The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) re-issued a temporary waiver allowing interstate commercial driver’s license (CDL) holders, commercial learner’s permit (CLP) holders, and motor carriers to continue relying on a paper copy of the medical examiner’s certificate as proof of a driver’s medical certification for up to 60 days after the date the medical examiner’s certificate is issued. The re-issued waiver is in effect January 11, 2026 – April 10, 2026.
The full contents of the re-issued waiver can be found at the bottom of the page at: https://nationalregistry.fmcsa.dot.gov/nriilearning-center or under the Drivers and Carriers header at: https://nationalregistry.fmcsa.dot.gov/resource-center
This action further supports drivers and carriers as State Driver’s Licensing Agencies and certified medical examiners continue to transition to the secure electronic transmission of medical certification data required under the National Registry II (NRII) final rule. FMCSA determined that reissuing the waiver is in the public interest to prevent undue hardship on drivers with valid medical certification and their employers due to potential processing delays outside of their control during this transition period.
FMCSA also recommends that certified medical examiners continue issuing paper medical examiner’s certificates (Form MCSA-5876) to drivers, in addition to submitting examination results electronically, until further notice.
For more information and resources related to NRII, visit the FMCSA NRII Learning Center: https://nationalregistry.fmcsa.dot.gov/nriilearning-center
Regards,
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
U.S. Department of Transportation