Federal & State Regulations | Medical standards - British Columbia

A commercial vehicle driver is required to undergo a physical examination and file a completed medical report:

At time of initial licence application;
Every five years after the initial licence (at ages 25, 30, 35, etc.);
Every third year after age 45 (at ages 48, 51, 54, etc.); and
Every year starting at age 66.

On the basis of this report, the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia will determine whether a certain class of licence may be issued, or if it may be issued with restrictions.

Code “W”

A British Columbia-licensed driver with any one of the following medical conditions is not medically qualified to operate into the United States:

Epilepsy; or
A hearing impairment such that the average of the quietest sound at 500, 1,000, and 2,000 hertz that the driver can hear in their best ear, with or without a hearing aid, is greater than 40 decibels.

To help identify drivers with these medical conditions, a “Code W” is placed on the face of the driver’s Class 1, 2, 3, or 4 licence.

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Medical standards - British Columbia

Code “W”