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Tennessee CDL Requirements
Updated: 3/23/22
Starting on January 30, 2012, all CDL Drivers will be required to self certify to a single type of commercial operation. You are responsible to provide TDOSHS with your self-certification of operating status by January 30, 2014.
Based on that self certification, you may need to provide the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security (TDOSHS) with a current medical examiner’s certificate and show any variance you may have to obtain or keep your CDL.
Interstate Non-Excepted
You must meet the Federal DOT medical certificate requirements.
Intrastate Non-Excepted
You must meet the medical requirements for the State of Tennessee.
If you do not provide TDOSHS with your self-certification and medical certificate by January 30, 2014, TDOSHS will notify you that you are no longer medically certified to operate a CMV in non-excepted Interstate commerce. TDOSHS will then remove all your CDL privileges from your license.
Submit your Affidavit Self-Certification and Medical Certificate Form MCSA 5876 to Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security
Submit the following two documents:
- SUPPLEMENTAL APPLICATION FOR COMMERCIAL DRIVER LICENSE – download the form SF-1480 (Rev11/18) here from Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security.
- Copy of your valid Medical Examiner Certificate – Form MCSA 5876 (the medical card, not the long form). Enlarge the copy to ensure that all information is legible.
By Mail:
Tennessee Dept. of Safety and Homeland Security
Commercial Driver License Division – Med Cert
1148 Foster Ave
Nasvhille, TN 37243
By Email:
DI.CDL.Medcert@tn.gov
If by email please send the scanned copies in a PDF.
Upload Self-Certification Affidavit and Medical Examiner’s Certificate:
TN Driver Services upload link
For questions please call 615-502-4179. Please have your commercial driver license number readily available.
Keep Your Medical Card Current With Tennessee Department Of Safety
The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security will be adding your medical certification status and the information on your medical examiner’s certificate to your Commercial Driver’s License System (CDLIS) record. CDL holders required to have a ”certified” medical status who fail to provide and keep up-to-date their medical examiner’s certificate with TDOSHS will become ”not-certified”.
It is the driver’s responsibility to maintain up to date medical certification notification to the state.
Before your medical card expires you must have a new medical examination and obtain a new medical certificate. You are responsible for providing your valid medical certificate to TDOSHS.
If your medical card expires, TDOSHS will notify you that you are no longer medically certified to operate a CMV in non-excepted Interstate commerce. TDOSHS will then remove all your CDL privileges from your license.
You may submit your new medical certificate by mail, email, or online as described above.
Other Information:
Tennessee official website Driver Services
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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Well I c the government is going after the cdl drivers now.. Put some more working americans out of work ,,Im sure they can outsource this as well for the mexicans and other countrys to come in this country and take some more of our jobs.. Ok you can have my cdl and I will apply for food stamps and welfair just like everyone else in this country is having to do..I have been an over the road diriver for 25 years and the last 5 years or so we have seen government regulation like never before.. next will b the speed limiters then the electronic logs dont forget the out of reason insurance requirement thats comming. Im sure camras in the trucks will come in there soon..next time you have a snow load on top of your van since that is a law in some states now , maybe you can find a politicians house and push it in his drive way..
I have a class B with restrictions 52 cmv Government vehicle only and I was told we didn’t have to have dot medical card.but I got a letter in the mail today that I need one so what do I do
@Michael
You’ll need to take that up with your State Drivers License Department.
My CDL has been downgraded and I will probably have to pay the 75$ I need to know what steps I need to take to get my CDL’s back to class A ? Can I go and take the DOT physical and fax the medical card to Nashville and get my license reinstated
@Terry
Every state is different. Some have a grace period, some will let you upgrade, some may make you retest, and all have different timeframes. You’ll need to contact TN drivers license department to find out what their requirements are.
My CL.A C.D.L. is not due to expire until 5-5-2016 however my Med-Cert expired today! My question is concerning a Med(Hydrocodone) for pain that I have been taking for several years. In past recertifications I have not been deceitful in any way shape or form as I listed the drug freely on the form with no issues on the recert. Now as of 5-1-2014 it’s a problem, I’m 60% service connected retired military veteran and 100% of my healthcare is through the V.A. Healthcare System. I tried to get recertified in late April but MD providing the recert service said that as a result of my current med stated above that I was no longer a qualified candidate to maintain a CDL in the state of Tennessee…..and that I would need a statement from my Primary Care Provider stating I was OK to operate a commercial motor vehicle while taking this drug? Can you please respond to this as to if there is an exempt form that my Dr can sign or basic protocol to navigate through this red tape. I’ve been Licensed and medically certified since 1996 and I have a CLEAN MVR.
@John
You do not need a waiver. You do need a medical release form completed by your prescribing doctor explaining your medications, your need for the meds and whether you are safe to operate a CMV. That’s all you should need.
So does the dot physical have to be given by a doctor or can a NP do it
@Sherri
An NP can do a DOT physical provided that person is certified and registered with NRCME.
See FAQ – Other Questions for more information.
What’s the deal with doctor prescribed medications? Something about revoking cdl for pain pills? Husband been trucker 45 years hurt in job recovered, but said need mediation probably for life. Surgery not option vs paralysis! Now were told can only work with no mediation!???
Need real help please??
@Pam
Start with a medical release form completed by your prescribing doctor. That will explain many of the questions that the CME has.
You may have been given a bit of false information in regards to NO medications.
I have a friend that is retired with CDL but his medical card has expired, and he is scared to drive his personal vehicle, does he have to have a medical card still??
@William
If you are going to keep you CDL active then, in most states, you must maintain your medical card. Most states have tied the cdl and the personal driving license together. So you could downgrade the cdl to a standard license and not have to have a medical card. Or if you want to keep the cdl, then get a new medical card.
Have contacted a lawyer to see about filling a class action suit against the state of Tennessee. For I did as instructed by the D.M.V and still my CDL was canceled. Found out by the state of Arkansas on I-30 WB scale where I was cited for driving a commercial vehicle with out a proper or canceled license. And placed out of service under a hot load. Then when I finally got to speak to a person they proceeded to tell me that my license was expired as well. Even though I had just renewed them in August. They said they gad expired the month before I even got them