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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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I just got a DOT physical when I got my CDL: in April of 2018. I got a new DOT physical in June with an employer and received a new card. How long do I have in NC to attach my new card and is my old one still good until I do?
@ Sammy
The FMCSA has already been up dated, but you need to check with your local drivers license department for their guidelines and time frames.
Is a DOT physical required to drive commercial straight trucks 26,000 lbs. or under in intrastate freight in NC ?
@ Norman
Most states are following the FMCSA’s model and are requiring a valid medical card to operate any vehicle that is used for commerce. Check with your local drivers license department for your best answer.
10001# or more is when a physical card is required unless you are considered in the “excepted” bracket. If you are for hire or profit, just hauling goods from point A to point B you are a “non excepted” and you will be required to have a medical certificate. Interstate or Intrastate really doesn’t make a difference. CDL License Manual 1.2.2 (page 1-8) is where you find your answers.
I have the same problem. I was wondering what you done with this matter?
I have a clinical diagnosis of alcoholism, it is over the 10 years old, can I get a new evaluation that will nullify the previous one
@ Darrell
Yes, and make sure you have a copy in and for your own records. The CME will need to see a copy also.
I had to go on dialysis does that stop me from being able to drive I’m in North Carolina
Hi I’m billy m (personal details edited by admin) my question is how do I get a federal wavior that give me a ok to go over state line of northCarolina I have my cdl permit but it’s got a restricted K on it only for nc I have a job waiting for me to start on site and there willing to train on the job skill test train it’s bin held in Asheboro nc after my training and getting my cdl license I can start with them there call pam trucking industry out of indianapolis Indiana this is the reason I went through all the test for is to drive I have a state wavior holding me back just be cause of my right lazy eye I have all my medical records I did all my field vision test and earn my cdl permit so how can I get this restricted K lifted off me so I can make a living in the trucking beusness world can I get info for this sent toe please do I need to get dot med card I have my dot phisical certificate and all my papers please respond thank you
I just was diagnosed with diabetes and I have a Class b in NC. How long does it take for DOT to contact me concerning this diagnosis. But i am not on Insulin. do I contact them?
@Bus Driver
DOT is not going to contact you. Your diagnosis invalidates your present medical certificate. You will need to be on your medications for at least 30 days to make sure the condition is under control and is not presenting any ill side effects. After that time frame you can get a new medical certificate. Since you are not on insulin, your medical cards will be good for one year at the time, so the examiner can confirm that you are keeping your condition under control. You will also need a medical release form from your doctor each time you go for a new medical certificate.
The employee with our company that is supposed to take care of all State D.O.T and D.M.V. related matters failed to submit a copy of my new medical card. The state revoked or suspended my license. I did not know this until my insurance agent called me. I went to the driver’s license office in Fayetteville yesterday and one of the examiners sent a copy of my driver’s license, my up to date medical card and the form that I had to fill out to be submitted with the other items to the DMV in Raleigh. I waited for about half a hour and the examiner told me that everything was good and that my license was reinstated. My insurance agent was calling me again today telling me that my license was still revoked. How long does it take with all of the modern technology that we have today to process information?
It is so frustrating to try to deal with people that do not speak English when you are already frustrated about a very serious problem. I have never had to deal with Lexus-Nexus (not sure if that is correct) but I was so frustrated trying to get information from a state agency through someone who could not speak English good enough for me to understand. Why in the world do we as taxpayers have to get information from someone who can not speak English?