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.
Can a driver wear corrected on left eye and uncorrected on right eye and still pass
@Alicia
Yes, as long as you can see 20/40 in both eyes and each eye individually with or without correction, you should do fine.
I am a neuro-developmental OD who has treated a stroke patient with a left superior quad def. He has undergone vision rehab and wears Peli prism glasses full-time to improve his peripheral awareness left side. His VAs are 20/20 OU. When Tangent screen field testing is done binocularly, he gets out to the full left and right side field awareness. With vision disk testing while wearing the prism glasses, his awareness is 70 degrees on both sides. Without the glasses, his field awareness decreases to 17 deg left side. Do the above findings meet DMV requirements in the state of NC to drive commercially intrastate?
@Dr. Nancy
First question would be, how long ago was the stroke? Because you have a DOT wait period following the stroke. As far as the visual correction, you would fall within the DOT standards as long as he wears his corrected lenses. And because your driver is going to be driving intra-state only, you want some additional information from the state regarding NC state variances.
What if you are legall blind in one eye from birth, and have 20/40 in other. Can u still receive cdl
@Angie
Once you pass the DOT physical you will to have a skills performance evaluation done to determine if you can drive a big rig over the road or if you will be driving intra-state only. They both need a CDL license, but — intra-state is working on state variances – and – interstate will require that you have a SPE done every couple of years. Check with your local drivers license department for any further information regarding the skills performance eval.
I applied for a class B CDL with P and S endorsements for school bus driver. I passed the medical but my eye test was left 20/25, 85 degrees and right eye 20/70 80 degrees. and both eyes 20/20 with corrective lenses.
I was told by the medical doctor that I need to submit for a federal vision exception. The form looks long and complicated complicated. I want to make sure that I file it correctly. What are the chances that it will be denied? Can I take my completed medical exam form w/o the federal endorsement to my state’s DOT license center and ask about my situation? Since the federal guide line for eyesight is 20/20 20/40, it this worth pursuing, or should I just forget it and move on? Thanks for your advice.
@Nick
If you are going to drive intra-state only, then check with your local drivers license department and confirm with them.
You were evaluated as an interstate driver and the FMCSA would require a vision waiver, but that may be very different with the state variances.
What line on the eye chart is considered 20/40, and what if you can only make out part of that line.
@Frank
Charts can vary from company to company, so if you can’t read a full line at 20/40, then you need some level of correction. And you must be able to read the entire line. Besides, your drivers license department requires a 20/40 or better to operate a car.
My husband has only his left eye since 2008 and has excellent eye vision in his left. He can do anything a person with two eyes can, he has 20 vision in his left eye. We are moving too Co, Parker, could he get his license?
@Jeffrey
You’ll need to check with the local drivers license department where you are moving to.
Hello, I am a city bus driver. I hold a class A license.I also wear glasses. I have 20/80 vision in my right eye and my left eye is 20/20 I went to eye doctors and they told me my only option is to wear a contact in the right eye. If I choose not to get a contact. Can I still get an exemption to keep my cdl and my job ? And how do I apply for an exemption? I only drive in the city NOT over the road. Do that make a difference? I just want to keep my cdl and my job please help!
@Marc
20/80 with a bus load of people and you don’t want to correct the eye to a better field of vision? OK, then check with your state drivers license department to have your cdl restricted to intra-state only and make sure that it will accept your visual impairment. After that the state should issue a visual waiver, if they need one.
When you say “intrastate” meaning a regular driver license or a cdl?
@Marc
Either. Intrastate means driving commercially in the state of your drivers license, and not crossing state lines.
My friend is legally blind in one eye. She works for a company transporting people. She had to renew her dot card. The company knows she had vision problems but not to what extent. They sent her to a place know for easily passing people. She did receive it for 2 years and I want to know if this is legal or is something shady going on. I know that when I take my dot I can’t be legally blind
@Debbie
A lot will depend on what class license and how broad an area she drives in.
If she is intra-state only and has a regular drivers license, then she may be qualified via the state regulations.
She could not pass the interstate phase of the medical examination otherwise. So in short there may be circumstances that are in place that allows this.
Besides any place that is being “easy to pass” also must assume risk responsibility for anything they pass.
If you are driving with a local company and you have 20/70 vision in the right eye and 20/20 in your left eye and are currently getting medical attention to fix the right eye can you continue to work until you get it fixed ?
@Louis
Driving what, where? Are you holding a cdl, do you have to have a valid medical certificate to do your job?
If you must have a valid medical certificate to operate the vehicle that you drive, then you will not pass a medical certificate examination and should not be driving. Once the correction is complete then you can pass the examination and drive again.
Just driving local in Mississippi but not the interstate. Like driving chicken or log trucks
Yes I do have a cdl
I have glasses and my vision has gotten better but my right eyeis still a little blurry can i still drive a truck.
@Louis
You must pass the vision requirements with proper correction / glasses.