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Rhode Island CDL Requirements
Effective January 30, 2012, new federal regulations require all Commercial Driver License holders to self-certify their type of commercial driving. All CDL holders must submit a self-certification in order to be issued and maintain their CDL. The deadline for self-certification is January 30, 2014.
Interstate Non-Excepted
You must meet the Federal DOT medical certificate requirements.
Intrastate Non-Excepted
You must meet the medical requirements for your State.
Submit your Self-Certification and Medical Certificate to the State of Rhode Island DMV
Submit the following two documents:
- Self Certification For A Commercial Driver’s License – download the form here from Rhode Island DMV.
- Copy of your valid DOT medical card (medical card only, not the long form). Enlarge the copy to ensure that all information is legible.
In Person:
Division of Motor Vehicles
Commercial Driver’s License Office
600 New London Avenue
Cranston, RI 02920-3024
Keep your Medical Card current with Rhode Island DMV
CDL holders required to have a ”certified” medical status who fail to provide and keep their medical examiner’s certificate up to date with their SDLA will become ”not-certified” and they may lose their CDL.
Prior to the expiration of you medical card, you must provide a new DOT medical card to your DMV located in Cranston.
Other Information:
Official Website: State of Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles
Cranston Headquarters – CDL – Phone 401-462-4368
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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When is a dot medical required for non-cdl commercial driving?
@ Bryan
Most states require a valid medical card for any person driving a vehicle used for commerce, making money for someone. Confirm with your local drivers license department.
If I need a dot card to drive my work vehicle is there any law that saws I have to be clocked in to drive said company vehicle
@ Antuan
No.
If we are allowed to get a DOT physical by ANY certified examiner, why is my employer telling us that we can ONLY go to their specific locations for this physical?
Aren’t they breaking the law? Or at least not allowing us (CDL drivers) to obtain a physical as the law says we can?
What can be done to end this practice?
@ Anonymous
Company policy. Your company has probably established a financial deal with this particular facility. They, in turn, have the company’s interest in mind. You can go elsewhere, but you may not be working for this particular company. You could ask to see their written policy on this issue.
So company policy trumps the law then? That doesn’t seem right to me.
@ Anonymous
It does not seem right to us either.
When getting a DOT physical in the state of Rhode Island. I (one getting the exam) need to disrobe for this physical.
@ Russ
Class A cdl. Typically not. The examiner does need to hear heart and lung sounds (open shirt), hernia examination (check inguinal canal). All else can be done on visual inspection.