Exempted CDL Physical Exam Categories and What the Exam Covers

As per the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), every commercial driver in the US has to obtain certification from the State’s Driver License Agency before they get their license. With that, they also need to take the CDL physical exam near them in Miami which assesses their physical and mental well-being for the job.

The recent regulation changes mean that commercial driver’s license (CDL) holders need to mandatorily undergo a CDL physical exam so that they can continue to drive commercial vehicles. Failing to attempt or clear the medical exam means that they will have to lose their license or downgrade to being a non-commercial driver’s license holder.

There are certain interstate categories that define if you as a commercial driver need to clear the physical exam or not. These include:

·       Non-excepted Interstate Category (A): This category allows drivers to operate commercial vehicles on the interstate network, provided they are able to provide a federal medical certification to prove their fitness.

·       Excepted Interstate Category (B): This category allows commercial drivers to operate on the interstate network and without needing a medical certification. Their nature of operations allows them to seek exemption from providing their medical fitness.

·       Non-excepted Intrastate Category (C): Commercial drivers who drive on the intrastate networks also need to furnish medical certification given the nature of their work.

·       Excepted Intrastate Category (D): This category is exclusively for those drivers who operate of intrastate network and their nature of work helps them to get exemption from furnishing federal medical certification.

So, provided you don’t fall under exempted categories B and D, you need to obtain your medical fitness by clearing the CDL physical exam.

Having said that, it’s not that difficult to clear this exam as it sounds. All you have to make sure of is that you take your exam at one of the authorized exam centers only. You can find details for the registered DOT Physical exam centers from the Department of Transportation’s website.

What Does the Exam Comprise?

CDL physical exam will assess you primarily for your health parameters, your vision, and your hearing ability. There are certain limits that you have to cross to be eligible to pass the exam. Your blood and urine will be examined too to assess if you have a serious health issue and what you are doing about it.

If there is indeed any medication you are taking that is within the set parameters, you can bring documents related to them and get an exemption in the exam. Otherwise, you may lose one opportunity to get your CDL medical card.

What Happens When You Clear CDL Physical Exam

Your report for the exam is shared with the Commercial Driver’s License Information System (CDLIS) electronically. Once your record is updated over there, you will get your DOT medical card.

The validity of this card is for 2 years for those who had no health complications. For those who sought exemptions or had health complications like high blood pressure, this validity could be lesser than that. Your examiner will explain this to you in more detail.

You will have to undergo the physical exam again after your DOT medical card expires. The exam process will remain the same.

Do not lose hope even if you don’t clear the physical exam. You can get another shot at it at a later stage once you have worked on what led to your failure the first time. While the attempts you get are limited, they will be worth the effort.

Contact your nearest center to take the CDL physical exam near you in Miami at the earliest.