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Texas CDL Requirements
All Texas CDL holders are required to certify the type of commercial operation they’re engaged in. CDL holders operating in non-excepted interstate and non-excepted intrastate are required to submit a current medical examiner’s certificate and any variance they may have to the Department.
Non-Excepted-Interstate Commerce (Form CDL-4)
You must meet the Federal DOT medical certificate requirements.
Non-Excepted-Intrastate Commerce (Form CDL-5 part B)
You must meet the Texas medical certificate requirements.
Submit Your Self-Certification Affidavit and Medical Certificate to Texas Department of Public Safety
Submit the following two documents:
- Texas Commercial Driver License Self-Certification Affidavit – Form CDL-4 or Form CDL-5.
- Copy of your valid DOT medical card (not the long form) and any variance you may have. Enlarge the copy to ensure that all information is legible.
By Mail:
Texas Department of Public Safety
License and Record Service
Attention: CDL Section
P.O. Box 4087
Austin, Texas 78773-0320
By Fax:
512-424-2002 Attn: CDL Section
By Email:
CDLMedCert@dps.texas.gov
Documents must be in PDF format
Keep Your Medical Card Current With Texas Department of Public Safety
Drivers are required to keep a current medical variance or medical examiners certificate on file with DPS, and failure to do so will result in the downgrade of the individual’s CDL.
You must provide a copy of each new DOT medical card to the Department prior to the expiration of the current DOT medical card.
To prevent your commercial driver license from being downgraded, you will need to send a copy of your new DOT medical certificate to the Department within 15 days of the DOT medical certificate issuance date.
You may submit your new medical certificate by mail, fax, or email, as described above.
You can review a driver’s current CDL medical certification status by accessing driver eligibility.
Other Information:
Texas DPS official website: Driver License
Texas CDL Medical Certification Requirement
Texas DPS/CVE – Locate a commercial vehicle office – address and phone number
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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am from Texas my medical card expires in 2-21-2019 and am off of work due to work related injured can they down grade my CDL due to being under a doctors care my license expire in about 5 years how does it work , before my license expire or medical card needs to be renew before it expires just worried cause getting ready to go through surgery just wondering , and tips.
@ Marcos V
Since you are out with injuries, your medical card is invalid, that being said, the state is unaware of your situation. Just get a new medical examination card when you are fully recovered and turn it in to the state, then you’ll be fine.
My husband’s medical card will expire in April 2019. He will be working out of our state of Texas from September 2018 to June 2019. Can he renew the medical card just before he leaves instead of in April?
@ JV
He can renew his medical certification card anywhere. It is a federal certification and is accepted by all states, provided the examiners are on the national registry.
in 2015 our company merged with another. i did not renew my medical card. as of june 15 2018 i have a new medical dot card. is my cdl license still valid after turning in my medical card to the dps department.
@ joe V
You need to check with your local drivers license department for the answer.
When you click on the CDL-7 download it takes you to a bad link.
I renewed my medical card at the end of March and was not told to take a copy to the DMV and it totaled slipped my mind. What’s going to happen to my license now?
@ Steven D
Your local drivers license department will give you the best advice.
I’m supposed to get my dot physical by the 28th of this month. I broke my leg last month and won’t pass the physical. What do i do?
@ Michael J P
You take the medical examination when you can pass it. If the question is regarding your cdl license, then check with your local driver license department for your states rules.
I just got my medical exam renewal. The practitioner gave me the completed ‘medical examiner determination’ sheet to send into DOT instead of the actual certificate. Is it okay to just send the determination sheet instead of the certificate?
@ Andre
Most, not all, only want a copy of the medical certificate card. And some states require the full examination findings. So check with your states drivers license department for your specific requirements.
Can we reduce the medical form and laminate it so it doesn’t get destroyed in a wallet? It is still readable.
@ Lynn
DOT must be able to read everything on the medical card with the naked eye. Most offices are using a tri-fold lamented card which meets the DOT’s standards. Just make sure you have a copy of the card as it came to you too.
I am from Texas. And have a cdl but my medical card expires soon and am out of the states How many days would I have to send a new one in after it expires And if it expires will it be downgraded? And the dps and. DMV will never answer the phone plz help
@Arturo
Even if you are out of state, you can get your DOT physical examination done by a certified medical examiner in any state so you don’t have to wait until you get back home.
The details for sending in your new medical certificate to Texas DPS are on this page.
I have a CDL class b for bus driver. It expired in August however my medical examiner card is valid. Can I just renew or will I have to retest ??
@ Steph
Drivers license is different than medical card. You will need to check with your local drivers license department for the best answer.