June 23, 2025: FMCSA electronic reporting requirements for DOT Medical Certificates will be fully enforced.
How does the automated medical certificate process affect your CDL?
The automated results reporting process means that within a few days of a CDL driver completing a DOT physical exam – whether pass or fail – the DOT medical exam results will be electronically transmitted through FMCSA and State channels and be recorded on the driver’s CDL record at the State level.
If your State Motor Vehicle Record does not reflect ‘Medically Qualified’ status, your CDL will be downgraded within 60 days.
How does your DOT physical exam result (MEC) get from the examiner’s office to your CDL record?
• The Certified Medical Examiner’s Office
• FMCSA National Registry
• State Drivers License Agency
• CDL Drivers and CLP Applicants
• Non-CDL Drivers
• Motor Carriers and Commercial Transportation Companies
The Certified Medical Examiner’s Office
Every DOT Physical Examiner is required to have a current certification NRCME # and be electronically connected to the FMCSA National Registry database.
When a DOT physical is completed, the medical certification status must be submitted electronically, by the examiner’s office to the NRCME database. The deadline for submission is midnight of the next day, after the examination is completed.
The medical examiner’s office is no longer required to issue the paper MEC Form MCSA-5876 to CDL drivers.
FMCSA National Registry
Once the NRCME database is updated, FMCSA electronically transmits the CDL driver’s medical exam results, including any variances and restrictions, to the driver’s SDLA.
State Drivers License Agency
Your State Licensing Agency is required to update the Commercial Driver’s License Information System (CDLIS) and your CDL Motor Vehicle Record to reflect the current medical certification status and restrictions.
• If the results show ‘medically qualified’ on your motor vehicle record, you are all set and good to go until your medical card expiration date.
• If the results show ’not medically qualified’ on your MVR, the State will downgrade your CDL within 60 days.
• If your MVR shows an expired medical card and no update has been made, your CDL will be downgraded within 60 days.
CDL Drivers and CLP Applicants
The good news:
• You no longer have to go through the hassles of updating your medical card with your SDLA.
• You no longer have to carry your medical card with you.
Is there ‘not so good’ news?
We recommend you read our related articles to make sure you avoid any hiccups in the system.
Non-CDL Drivers
Nothing changes for non-CDL drivers.
• The medical examiner must give you a physical MEC Form MCSA-5876.
• You should keep your medical certificate available at all times whilst driving a CMV.
• You will still need to provide a copy of the MEC to the companies you work for.
Motor Carriers and Commercial Transportation Companies
The good news:
• You no longer need to collect MECs from CDL drivers.
• You no longer need to verify the medical examiner’s status on the National Registry.
Your process for CDL drivers:
• You are still responsible for verifying that every CDL driver is medically qualified at all times. This process has shifted from paper forms to electronic monitoring through CDLIS/MVR checks.
Your process for non-CDL drivers:
• The current process remains unchanged. CMV companies must continue to collect and retain paper MECs and verify the medical examiner’s status on the NRCME.
Law Enforcement
Law enforcement will be able to confirm a CDL driver’s medical qualification electronically.
What could possibly go wrong? !!
If the identification data submitted on your MEC does not accurately match the CDL identification data on your MVR, then the electronic data update cannot be completed.
Worst case scenario: Your CDL could be downgraded!
For more information on how to avoid this scenario, see our Related Articles.
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