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Georgia CDL Requirements
All CDL holders have to certify driving type and, if required, keep a valid medical card on file with Georgia Department of Driver Services. Your certification of driving type tells DDS which qualifications you must meet to hold a CDL.
- Non-Excepted Interstate (NI)
You must meet FMCSA driver qualification requirements. - Non-Excepted Intrastate (NA)
You must meet the medical requirements for Georgia.
If your medical examiner’s certificate is only valid with a vision, diabetes or a skills performance evaluation variance granted by FMCSA, you will also be asked by the DDS to provide a copy of that variance document. If you have a vision waiver granted by the DDS you will be required to provide a copy of that variance document.
CDL holders can no longer claim exemption from medical certification requirements because they are not currently operating in non-excepted interstate or intrastate commerce. If not specifically included above, they must maintain their medical certification or certify into an Excepted category.
If CDL holders are required to provide a medical certification then they must continue to carry all medical certification documents with them at all times even after completing the self-certification process with DDS.
CDL Self-Certification
Submit the following two documents:
- Commercial Driver Self Certification Form (DDS Form 1207) – download the form here from Georgia Department of Driver Services.
- Copy of your valid DOT medical card (Medical card only, not the long form.) Enlarge the copy to ensure that all information is legible.
Online:
Visit the DDS website at https://online.dds.ga.gov/onlineservices/account/login.aspx
By Mail:
Department of Driver Services
Attn: RM-CDL
P. O. Box 80447
Conyers, GA 30013
By Fax:
(770)918-6271
Important: Submissions via fax must be for individual customers. Submission of documentation for multiple customers may be sent by mail.
In Person:
You can submit your self-certification to any DDS Customer Service Center.
Medical Certification Update
Your license will be downgraded if you fail to keep your medical certification current. You may be required to re-test if you remain in a downgraded class for a long period of time.
You must provide a copy of each new DOT medical card to the Department prior to the expiration of the current DOT medical card.
You are also responsible for applying to FMCSA for a renewal of your variance. If you have a variance issued by the DDS you must apply for renewal of that variance prior to its expiration.
You may submit your new medical certificate online, by mail, fax, or in person, as described above.
Other Contact Information:
If you have any questions you can call 678-413-8400 or 1-866-754-3687 and ask for a medical certification customer service representative.
Special Information Updates Pertaining To ALL STATES
June 23, 2025: FMCSA electronic reporting requirements for DOT Medical Certificates will be fully enforced.
See detailed information at FMCSA Medical Examiner Certificate Reporting Requirements for CDL Drivers
CDL Drivers
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?
Safeguard your CDL! How does the new DOT Medical Certificate reporting process affect your CDL?
Non-CDL Drivers
The electronic reporting requirements do not affect 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.
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I have CDL, the company that I work for promoted me to a position of not driving any more.
Do I have to maintain my medical card to keep my CDLs in the state of Georgia?
In Georgia they are linked to the Fed Motor Carrier dept. In Washington D. C. So you have the option of either agency. A certificate is only needed to drive commercially outside the exceptions rule. Exceptions being: To transport Farm products to the nearest receivers, in driving under emergency conditions as declared by FEMA. A certificate constitutes a privilege and us only valid up to 2 years. Once a medical card expires your CDL is maintained in a dormant state indefinitely until a new medical card is issued for reinstatement. No driving, skills test or other tests are required unless DDS determines it necessary.
I don’t have a medical card and have been driving on the weekends for a local company making short intrastate runs. I was told that I wasn’t required to have one as long as, I wasn’t crossing state lines when I last renewed my license at DDS, but my employer recently informed that I would need one. Has that changed?
@Ric
Georgia regulations state that intrastate non-exempt must meet the Federal DOT medical certificate requirements. See information above.
Quick question: : my fiancee is a driver and has to renew his CDL in february. His medical card says its vaid another several months. The question is do you have to renew your medical card when you renew your CDL or just stay current with the date on medical card??? Any knowldgeable help would be VERY MUCH APPRECIATED!!! THANKS in advance 🙂
@nicole
You only have to keep the medical card current. They do not have to be renewed at the time of the drivers license, just kept current.
D O T medical card has its own expiration date.
The expiration date on the medical card is the
determining date which the D O T medical card
should be renewed by.
I live in ga and had to have a hole fixed in my heart. The dr. I use for my medical card states that I have to wait a length oh time to get a new medical card in Ga but did not know what that length of time was, I am hoping you might know and also anything else I might need to know about getting a new medical card. Thank you
@Debora
Well first things first. You need to be completely healed from the surgery before you go back for a new DOT medical card.
Before you go for the examination, make sure your primary doctor completes your medical release form for you to take to the DOT examination.
The medical examiner may be looking for a recent stress test before he completes your examination, depending on the type and level of your most recent surgery. With all the information in hand you should not have any major hangups. Good luck
What happens if one of our intrastate drivers fails his dot physical? What are the fines if caught driving without a medical cert in GA? and what are the repercussions to the company?
@Sue
Driver can lose his commercial license, and the company is finable to around $10,000. And why would a company take that kind of a risk?
? is my florida medical card good for the state of georgia? or do i have to get new one? need to know asap already switch my cdl license to ga but i did own a fla cdl license
@Harold
If your medical card is Interstate, it is valid throughout the US, not state specific.
If your medical card is Intrastate Only then you’ll need to check with GA DDS to make sure it’s still valid. Most likely “yes”, because both FL and GA require Federal DOT medical certificate requirements for Intrastate.
If you drive OTR a.k.a. Interstate, your
DOT medical card is good in all u.s. states.
If you drove only INTRAstate in Fla., then highly likely your medical card was a Fla. state issued medical card and good Only in Fla. state. If so, then you will need to get a GA. state issued medical card IF your GA. CDL is INTRAstate for driving in GA. only.
I am 50 ys old , I have a Defibrillator and I’ve never collapsed, but I have had 3 heart attacks that have left my heart damaged. My doctor said he wanted to install a ICD so if I ever do have the big one it will jump start me. But now i have a chance of getting hired on with the state of Georgia DOT, But they require that I maintain my CDL’s . Is there any chance of holding on to my license if I stay within the state ?
@Jamie
I would check with the state, but I believe you can keep your CDL and still be an intra-state driver exclusively.
That’s how it’s done here in Utah for our CDL drivers that would be disqualified from interstate driving otherwise.
Just a update; Checked with the Georgia DDS. And they said GA. Adopted the FMCSA regulations and will not allow it. If you have diabetes you can get a exception, but not ICD.
Who would a driver need to provide an updated physical card to for the state of Georgia?
Thanks
@Alisha
A driver can submit a renewed medical card the same ways as described above for self-certification – by mail, fax, or in person.