On June 23, 2025, the FMCSA’s Medical Examiner’s Certification Integration Rule went into effect. Under the rule, certified medical examiners must electronically submit CDL drivers’ DOT medical examination results directly to the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners by the next calendar day. The FMCSA will then send the results to state driver’s license agencies (SDLA), which must then update the Commercial Driver’s License Information System and the driver’s motor vehicle record. The SDLA must downgrade a driver’s CDL or CLP within 60 days if it receives notification that the driver is no longer medically qualified or has an expired medical card. Drivers must still self-certify their type of commercial operation, but they will not need to submit a physical copy of their medical card. The new rule will also eliminate the need for drivers to possess physical copies of their medical card while driving and will allow carriers to verify drivers’ medical qualifications electronically. The new regulation does not change the process for non-CDL drivers.

On July 14, 2025, the FMCSA issued a temporary waiver to allow interstate CDL and CLP holders and motor carriers to continue using physical copies of the medical card as proof of drivers’ medical certification for up to 15 days after the date the certificate is issued. The waiver took effect on July 14, 2025, and expires on October 12, 2025. This waiver addresses potential delays that drivers and state agencies may experience during the transition from paper to the electronic process as required by the new rule. During this timeframe, certified medical examiners are advised to continue providing drivers with a physical copy of the medical card in addition to submitting the results electronically.