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North Carolina CDL Requirements
No later than January 30, 2014, all CDL holders must provide information to the North Carolina DMV regarding the type of commercial motor vehicle operation they drive or expect to drive.
Drivers operating in non-excepted types of commerce will be required to submit a current DOT medical examiner’s certificate to the NC DMV to obtain a “certified” medical status as part of their driving record.
If you do not provide NC DMV with your self-certification and if required, your medical examiner’s certificate and any required variance document by January 30, 2014 – NC DMV will notify you that you are no longer medically certified to operate a CMV in non- excepted interstate/non-excepted intrastate commerce. You will have 30 days to respond or your entire NC driving privileges will be cancelled.
Interstate Non-Excepted
You must meet the Federal DOT medical certificate requirements.
Intrastate Non-Excepted
You must meet the Federal DOT medical certificate requirements.
Submit your Self-Certification and Medical Certificate to North Carolina DMV
You are required to self-certify to a single type of commercial operation on your driver license. If you self-certify to non-excepted interstate or non-excepted intrastate, you must provide NC DMV with a copy of your current DOT medical examiner’s certificate and any applicable variance document.
Submit the following two documents:
- North Carolina Certification for CDL – download the form CDL-5 here from NC DMV.
- A copy of your valid DOT medical certificate. Enlarge the copy to ensure that all information is legible.
By Mail:
NC Division of Motor Vehicles
CDL Medical Certification Unit
3126 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-3126
By Fax:
919-861-3915
By Email:
You may scan the documents (PDF) and email the attachments to cdlmedical@ncdot.gov. You should receive a confirmation email.
Keep Your Medical Card Current With North Carolina DMV
CDL holders required to have a ”certified” medical status who fail to provide and keep up-to-date their DOT medical examiner’s certificate with the NC DMV will become ”not-certified” and may lose their CDL.
If your medical card or variance expires and you do not provide NC DMV with a new one, the DMV will notify you that you are no longer medically certified to operate a CMV in non- excepted interstate/non-excepted intrastate commerce. You will have 30 days to respond or your entire NC driving privileges will be cancelled.
Before your medical card expires, you must have a new medical examination and obtain a new DOT medical examiner’s certificate.
Submit your renewed valid medical certificate to North Carolina DMV:
By Mail:
NC Division of Motor Vehicles
CDL Medical Certification Unit
3126 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-3126
By Fax:
919-861-3915
Other Information:
NCDOT new medical certification requirements guide
Phone: 919-861-3525
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.
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I LET MY DOT CARD EXPIRE A FEW YEARS AGO…RETIRED NOW BIRTHDAY IS COMING UP AND TIME FOR RENEWAL…I WISH TO KEEP CDL INCASE I NEED TO DRIVE IN THE FUTURE …IF I TAKE THE DOT PHYSICAL PRIOR TO MY BIRTHDAY CAN I KEEP CDL ENDORSEMENT ?
@ LELAND
YOU ARE GOING TO NEED TO CONFIRM WITH YOUR LOCAL DLD FOR GUIDANCE ON THIS ISSUE. IT’S NOT A DOT/FMCSA ISSUE.
IF I DRIVE MY OWN COMMERICAL VECHICAL ONLY-NO OTHERS, AND IN STATE ONLY HOW DO I APPLY FOR THE NON-MEDICAL EXEMPT? OR IS THIS ACCEPTABLE? I HAVE FORM CDL-MED-1 BUT NOT SURE OF WHAT OPTION TO CHOOSE IF THIS IS ACCEPTABLE AS I WAS TOLD.
@ RANDALL L D
YOU WILL NEED TO GET THIS QUESTION ANSWERED BY YOUR LOCAL DRIVERS LICENSE DEPARTMENT, SINCE IT IS A STATE ISSUED DOCUMENT AND NOT A FEDERAL ISSUE.
Hi my dot card is about to expire. Last week I broke my leg so now I can’t get my physical done. What should I do ? What will happen to my cdl? I’m currently out of work and not driving.
@ Tim F
Best to speak with your local drivers license department and explain your situation. They should have a process that will hold your cdl until you return to work.
I’m in NC and I let my DOT medical card expire as I was not driving commercially, but my CDL has not expired. If I go get another physical, will that reinstate my CDL or do I have to start the whole process over again?
@ Mark C
Since your cdl is a state issued document, your best answer will come from your local DLD.
If I’m in my personal vehicle do I need to have my DOT card with me or just when driving a CMV
@ Mike
Each state is different, so best is take a picture of your medical card on your phone. If any questions, you have evidence.
I live in North Carolina and in January I had to go to have my medical card renewed well upon my physical they seen that my blood pressure was really really high and also wanted to do a sleep study. Long story short The examiner would not pass my physical and I have still been going to doctors trying to get my blood pressure under control and I received a letter from the DMV stating if I don’t have my medical by March 29th I’m going to lose my city hills but I’m still in the process of a doctor’s care of getting my blood pressure exactly where it needs to be they put me on a CPAP but I honestly can’t afford it because of my insurance wanting the entire deductible at one time for it because of it being medically equipment my job requires me to have my CDLs and I’m not sure exactly what I can do.
@ Lisa P
First talk with your local DLD and explain your situation. They should have a process to follow in a case like this. Second, you might check into a second opinion, both for the blood pressure and the cpap. Also, a lot will depend on the class cdl you carry. Class A is more stringent (federal) than a lesser class cdl, which falls under the state guidelines and regulations.
The FMCSA has told me med cards are not required in N Carolina, but N Carolina Highway patrol says they are still giving citation and tickets for no med cards in the drivers possession. Does N Carolina have a stricter law on med cards being carried by the drivers or does FMSCA law supersede N Carolina law.
Thanks
@ Carter
Years back, FMCSA wanted the medical cards to be put into each states data base and you would no longer need to carry a copy of your card. That has yet to happen. Until it does, carry a copy or at least a picture on your phone of a valid medical card. Hard copies are best for picky DOT officers and HWP.
If I fail to answer 30 days after my med card renewal date, do I lose my entire drivers license, including class C
@ Aldous N H Jr
Highly unlikely. Best to check with your local drivers license department (DLD), since your drivers license is a state issued document.
I just received a letter from the DMV stating that my Medical Exam is due. It stated that if I failed to update my exam in 30 days, they would return my license to a normal, non CDL license.