New Medical Certification Requirements A Guide for Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) Holders Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, December 2011 Show
Downloadable Self-Certification The following FAQs will help you in determining how to meet the new Federal medical certification requirements: Q. What must I do to comply with the new requirements for making my medical certification part of my CDL driving record?
You will be required to self certify to a single type of commercial operation on your driver license application form. Based on that self certification, you may need to provide the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security (TDOSHS) with a current medical examiner’s certificate and show any variance you may have to obtain or keep your CDL. How should the Medical Certification Information be submitted? The Medical Card & Self-Certification Affidavit should be submitted using the Driver Services Online Portal: To Submit Med Cert Info: Click Here For questions regarding a CDL cancellation letter from TDOSHS due to an expired Medical Card, please contact the Commercial Driver License Med Cert Section at 615-687-2312. Q. How do I determine which type of commercial motor vehicle (CMV) operation I should self-certify to TDOSHS? Step 1: Do you, or will you, use a CDL to operate a CMV in interstate or intrastate commerce? Interstate commerce is when you drive a CMV:
Intrastate commerce is when you drive a CMV within a State and you do not meet any of the descriptions above for interstate commerce. If you operate in both intrastate commerce and interstate commerce, you must choose interstate commerce. Step 2: Once you decide you operate or will operate in interstate commerce or intrastate commerce, you must decide whether you operate (or expect to operate) in a non-excepted or excepted status. This decision will tell you to which of the four types of commerce you must self-certify. Interstate Commerce:You operate in excepted interstate commerce when you drive a CMV in interstate commerce only for the following excepted activities:
If you answered yes to one or more of the above activities as the only operation in which you drive, you operate in excepted interstate commerce and do not need a Federal medical examiner’s certificate. If you answered no to all of the above activities, you operate in non-excepted interstate commerce and are required to provide a current medical examiner’s certificate (49 CFR 391.45),commonly referred to as a medical certificate or DOT card, to TDOSHS. Most CDL holders who drive CMVs in interstate commerce are non-excepted interstate commerce drivers. If you operate in both excepted interstate commerce and non-excepted interstate commerce, you must choose non-excepted interstate commerce to be qualified to operate in both types of interstate commerce. Intrastate Commerce:You operate in excepted Intrastate commerce when you drive a CMV only in intrastate commerce activities for which your State of licensure has determined do not require you to meet the State’s medical certification requirements. You operate in non-excepted intrastate commerce when you drive a CMV only in intrastate commerce and are required to meet your State of licensure’s medical certification requirements. If you operate in both excepted intrastate commerce and non-excepted intrastate commerce, you must choose non-excepted intrastate commerce. Step 3: Provide TDOSHS with your self-certification of your operating status. If you self-certify to non-excepted interstate on or after January 30, 2012, you must provide TDOSHS with either the original or copy of your current medical examiner’s certificate as required by TDOSHS. If your medical examiner’s certificate is only valid with a vision, diabetes or a skills performance evaluation variance granted by FMCSA, you may also be asked by TDOSHS to provide a copy of that variance document. Q. What if I am an existing CDL holder who does not have a license renewal, upgrade or transfer between January 30, 2012 and January 30, 2014? Q. What if I do not provide TDOSHS with my self-certification and if required, my medical examiner’s certificate and any required variance document by January 30,
2014? Q. After I provide TDOSHS with my unexpired medical examiner’s certificate, do I still have to carry an original or copy of my medical examiner’s certificate? Q. What should I do with the medical examiner’s certificate beginning on July 15, 2015? Q. What should I do when my medical certificate and/or variance is about to expire? Q. What
happens if my medical examiner’s certificate or variance expires before I provide TDOSHS with a new one? Q. How can I get back my CDL privileges? Q. What should I do if I receive a CDL cancellation letter from TDOSHS due to an expired medical card? Can I keep my CDL without a medical card in Alaska?No. You must submit just the medical card. The long form is not suitable for the DMV to keep on file.
Can I keep my CDL without a medical card in Virginia?If you do not keep your medical card up to date with Virginia DMV you status will be changed to “not-certified”, your CDL will be canceled and your driver license will be downgraded. You may submit your new medical certificate by mail, fax, or online, as described above.
Can I keep my CDL without a medical card in Ohio?All CDL holders must submit a self-certification in order to be issued and maintain their CDL. All Ohio CDL holders are required to certify the type of commercial operation they're engaged in. You must meet the Federal DOT medical certificate requirements.
Can I keep my CDL without a medical card in Texas?Drivers who are required have a medical examiners certificate and fail to maintain a current medical certificate with the Department may lose their CDL.
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