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Q&A
What are the blood pressure requirements to pass the DOT physical?
Can I get a DOT medical card if I have hypertension?
What if I’m on blood pressure medication?
What if I don’t normally have high blood pressure, but I have “white coat syndrome”?
What are the blood pressure requirements to pass the DOT physical?
Here are the medical guidelines according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs). Note that employers are allowed to impose more stringent medical requirements.
- A driver with a BP of less than 140 / 90 may be medically certified to drive for a two-year period.
- A driver with a BP of 140 – 159 systolic and /or a BP of 90-99 diastolic, has stage 1 hypertension, and may be medically certified to drive for a one-year period. Certification examinations should be done annually thereafter and should be at or less than 140/90.
- A driver with a a BP of 160-179 systolic and/or a BP of 100-109 diastolic, has stage 2 hypertension, and is a candidate for antihypertensive drug therapy. The driver is given a one-time certification of three months to reduce his or her blood pressure to less than or equal to 140/90. Provided treatment is well tolerated and the driver demonstrates a BP value of 140/90 or less, he or she may be re-certified for one year from the date of the initial exam. The driver is certified annually thereafter.
- A driver with a BP at or greater than 180 systolic and / or 110 diastolic has stage 3 hypertension and is disqualified. The driver may not be qualified, even temporarily, until blood pressure is reduced to equal to or less than 140/90 and treatment is well tolerated. The driver may be certified for 6 months and biannually (every 6 months) thereafter if at recheck BP is equal to or less than 140/90.
Drivers with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, or kidney disease require treatment if their blood pressure rises above 130/80, since they already have a high risk of heart disease.
Can I get a DOT medical card if I have hypertension?
See blood pressure requirements for stages of hypertension. The medical examiner may require clearance from your treating physician before you can be considered for certification.
What if I’m on blood pressure medication?
Taking blood pressure medications will reduce your DOT medical certificate to one year. Your blood pressure must be controlled and be below 140 / 90 at the time of your DOT examination.
Also, it is very helpful, if you have a note from your treating physician that states that your condition is being treated and that the treatment has been shown to be effective, safe and your condition is stable. This information helps the DOT examiner determine if you are medically fit to operate a commercial motor vehicle for the designated time frame of your DOT medical certificate.
What if I don’t normally have high blood pressure, but I have “white coat syndrome”?
First off, we understand that this is a very real concern for some drivers. If you have “white coat syndrome”, tell the examiner, and ask to have multiple BP’s taken. He should be taking 2-3 readings anyhow, especially if you say so up front.
Look for certified medical examiners on this website. Each medical examiner here has a page describing their office and services. Find one who you would feel comfortable with. This should help reduce your “white coat syndrome”.
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A driver with a diagnosis of hypertension on treatment should have at least an annual certification.
A CMV driver with a Blood pressure (BP) 140/90 may be certified for 2 years.
First time BP elevated:
Stage 1 – BP 140-159/90-99 Certification Period 1 year
Stage 2 – BP 160-179/100-109 Certification Period 3 months as one time certification. Within the 3 months, if the blood pressure is below 140/90, the driver may receive 1 year certification.
Stage 3 – BP Reading >180/110 Disqualified. When the blood pressure is less than 140/90, the driver can be certified at 6 month intervals.
Now that’s straight from the FMCSA website, Now why aren’t those guidelines followed by consentra ? Because i know for a fact that they are not, Does consentras medical examiners make up their own rules because i thought they had to abide by FMCSA guidelines.
@Keys357
Maybe they just follow the money trail, not the FMCSA guidelines.
2 year ago I went for my physical and forgot to mention my BP medicine and got a two year card I am due now to re cert and I’m afraid when I write it down I’m going to get in trouble for not writing it down last time. I may be worrying for nothing but I don’t know
@John
You are not going to get into any trouble, just tell the truth and have a medical release form from your prescribing doctor and you should be OK. You will receive a one year card due to the medications, but you’ll be back on track.
Thank you
I am both the carrier and the driver.
Some time ago I was prescribed BP medicine. Wanting to get off the medicine I started an exercise program and a plant based diet. I dropped about 30 lbs and now my BP runs about 125/70. So although I have an active prescription for BP meds, I haven’t taken them for months. I still check my BP daily and if my BP goes up, I address the problem. For instance with my workout routine I started a new supplement in the morning and that afternoon my BP was about 20 points higher on both numbers. I didn’t take the supplement the next day and BP was back to normal. By checking my BP daily I can usually pinpoint why it may have risen, and in every case so far it’s been from supplements I took to improve my workout results. Which I believe is why it went up the first time, I used to drink several red bulls, and Monster energy drinks a day.
So…considering that, do I have to list the BP meds that I don’t currently take, or have taken for months?
@Steven
If you want to fix the medical certificate side of this issue, you need a note from your prescribing doctor explaining that he has taken you off of the BP meds. With that release form in hand you should be OK. No CME is going to act differently until the doctors note is in your file. You can stop taking the medication, but without the doctors release, it will all stay the same. Talk to your prescribing doctor and have him write the note that says you no longer needs the BP medication. Good Luck
My blood pressure was 150/88 and I was denied medical card Why??
@Al
Unless there are other circumstances here, you should have received a short card to get your BP under control.
My dad took ncdot physical today and blood pressure was high. Was told come back in week to have retest. Can he see another doctor before then? He is on medication for high blood pressure should he have got 3 months?
@Carolinagurl
Yes, he can go somewhere else for a second opinion and it is up to the CME to determine how long a card they want to pass out. High blood pressure and on medication limits the driver to begin with, but if it has been an issue in the past, then the CME is trying to work with him. He can only get one three month card in his career, after the one time 3 month card, he would be disqualified until he has it under control.
I went to get my new physical and blood pressure was way high. He gave me a 45 day pending determination, while I work with my primary to get it under control. Can I drive on this or not? Doctor wasn’t sure.
@Adam
Yes, you can continue to drive provided your current medical card has not expired.
If your medical card is expired you cannot drive…
And it would have been a better choice for the CME to have given you a new, short medical card to get your situation under control.
In fact, ‘pending’ determination should be used only to collect additional information, not to get a medical condition under control.
“Pending” is recorded online with FMCSA as just that – pending – which means you have not yet been issued a new medical card, because the CME is waiting for additional information, and you have only 45 days to get that determination completed.
Now that you are in pending status, you must get back to that CME withing 45 days to get a new medical card, or else the FMCSA will automatically disqualify you.
So if my dad has gotten a 90 day medical card and takes BP meds and doesn’t pass his exam because of high BP, he is disqualified until he can show it’s under control, correct? How do you go about showing it’s under control if he’s not driving anymore and all of his tests at his primary care physician have been fine but only his high tests have been for the DOT BP test?
@Lisa
See our article Blood Pressure Tips during the DOT Physical Exam.
I mean administratively. Like what is the course of action that he has to go about if he gets disqualified and has to recertify. I understand he has to show that his BP is at or under 140/90 but can this be through his primary care physician or does it have to be the DOT physician, does he have to wait a certain amount of days before he can recertify. Like what does he have to do after disqualification and to be able to drive again other than showing his BP is at or below where it is supposed to be.
@Lisa
He must be recertified by a certified medical examiner, not the pcp. His BP must be within guidelines in the CME’s office.
When giving urine to test at the time of the physical, is the DOT physician checking to see if you’re on blood pressure medicine?
@Cortez
Well if your blood pressure is being controlled with medications, then you just answer the question on the federal form.
If your blood pressure is not being controlled then you have an issue that needs to be put under control.
Either way, just be truthful on the federal form, its not worth lying and possibly losing your cdl over.
He has a total of 90 days to see his PCP and get this under control. He then must return to a DOT physician, give the names of his meds and have a B/P under 140/90. At that time, he will be given the rest of his 1 year certificate. the 90 days is included.
is a dot medical exam complete without blood pressure reading?
@Randy
NO, definitely not.
My BP was 142/86 during my DOT exam. I was told to see a doctor to get BP under control. Do I need to return to same DOT ME or can I see a different DOT doctor closer to my home?
@REJ
You can go to any certified medical examiner. Just make sure your blood pressure is under control because you will not get a second short medical card to get your BP under control at that time.
Hello I have a 133/96 bp and at times It has gone up to 145/96. I am taking medication. My question Is this too much of a swing in bp for the medical exam. I monitor my b.p 4 times a week and this is my high to low range that I seem to have right now.
@Robert
FMCSA will clear you with a BP reading of 140/90 or less. With your numbers above the 90 mark, then you will be disqualified until you can get it under control. Check with your prescribing doctor and have him dial this medication in to a lower number, remember 140/90 or less.
Hello, I just got a 3 month extension on my Medical Card because my BP was 157/85….
after reading your article here, I should’ve been given a 1 year card. I’m going in to see my Family Dr in a little over 30 days to get checked again, 1st Dr said if I failed any part of that one I was done driving..
I guess my question is, is there anything that I can do to rectify the wrongly given 3 month extension?
Thanks
@Chuck
If you are not taking blood pressure medication at this time and this was your first time having high blood pressure readings, then the CME is just holding your feet to the fire to get this condition under control.
If you are taking blood pressure medication at the time of the examination, then the CME is cutting you as much slack as they can for you to get your condition under control.
Either way the CME can and does have the final say in this situation, regarding the DOT examination. And really the best thing you can do is to get the condition under control as quickly as possible.
The same thing just happened to me. Please can someone help me.
I broke my right shoulder twice. My blood pressure in my left arm is fine but my right arm is to high. Is there anything I can do about this.
@James
Yes, tell the examiner about it and always have them take your blood pressure using your left arm.
Can you please explain when does one year certificate start? From the initial time I was issued a three month card? Or the second visit I was able to bring bp down with med towards the end of that three month period? Hope I made the question clear. Thanks.
@John
With the new FMCSA forms, the one year starts at the date of the last examination.
my A1C is 10.8. the examiner told me that if its over 10% the cannot issue me a card. i explained to her that i believe 10%-12% is allowed, and that i should qualify for a 3 month card, time enough to get my diabetes under 10%. she disagreed saying she never heard of that allowance. am i correct or is the doc?
@KA
In this case the CME is correct. If the CME wants to be helpful, then they could issue a short term medical card to give you time to get the condition under control, but that is totally up to the examiner’s discretion.
I have high blood pressure, controlled by medication. To top it off, I have white coat hypertension. I was given a 3 month card that expires this week. With the new regulations, I was told if I got a note from my doctor and brought it to the medical examiner I could get a 45 day extension if my bp is still high. Is that true?
@Erin
If that is what your DOT medical examiner said, then he may do so. It would fall under his/her person discretion and how he wants to use the FMCSA guidelines to help you without taking you out of driving until you get it under control. Be aware it is up to the examiner, not a FMCSA thing.
I just had my DOT physical done and my BP was 140/90, there standards for that is 1 year cert. but the CME gave me a 3 month card. Is it up to the CME or do they have to follow the guidelines.
@Juan
140/90 is the cut off, but it appears that the CME is holding your feet to the fire to get it under control.
The CME has the final discretion on the length of the card. If you are not taking blood pressure medication he could do one year or less. If you are taking medication for your blood pressure, then he can give you a one time three month card. Either way it need to be below 140/90.
Hello my name is Glenn and I was issued a three month dot card witch I need for the new job I’m to start. But I’m on medication. But the day of the test my old job called and said that I would have to pay for a motor. I got angry and my pressure went up. I explained y my pressure was up and he said get your pressure down. And gave me the 3 month permit. When I left and got home my pressure was fine. But I need the job. I go to my Doctor and my pressure is undercontrole. Can I a medical release from my Doctor to the dot physican to get my permit for the job. I have two weeks to get the job. Or what else can I Do
@Glenn
You have a valid three month card, so use it for now.
You are welcome to go get a second opinion regarding your blood pressure with another CME, but a note from your personal physician is not going to make any difference at this point.
Blood pressure under control without medications should clear you for a two year card, if all else is within normal limits.
I was scheduled for DOT Physical and my yearly Physical all on the same day. My yearly physical was done in the morning. My Blood pressure was 141/91 and we talked about ways to reduce it. I also was given a mild medication. My DOT physican my BP was much higher and they failed me. I have an appointment with my Family Dr. on Tuesday for a recheck. If he files out the form that I was given and sends it back in will this help me with keeping my CDL Medical Card.
@John
Once you have been on your new blood pressure medication for thirty days and your primary doctor fills out the medical release form you should be good for a one year at the time medical certificate.
Thank You for that answer. My problem is that my card expires in a few days. So I guess I can not drive for at least 30 days. I will lose my job if that is the case. I have been with this company for many years and if I can not drive you don’t have a job. What else can be done? Do they give you a temp medical card.
@John
You can try to explain to the CME what your situation is and he may work with you doing a 90 day card to get your condition under control. Then once under control you would then go to a one year card when you renew.
I used to take a pill to reduce my blood pressure but I quit smoking 10 years ago and I no longer have to take medication for blood pressure anymore and my numbers are good can I get certified by doctor for 2 years .
@Michael
You might want to get a note from your old prescribing doctor stating that you no longer need the medication to control your blood pressure. That information will then allow you to go to a two year card, if all is is within normal limits.
Is there blood oxygen level requirement ?
Example- 97%
Is there a minimum % to pass
@Doug
Why is someone asking this question, unless there is an underlying condition that is not mentioned here? More information please.
If my blood oxygen level is 94 would I pass? They get this reading when they take your pulse reading
@Doug
You would be right on the borderline, but should be fine for the DOT examination, as long as all else is within normal limits.
If you are type 2 diabetic and pass your eye exam and have no glucose in your urine during the exam is it true you must present a yearly eye exam and HGA1C to pass?
@Scott
You need a medical release form from your doctor each time you have a DOT medical examination. An A1c in hand is always a plus when going in for the examination. The eye examination for the medical certificate can be performed by the CME, but an examination by your eye doctor is also a huge plus up front.
I tried that and they would not except my eye doctors exam. Even though he’s an opthamologist what is not CDL certified
Also forgot to mention that my blood pressure was well under the limits back in September 2015 but still gave me the 1-year card because of the blood pressure medication that was originally meant to cure the kidney stones