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Michigan CDL Requirements
All Michigan CDL holders are required to certify the type of commercial operation they’re engaged in.
Interstate Non-Excepted
You must meet the Federal DOT medical certificate requirements.
Intrastate Non-Excepted
You must meet the Federal DOT medical certificate requirements. However, your medical certification does not need to be provided to the Department of State.
If you fail to comply you will be disqualified from operating a CMV. If the updated information is not received, your CDL will be downgraded to a Class D license within 60 days. Failure to restore your CDL within 12 months will require retesting.
Submitting your Self Certification and Medical Certificate to Michigan Department of State
Submit the following two documents:
- Michigan Department of State CDL Self-Certification Form – download the form here from Michigan Department of State.
- Copy of your valid DOT medical card (Medical card only, not the long form). Enlarge the copy to ensure that all information is legible.
Submit Online
CDL Self and Medical Certification
Note: You will need to scan and upload your medical certification document in a PDF (preferred) or TIF format.
By Mail:
Michigan Department of State
CDL Help Desk
7064 Crowner Drive
Lansing, MI 48918
By Fax:
517-636-4359
In Person:
Visit any Secretary of State Office.
Other Information:
CDL Self Certification Frequently Asked Questions.
For additional information call 517-322-5555.
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. However, until that system is completed, 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…
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As the owner of my company in Michigan, do I have to maintain my CDL license to drive my truck?
@ Jefferey S B
CDL’s are state issued and fall under the states requirements. If your cdl is a class A it may require a valid medical card. Check with your state drivers license department for your best answer.
I currently have a CDL and medical card that expire in 7 days. We are on the covid-19 shutdown and I don’t know if I can get a medical examiner to recertify me and I cannot get the paperwork from my work to do that. How long do I have to renew my medical certificate after it expires?
@ David D
With the shutdown caused by the covid 19 situation, every state has been ask to allow for extensions. You will need to check with your state for their extension cutoff.
My husband has a CDL. He had stents 8 years ago and his last stress test was 6 years ago. He has never been asked about either issue when going for a DOT physical. This year, the doctor doing the physical said that he has to have a stress test every year, within 3 months of his DOT physical. His cardiologist sees him every year and said that he doesn’t need stress tests anymore and that it is medically unnecessary, which means insurance isn’t going to pay for it. Why should we have to pay for medically unnecessary testing?
@ Ruth E J
FMCSA request a stress test every two years following any cardiac surgery. Your husband will need a medical release form from his cardiologist and stress test results done within the past two years. It’s a DOT/FMCSA guideline request for a cdl class A operator.
I’m a female school bus driver in Michigan, I’m in the middle of switching jobs to another company…..they’ve sent me for a DOT physical along with fingerprinting…. the doc ordered a sleep apnea study due to my weight and my neck measuring 17 inches instead of 16 inches… I took the 24 hr free study and low and behold I scored an 8 on the test which in turn put me in the mild category…
My question is; can the doctor that gave me my physical keep me from driving???
@ Moore J
You are a school bus driver. The examiner is holding you to a class A drivers standards. You fall under your states variances and not Federal DOT. You may want a second opinion from an examiner that understands the differences.
I have type 2 diabetes and on insulin. Can I get a class B license to drive a bus
@ Paul V
Best answer will come from your states DLD. You do not fall under the FMCSA guidelines and regulations, but your states variances.
In the state of MI, do you need to carry your Med Card?
@ Justin
Most states require a class A driver to have a copy of his medical card available at all times.
I have heard this both ways, that you DO have to carry it and that you DO NOT. The thing is now a full page of paper, gets prety thick in a wallet
@ Tim P
You will be ask for your medical card, so best be prepared to show it. Take a picture of the card and leave it on your phone. Put the hard copy in a safe place where you can produce it if needed.
I want to know if I will lose my CDL-A if I go for a sleep study and fail in the state of Michigan.
@ Amanda
Most likely not.
I currently have a CDL-A with a N endorsement, however I have not operated any CMV interstate or intrastate since Feb 2009. I just wish to hold on to the CDL-A license, in case I ever decide to go back to the trucking industry. Do I need to have a DOT medical card or is there a waiver of some sort in the state of Michigan?
@ Suchet
In most states a valid medical certificate is required to maintain a valid CDL. Check with your local drivers license department to confirm.
I drive a bus in Michigan , work 8 hours a day with a 30 minute break. Is there any law that will allow me to get out my seat to stretch?
Hi, what I remember of DOT rules (they probably have changed a few) you have a 10 hr drive time, a 14 hr work time. Totaling 14 hrs. A 10 hour sleeper berth time totaling 24 hrs. But you can stretch the drive time a tad if you go on a 2 hrs rest/sleeper berth time in the 10 hrs. So if you say drove for 4 hrs, and went on a 2 hr sleeper berth break, you gain hours back and can drive for 6 hrs.
I am sorry however I don’t know about busses. Hopefully someone does here and will answer you soon. All the best driver!!
Can you maintain your CDL with an artificial knee
@Ken
As long as you can perform the duties required of a cmv operator, you will do fine.
Some of our drivers seem to be in a state of confusion on the medical card registration requirements.
We just went thru a US DOT audit and 3 drivers were pulled off the road for not having registered there medical cards with the SOS.
We drive in 3 states–
We drive just in Michigan–
What are the requirements for these conditions above?
Just need to clear the air and rail this issue quickly.
@Doug
Looking like one of those cases where the answer depends on who you ask – so…
Best bet is to contact your local drivers license department and get the answer from “the horse’s mouth” since they are the ones maintaining the drivers records.
Second best, is to just register everyone to be safe and if MI SOS doesn’t want the intrastate certificates, they can deal with it.
I’ve been driving school bus for 13 years and two years ago I was told I needed a sleep screening for apnea because of my bmi. Here we are two years later, I am going to the same hospital affiliated me, (just a different location) and they are now telling he that because of my bmi, ( mind you I have NO OTHER RISK FACTORS for sleep apnea) that I need another screening done. This nurse practitioner is making her own numbers to use as a guideline….. nothing was set in place by my employer either…… so many people are failing their exams because of this very issue. I think that this is all a ploy for the clinic to gat more money from employers. I shouldn’t have to re take the screening again, I passed with flying colors last time.
@Busdriver
You are going to the wrong place for your medical card!
1. You are a school bus driver, not an OTR driver, completely different standards.
2. There were no new rules or rulings coming from FMCSA that allows a CME to make this request based on BMI or neck measurement alone. Unless there are a lot of other issues present, you are being scammed.
Go somewhere else and make sure the examiner knows the type of work you do. That lets him evaluate you at a school bus driver standard.
I am going through the same thing I drive a transit bus and I have to go for a sleep apnea test because of the neck measurement
@ Brenda g
Go get a second opinion from a CME who understands the states variances, you do not fall under FMCSA guidelines.
My Michigan DOT physical card was expired for about 12 hrs. And Secretary of State was closed to register new physical card is it legal for me to drive???
I want to drive a school bus in michigan. In 2011 I had a heart attack as a result of a EF that is 38 I have a defibrillator but I’ve NEVER had Shock or even a arrhythmia. Will I be able to pass the mandatory DOT physical?
@Kevin
You are not a class A diver, and driving intrastate only – so your best bet is to confirm with you local drivers license department in Michigan to see if you can qualify under their state variances.
Same here ,
I’d like to reinstate my CDL but I don’t think I’d pass the DOT exam in Michigan because I had a mild heart attack a few months back
I have a medical condition of type 2 diabetes, which is controlled and currently on at home dyialosis/ my doctors have cleared me for driving so I can renewal my dot card. The persons at CONCENTRA keep having me get more information and without reviewing the doctors documentation is denying my card. I’m in good medical shape with no driving problems.what can I do to get my card back.
@ D. P
Try getting a second opinion from a CME who understands the guidelines and your states variances.
What if a person lied about not having sleep apnea to get their card. But their regular doctor has the evidence. There taking double the dose for metformin (diabetic) and refusing to get a current A1C because their blood sugars are high. Can they be reported?
@Gail
Sure, just inform any DOT officer about the situation or any highway patrolman.
Does Michigan require a medical card for any DOT numbered vehicle driven intrastate, like a pickup, van, small utility truck, not a CDL required vehicle?
Just got a ticket today, i was informed as long as the vehicle is not over 10,000 lbs u do not require one but if you are hauling something and it puts you over 10,000lbs you cant drive over 60 mph/ you are required to have your dot medical card/ also have to stop in at a weigh station as well.
I have a 2 year med card at one place,not there any more. I am at another they gave me a 6 month med card. Does my 2 yr med card over ride the 6 month med card. Need your help on this matter.
@James
If the last examination was the 6 months card, then you have a six month card. The two year card was canceled when the new card went in to the FMCSA and your state. So which ever one was last, that what you have.
I can not get a good blood pressure reading in dr. office. Previously my home testing results and
medication taken showing controlled b/p was adequate. Why is this no longer accepted and can
something from my personal dr be provided?
I have had a Chauferrs license for over 20 years and have never gotten a medical card even when I first got certified.
I just renewed my license and was not asked about the medical card.
do I need one?
@Dave
All depends on what type of driving you are doing. If the state didn’t ask for one, then guess you don’t need one. But check with your state DLD to confirm or deny that that is true.
You don’t need a dot card for a chauffeur’s license
I have a cdl but do not use it. Do I have to have a medical card to keep it? My license is about to expire.
@Devin
Most likely, yes!
To better understand the implications, see this article FMCSA Medical Certification Requirements.
I paid to much for my cdl Endorsement,now the state of Michigan downgraded them.how can get them back.do this mean i when to school for nothing.what life to stay in Detroit Michigan.don’t tell anyone to go and get a cdl Endorsement when Detroit,Michigan take them away for not useing them.what a future in Detroit,Michigan.
I have had my cdl-a for several years. I didn’t drive a commercial vehicle for 12 years and did not have a medical card during that time. I never had a problem getting another one when I went back to driving a commercial vehicle.
I am a school bus driver and have been driving for over 7 years. New regulations made it necessary for me to renew a sleep study. My original one was done in 2003 and they destroy the records after 7 years. There have been issues trying to get the study done from the local medical facility not having an opening until April to my finding somewhere else to get it done but it took 3 sleep studies to get it finalized. for this reason, I was given an extension on my physical card which expires Feb. 15. I am told that I have to wear the breathing machine for 2 weeks then turn in the results to the facility that did my physical. As of today Feb 11, I got the results and turned them into the office that did my DOT physical, I still need to get a machine which will take a couple of days and the physical facility says they cannot give me another extension to hold me until I can get the usage results to them. Is this true?
@Samuel
There is no ruling as such. It is up the the examiner to act in a reasonable manner. It would seem that, based on your report, that the examiner is not being very responsive to your issues or needs.
I used to drive a school bus and transit over a year ago. I no longer drive either but want to keep the cerifations I have on my drivers license in case I ever want to go back. Went to get my Med. card renewed and was told because I’m on depression meds I can only be renewed for 1 year not 2 years that I always had before. Why? I already see my Dr. Every 6 months for the depression . My regular Dr. Would know better than a one time A year Dr if I’m able to drive. Also a CARP 2week print out needed because of using the machine 8 years ago for a month has become a real problem. I was only given a 90 days dr. Med. card. And it will be costing me a lot more money for more tests I already had years back.
All this for a license I will not even be using. This seems very unfair to those of us that has never had any problems on the Road when we were driving.
@Beverly
It is understandable that you have been away from the industry for a short time and a lot has changed since your last DOT medical examination. The main thing to do now is decide if keeping your CDL is worth all the hassle that it will take to keep something that you may never use again.
How do you get your CDP reinstated after it has been downgraded. I have been trying to get med card waiver for sleep study but couldn’t get appointment before deadline
@Kevin
This is a question for your state driver’s license department.
Does a driver need a medical card to drive a chauffeur truck for a non-profit organization. He is strictly a volunteer and does not recieve a wage. Thank you.
@Steve
If the state requires a medical card to operate a vehicle of 10001 pounds, then yes he must demonstrate medical fitness for duty to operate a CMV. Check with your state Driver License Department.
I renewed my license and presented my valid medical card to the secretary of states office in January 2014 . I have since renewed my medical card . does this new card need to be submitted to you , or just carried with me anytime I am operating my commercial vehicle ?
Is this a new method of bleeding monies from cdl drivers? Are you aware the difficulties one go through to obtain a cdl ? Now you want to complicated driving more, to many rules and regulations already. what ever happened to the grandfather clause?