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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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I am shut down in tx till i self certify my cdl…does anyone know how long it will take once I get the paperwork faxed in for this?
I had a City job that required me to get the Code 52 restriction and I didn’t have to get a medical card, but I’m not employed with them anymore and I got my medical card. How do I get the restriction off my license?
@ Anthony McC
Go to the local DLD and find out.
If I am taking Seroquel and depakote can I still be approved for a DOT medical card 52 I was shot in my head in 2015 but I have not suffered or severe experienced any difficulties
@ Dustin
Both of these medications are going to raise questions and will require medical documentation from your prescribing physicians.
My med card expired in June of 2017. My CDL status shows cancelled. If I renew my med card, will my CDL be reinstated or do I have to reapply for a CDL?
@Scott
You will need to check with your local drivers license department to see how you can get your CDL reinstated. A new medical card does not automatically give you your CDL.
I live in Georgia,. I drive a school bus,. We take field trips to the great state of Tennessee. Georgia does not require us to have a DOT card,. When we cross into Tennessee,. Will e needed to have a dot card??? I’m told we do so I don’t go.
@Mark
This will depend on the class of your drivers license. If it is not a class A, then all you need to do is check with your local drivers license department to determine the best answer.
I am a school bus driver. my employer sent me to renew my DOT card, and the healthcare provider i was sent to failed me because I am partially colorblind. I can distinguish between red, yellow, and green. They told me that it didn’t matter, they don’t pass anyone with any amount of color blindness. This seems to be contrary to state law; are their policies legal? Before this, I received my previous DOT card from Concentra, and it was recognized by my employer. Now they are saying I can’t go there because they would consider that “doctor shopping”. Other employee’s here have been allowed to go to other establishments for their DOT physical for other medical reason. Any suggestions?
@Daniel
They should only be testing you to distinguish between red, yellow, and green. The primary reason for the DOT physical color test is to determine your ability to distinguish red, amber/yellow and green – not a color blindness examination.
Yes, you are entitled to go somewhere else for a second opinion, and not be bullied by someone who is not sticking to the guidelines.
I have a restriction 52 on my CDL. But I’m going tomorrow to get my Heath card.Do I only have to take it to the DMV and show them I have med card back to get the restriction took off or do I have to do more???
My Med card expires tomorrow February 4th I am going to get a physical tomorrow and fax my paper work in. Will my CDL be taken away because it is not 10 days before it expired? And will have have to pay $75 to reinstate my CDL? Or will me faxing my paper work in tomorrow be perfectly fine since it doesn’t expire till tomorrow??
@marissa
Only your drivers license department can answer this question.
Just get your new medical card to them asap.
If they are behind in getting their system updated, then it’s unlikely that they’ll be downgrading licenses immediately.
I am laid off , my medical card is coming up can I get anew card by taking medical not working ?
@Larry
Yes.
My medical card expire on the 13 of July. I had just found out That my cdl has been cancelled due to expired medical card. If I was to get my card today would I be able to get back in my dump truck and drive today? Or do I have to go thru the reinstatement process before I can get back in truck?
@Jamon
You want to go through the reinstatement process first. Best to get to the drivers license department asap and get it done.
hello all.i gave up my CDL last week anyway i can get it back?i regret it dearly
@Joe
Contact your local drivers license department where you gave it up. Only they can help you.
I changed careers and no longer needed a CDL. I chose not to continue the medical exams and annual application process for the CDL. Therefore, TDOSHS has removed my CDL privileges. Do I need to do anything further? My DL hasn’t expired.
@Dee
Sounds like you have done what you need to do with Tennessee drivers license department, but they are the only ones who can confirm this for you. Every state has their own process.
Our expertise is on medical certification, not on driver licenses.