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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.
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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Just had a Blazen surgery on my heart are their time requirements before I can come back to work with any heart procedure I live in north Carolina
@David
Post surgery and fully recovered, you have a thirty day wait and must be symptom free. Make sure you have a medical release form from your doctor before you go for your new medical certificate. You card will now be limited to one year at the time due to the procedure.
Hi I just went and took my physical I passed everything one issue that was a concern was my left arm being half paralyzed I got full function in forearm but can’t raise arm above my head the doctor wants me to take a SPE. Question I have what do I do now? What are my chances of getting my cdl?
@Justin
You should do fine. The SPE is really designed to determine if the present limitation is a safety issue. If you can perform all the duties of a CMV operator, then you would pass, so go for it. Good Luck
What are the duties tho I am new to this?
I have a question….
The DOT guidelines state that “until the program is fully implemented, drivers will still have to carry a paper copy of their DOT medical examiner’s certificate”. Medical examiners in my area have quit issuing wallet sized cards and are only issuing 8.5 x11 size paper copies.
My question is, do drivers with CDL have to carry a big piece of paper or has the program been fully implemented?
@Jill
Yes, the proposed date for full implementation is sometime in 2018.
When the MEC forms changed, the rules for not changing the form made it nigh impossible to reduce the size of the MEC to wallet size. So now drivers are carrying a big piece of paper!
You still have to carry it. The doctor will tell you when ypu do not have to carry one no more
I am a driver with that needs to get a confirmation from nc saying that they have received my email with the medical certifications, I’m held up in California waiting for confirmation, please help , if you can.
@Gary
Sorry, we can’t help you as we are not affiliated with, or endorsed by FMCSA or any government or state agency.
Not sure why you are held up in CA unless NC has canceled your driving privileges.
Your only avenue is to contact your drivers license department in NC. You should have your medical card and a copy of the long form with you at all times. This will help you get reinstated with NC as well as satisfy CA.
NC DOT took forever to “receive” my husband’s ever since this began. We are currently driving to Raleigh in hopes that it doesn’t take a month the way it did the first time he did this.
My husband drives a flatbed truck state to state, he received a letter from the DMV regarding the intrastate and interstate license. He wanted to know which one does he select if he drives state to state. He has a current medical examiners certificate.
@Marvin
Select “Non-Excepted Interstate”.
When I ran my drivers license number it says status….. disqualified…… certification sent…… can I still drive a car or truck…. just not CMV?……. status doesn’t say revoked or suspended, just disqualified
Can i laminate my medical card in North carolina?
@Robbie
As long as all data on the card remains legible.
My cdl permit expires next week and this is the second one in a year..& I just finally got approved for a4 week course….can I get an expiration extension?
@Tiffany
Call you local drivers license department. Only they can answer this question for you.