exemption for this. In most cases, if you are not having any problems, you can have the DOT examiner do the eye test and have to difficulties.
My husband passed his DOT with flying colors 3yrs ago. Since then, we’ve found out he has diabetes type2. Due to his medication he has developed a color defiency and failed 4 out of the 8 color/vision questions. Will they allow him to wear prescribed tinted lenses (which have allowed him to see all colors thru them) to pass the exam?
@Amber
What DOT is looking for is the ability to distinguish between red, yellow, and green. There’s no other color test that is a part of the medical exam.
So the use of a prescribed lens should be just fine.
I passed all the medical tests and recieved my DOT card without any issues. When I went to the TX licensing to take my tests I failed the eye test there. They have given me a waiver to apply for — so will I lose my DOT. I have 20/40 in both and 20/40 in right and 20/100 in left since childhood. Am I still going to be able to get my CDL? Is there a way to get around this since I have already got my medical card?
@Dave
You should not have been given a medical card without having the examiners explanation as to what it means to you.
So here is where you are. You passed the exam and you can now apply for the visual waiver from FMCSA.
But your medical card is only good with the exemption waiver in hand. And there’s no way around it.
It is doable, just takes a little time. Good luck.
Where can you find an eye doctor that does the vision waivers in Arkansas or Oklahoma ? All the ones my ex has called doesn’t know what he is talking about and won’t do one.
@Janita
You must first request the basic information from FMCSA. No one has this form on hand. So, check with FMCSA and then follow the instructions. Good Luck. It will take a little time, but is very do-able.
Maybe this answers my question?
I have 20/20 vision corrected, right eye. 20/200 uncorrectable in my left eye, 70 degree plus horizontal left and right. Does this fail the DOT physical?
DOT requires you have a minimum of 20/40 vision in each eye, and in both eyes together, either non-corrective or with corrective lenses. Your peripheral vision is within normal limits.
All that being said, you could be driving skills tested with a FMCSA exemption. Check with the FMCSA for the requirements for that particular exemption.
I have to take the DOT Physical to get a taxi license. I was born with Amblyopia in my left eye. It is all I have ever known and next week I will have had my operators license for 44 years. The only requirement is that I have outside mirrors, both sides. I am going to get glasses this week before the physical. Someone that I talked to at the taxi company said she thought they weren’t as picky on vision for taxi drivers. Any opinion or avice?
@Hank
FMCSA and DOT require that a driver have a minimum of 20/40 vision in each eye as well as 20/40 with the use of both eyes. That can be with out correction or with correction. Also the driver needs to have at least a 70 degree lateral vision.
These rules are for the Medical card for a class A driver.
I would check with your state to see if you will qualify as a taxi driver with a limited lateral vision. You are not driving an 80 ft. long truck and each state has a slightly different requirement for non over the road driver, based on their driver class.
Last week I took my dot physical I passed everything but the vision I’m getting glasses in 7 days do I have to retake the whole physical again or just the eye test.
@Cory
You’ll need to take just the eye test, if everything else was in order when you took the physical.
I am a bread driver none cdl. do i have to pass the color test. dot wants me to see a I doctor. I am a non cdl driver.
@Oscar
You fall under the states variances for a commercial driver, so check with your local drivers license department to confirm the need to determine red, yellow and green.
Yesterday Jan. 14th 2014 I took the written test to get my cdl learners permit at the Pewaukee Wis. DMV. I passed the first test with a score of 82 and the second test with a score of 100. When I took my vision test the examiner that administered the test told me that my vision was 20/40 in my left eye with my glasses on, and that 20/20 was required to get a cdl learners permit. This seems to contridict the information that I am seeing on this website.
@Dennis
On the visual acuity examination you must be 20/40 in each eye and both eyes together. That can be done with or without corrective lenses, but 20/40 with corrective lenses is within the normal DOT/ FMCSA parameters.
Whomever told you, you must correct to 20/20, is incorrect.
Here is the official link to the rule/regulation from FMCSA – See 391.41 (b)(10).
Hi I am about to take my dot physical and I have aging cataracts I put it on the form last year and they had no problem as long as I could read 20/40 or better is that still the case this year I am getting documentation from my eye dr just concerned I might get a picky dr. Thanks
@ Matt J C
As long as the cataracts do not interfere with your visual acuity and you supply supporting information from your eye doctor, you should be fine.