FMCSA granted a waiver allowing interstate commercial driver’s license (CDL) holders, commercial learner’s permit (CLP) holders, and motor carriers to continue relying paper copies of medical examiner’s certificates as proof of drivers’ medical certification for up to 15 days after the date the medical examiner’s certificate is issued. The waiver is in effect until October 12, 2025.
By June 23, 2025, the following changes will occur:
FMCSA will electronically transmit examination results (medically qualified, medically unqualified, and voided) from examinations performed for CLP applicants and CDL holders from FMCSA’s National Registry to the SDLAs.
FMCSA will electronically transmit medical variance information (medical exemptions and SPE certificates) for CLP applicants and CDL holders from the National Registry to the SDLAs.
SDLAs will post on the CDLIS driver MVR the driver’s examination results and restriction information received electronically from FMCSA.
Medical examiners will no longer be required to issue the original/paper Medical Examiner’s Certificate, Form MCSA-5876, to CLP applicants and CDL holders.
CLP applicants and CDL holders will no longer be required to submit a paper Medical Examiner’s Certificate, Form MCSA-5876, to their SDLA.
Motor carriers will no longer be required to verify that a Medical Examiner’s Certificate, Form MCSA-5876, issued to a CLP applicant or CDL holder was issued by a medical examiner on the National Registry.
Motor carriers may no longer use the paper Medical Examiner’s Certificate, Form MCSA-5876, as proof of a CLP applicant or CDL holder’s medical certification. Instead, motor carriers must use the CDLIS driver MVR obtained from the current licensing State. The motor carrier must verify and document in the driver’s qualification file that the driver has a valid medical examiner’s certificate and any required medical variances before allowing the driver to operate a commercial motor vehicle.
Who is impacted by NRII and how?
CLP applicants and CDL holders
No longer required to submit a paper Medical Examiner’s Certificate, Form MCSA-5876, to their SDLA. Instead, their physical qualification examination results (medically qualified, medically unqualified, and voided) will be electronically transmitted from FMCSA’s National Registry to the SDLAs and posted on the driver’s record.
No longer receive the original/paper Medical Examiner’s Certificate, Form MCSA-5876, from the medical examiner unless they request a copy for their records.
The electronic results transmitted to the SDLAs will be the official proof of medical certification. A requested original/paper Medical Examiner’s Certificate, Form MCSA-5876, from the medical examiner cannot be used by the driver as official proof of medical certification.
SDLAs
Must post the driver’s examination results, restriction information (if applicable) and medical variance information (if applicable) received electronically from FMCSA onto the CDLIS driver MVR.
Motor Carriers
No longer required to verify that a Medical Examiner’s Certificate, Form MCSA-5876, issued to a CLP applicant or CDL holder was issued by a medical examiner on the National Registry.
Must obtain the CDLIS driver MVR from the current licensing State with driver medical certification information and retain it in the driver’s qualification file.
Medical Examiners
No longer required to issue the original/paper Medical Examiner’s Certificate, Form MCSA-5876, to CLP applicants and CDL holders.
Need to complete submission error tasks assigned in their National Registry account to correct errors when the physical qualification examination results they submitted to the National Registry do not find a match for the driver at the SDLA.
Law Enforcement Officers
Must use only the electronic results transmitted to the SDLA and posted to the CDLIS driver MVR as official proof of medical certification for drivers.