Medical qualification (at hire)

- Physical exams must be performed for each CMV driver at least every two years.
To ensure that commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers are physically qualified to drive, physical examinations are mandatory. The exams must be repeated at least every two years, though medical examiners (MEs) can set a more frequent renewal cycle based on a driver’s medical condition.
CDL drivers, on and after June 23, 2025, will no longer receive a Medical Examiner’s Certificate, also known as the wallet card or med card, unless they ask for one.
At all times, drivers and the carriers they work for must be able to prove that they are physically qualified to drive, either through:
- The medical card (non-CDL drivers only) , or
- A current driving record from the licensing authority (for commercial driver’s license (CDL) or commercial learner’s permit (CLP) drivers).
Physical qualifications
Drivers must be physically qualified to operate the commercial motor vehicles they’ve been assigned at all times. Because the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) takes this requirement seriously, drivers must always carry:
- Proof of being medically qualified, or
- Have such information on their driving record for enforcement officers to access.