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Illinois CDL Requirements
Illinois law requires all CDL drivers to have a valid DOT medical card, unless the type of commerce you drive qualifies as ‘Excepted’ (EI) or (EA).
- Non-Excepted Interstate (NI)
You must meet the Federal DOT medical certificate requirements. - Non-Excepted Intrastate (NA)
You must meet your State of licensure’s medical certification requirements.
CDL Self-Certification
Initial self-certification and submission of a Medical Examiner’s Certificate, can only be done…
In Person:
At one of 47 Illinois CDL facilities.
Medical Certificate Update
If you are a non-excepted interstate (NI) driver, you must provide the Secretary of State’s office with all updates of your Medical Certificate and/or Medical Variances prior to the corresponding expiration date(s).
After the initial self-certification, Medical Certificates (medical card only, not the long form) can later be renewed…
By Mail:
Secretary of State’s Office
Attn: CDL/Medical Area
2701 South Dirksen Parkway
Springfield, Il 62723
By Fax:
(217) 558-5156
By Email:
cdlmedicalcard@ilsos.net
Attach a scanned PDF file
Questions:
If you have any questions regarding your Medical Examiner’s Certificate
you may telephone (217) 785-3002
Other CDL Information:
Website: http://ilsos.net/departments/drivers/drivers_license/CDL/cdl.html
TIP: Not Driving, But Want to Keep Your CDL
Illinois SOS states:
“These CDL holders must continue to keep the medical certificate valid or change their medical category to one other than NI.”
Special Information Updates Pertaining To ALL STATES
MEDICAL EXAMINERS MUST CONTINUE TO ISSUE MEDICAL CERTIFICATES TO ALL DRIVERS
The FMCSA has requested that all medical examiners continue providing drivers with a paper copy of the Medical Examiner’s Certificate – Form MCSA-5876, so that Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) holders can provide a copy to the State licensing agency, and the non-CDL drivers can provide the documentation to their employers and Federal and State enforcement officials.
The Agency is currently completing efforts to put into place an electronic system to enable medical examiners to transmit the medical certificate information from the National Registry system to the State licensing agencies.
Until that system is completed, which compliance date according FMCSA is June 23, 2025, medical examiners must continue to issue paper copies of the medical certificates to drivers who pass the medical exam.
ALL DRIVERS MUST CONTINUE TO CARRY A PAPER COPY OF THEIR MEDICAL CERTIFICATE
Commercial Drivers – You still need to carry a paper copy of your medical card, until FMCSA announces that this is no longer necessary.
Your Feedback Is Welcome
Dealing with Federal DOT Regulations across the board is tough enough!
But when it comes to State Regulations — There are 50 different sets of rules. Someone could move the goal posts at any time…
To help us all avoid the black eye experience — AARGH! —
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Hallo, it’s possible to do dot medical phisical in Washington with Illinois CDL?
@Andrew
Yes.
My CDL medical card expired 2/25 and I need to get it renewed am I able to do that and Fax it into you from a company?
@Truck0001
You would need to check with your local state drivers license department for the answer to this question. The state may need a self certification form also, so check with your state DLD.
Is a stress test still required after 5 yrs of a heart attack? I have hd to take one every 2 yrs since I had mone.
@ Dennis
Once every tow years is what the FMCSA wants and that is for as long as you are a CMV operator.
Can a individual on dialysis receive a CDL license?
@ Carsby D
It may be possible, but intra-state only. You need to check with the local drivers license department on this one.
What about school bus drivers??? What changes did 2015 bring for drivers with a heart condition that has been ok’d by your Dr……If your Dr. ok’s you but your physical says they can’t pass you because of some new law.
@Tammy
Sounds like a question for your state drivers license department.
If you are class A then you would have to pass the class A testing guidelines, but as a bus driver you only need to qualify for the state guidelines.
I had some health problems on the road and had to go home. I’m going to doctors to get healthy again. I’m not going back out until they say I’m healthy.
Thing is, though, my DOT physical expires in May. If I’m not healthy by then and it expires before I’m back to good health, what happens to my CDL? Under the old system, you just don’t drive until you renew. But I seem to remember someone telling me at some point that maintaining a current physical is now requisite to even having a CDL. So if my physical lapses, Illinois won’t actually revoke my CDL, requiring me to obtain it all over again, would they?
@Lloyd
Check with your local drivers license department and let them know your circumstances and ask them what you need to maintain your CDL. If you just let your medical card expire, without informing DLD, most probably they will revoke your license.
State police stop me and he gave me a ticket for driving on a suspended cdl licence for not reporting my medical card i never received a letter saying my license was suspended now I have a court date what you think will happen
@Edward
No telling what could happen here. Legally, they feel that ignorance of the law is no excuse and it is not the state’s responsibility to keep your license information in front of you at all times, so it would be tough to say what’s going to happen. Best case, they tell you to fix it and go away, or pay a fine and fix it. Or it could go in a different direction.
Each state is different, some states are not so harsh, others well… Good Luck
My son just received a notice of cancellation from the Secretary of State for not getting a medical exam to renew his cdl license. He received the notice on 11/13/2015 indicating the date of cancellation 11/15/2015 he has a class C cdl. Will he be able to get a medical exam and renew it after that date? Thank you for your time.
@Lorraine
Each state is different, but as a general statement, since the state is saying they will invalidate the license on a sunday, you should have a small grace period, like a day or two. Some states, like california will invalidate at midnight of that date. Also, most states are looking for the additional income, so they may have a small re-enstatement fee.
I have my medical card and provided it when I renewed my license. I just got a letter saying that my license was suspended because I didn’t show secretary of state. But I did show them. Can I get it reinstated
If i forgot my medical card at home but my home state and the company i drive for have a copy of it will I still get penalized?
@Edwin
Not as long as you can prove you have one if DOT asks for it.
Question okay i have cdl permit that expires on 11/28/15 my yearly medical examination is on 10/21/15 I have sleep apnea but i do use my cpap is it 30 days of 4>hours of 70% usage or is it 90 days of 4>hours of 70% usage, and i am a school bus driver and the person at my company asked me since i dont go out of state or on the interstate that i dont have to be dot on the medical examie or medical card is this true?
@tjones
Each state is different. Why not check with your local drivers license department to confirm or deny the proper usage of your DOT medical certificate. As far as your cpap readout, you need at least 30 day with 70% compliance.
In Illinois driving a school bus: had a TIA recently; M.E says I can not have a medical card for one year!! Any comments?? Especially facts!!
The Federal shows a recommendation from 2009, but it is not in any rules .
@Larry
FMCSA requires at least a one year waiting period for a class A driver to re-aquire a medical certificate.
Not sure what your license class is, so check with your local drivers license department and see what they have to say. In some cases with a lesser class drivers license and intra-state only you may be able to drive bus, but confirm or deny that information with your local DLD.
I recently took my DOT physical, I had a 3 month issued in March. I was only issued a temp card due to the fact that the Doc. said I had sleep apinea.
In 2007 I did the test, which they said I did have sleep apinea, I got a CPAP and used it briefly and returned it a couple later, I just could not use it.
My temp card expired in June 15th, in which I went to get another one done and the sleep thing came up again( different doctor this time)
So she would not issue me another temp card, so now my license is a medical invalid tag on it.
I am currently trying to get everything taken care of, I saw a Dentist on July 2 to get the oral device.
The question is, does the DOT recognize the oral device, the dentist said that their is no way of monitoring with oral devices?
What could I do in the mean time, I’m self employed, 90% of the time I drive a 26000lb plated truck with a 14,000 lb trailer behind it which make me have a Class A
I also have a Tandem dump trk plated for 50,000 lb,
Basically if I get busted driving any of these vehicles, I’m up the creek.
Is there anything I can do.
@Curt
You are not an OTR driver, but have a class A license. Which puts you in an odd position.
The dental device is un-monitorable and is not going to fly in the OTR world, so explain that you are local and home every night. That will be a huge help with the CME’s decision making process.
If you don’t travel interstate, you might shift to a intra-state only class A. Again, this helps the CME in his decision making process.
A similar situation for a friend who used a dental appliance. Found a CME who was a chiropractor. and got his medical card.
Are all illinois dot physical locations all tied into the same computers
@William
Yes!
State DOT physical rules have changed this year. My husband’s Internist use to take care of his DOT physical, and now he has to go to one of the registered DOT places.
My husbands personality lends to higher blood pressure in medical facilities, while his blood pressure is much lower at his familiar doctor’s office. He has been monitored for high blood pressure for the past 25 years and it has been kept under control. We have printed proof of his blood pressure being good, yet the DOT doctor’s office say he must have lower blood pressure at their office.
Now, no matter how medicated my husband is for high blood pressure, he doesn’t think that he will ever pass in that office due to nerves. He can lose his license and then his job of 30 years and excellent service for this?
He has a doctor who takes good care of him and his blood pressure. Is there something that we can do with this situation?
@HB
The FMCSA is setting the blood pressure issue at 140/90 or below. If above 140/90 the he needs to get the pressure down someway. But the CME is going to want to see blood pressure below the magic number of 140/90 or better. So there really isn’t anything that can be done other than get the pressure down. See if you can find an examiner that you like and have him take the pressure once you get comfortable with the CME. Hard to find a ‘driver friendly’ examiner, but they are out there.
As a former OTR driver, and currently a driver supervisor/ records manager, I am questioning your State’s validity in enforcing the requirement that drivers possess and produce their medical examiner’s card for any level of inspection by State Police! If a responsible effort was being made to stay abreast of the federal regulations concerning this issue, Physical qualifications for drivers, 391.41(a) & current amendments in the federal register dated April 23, 2015, you would cease ticketing drivers for not having med. cards in their possession during inspections and stop sending this bogus violation data to FMCSA for negative rating effects in Driver Fitness categories. Your State Police violated one of my drivers 5/21/2015 for not possessing his med. card, even though the federal regs/ amendment states under 391.41(a)(2); CDL exception that: A driver required to have a commercial driver’s license under part 383 of this chapter, and who submitted a current medical examiner’s certificate to the State in accordance with 49 CFR 383.71(h) documenting that he or she meets the physical qualification requirements of this part, no longer needs to carry on his or her person the medical examiner’s certificate specified at 391.43(h), or a copy, for more than 15 days after the date it was issued as valid proof of medical certification. I would, frivolously like to think that some day, just a hint of continuity and respect develop between all layers of State and Federal enforcement and the Professional Commercial Drivers, whom are absolutely responsible for bringing to each & everyone of you your every day food, manufactured goods, and novelty/luxury items! Please be Clear & Fair to the millions of Commercial Drivers that keep this country functioning for everyone’s benefit!
The carrying and producing of the “medical card” at all times while exercising the privileges of commercial driving using a CDL and requiring a DOT medical certification is not only a state requirement, but is superceded by Federal Law (USDOT) mandating the possession and carrying of that certification for CDLs. It is well within the rights of any law enforcement officer to request seeing that the driver is in compliance with the law.
Alan L. Sisson, MD, RPh
National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners
yep have to agree with the doc. it’s a fed law and not a state.
My company has several box trucks (in Illinois)
10-16 ft with lift gates. We just carry warmers with food to go to several schools.
When is it required to have a medical certification cards for our drivers?
Or is this requirement just for trucks who need a CDL license?
@Bill
In most states any driver that is operating a vehicle that is used for commerce and exceeds 10,001 pounds, then the driver (no matter what class license) must have a medical card.
Check with your state Drivers License Department to make your final decision.
If I choose to fax my new medical card documentation, do I need to fax my driver’s license too?
I just received a notice from the State of Illinois that my license is being revoked for failing to submit an acceptable medical examiner’s certificate. I went for the physical on January 5th, 2015 and possess a valid M.E. card. He faxed all the docs to UPS Human resources. Why am I getting this notice and what can I do so that the government has me listed as getting my card properly?
@Ralph
The driver is personally responsible to submit a copy of the medical examiner’s certificate and self-certification affidavit to their State Driver’s License Agency, to update their driver’s license record.
I drive a blue bus once a year from illinois to wisconsin once a year for a church retreat. There is no compensation I receive. I have a renewed CDL with a K restriction. Do I need to get a medical certificate?
@Matthew
You need to check with the state DLD to make that determination.
If you drive a vehicle that carries 15 or more passengers, yes, you need a CDL as well as having the medical data married to the CDL.