
The Federal Safety Department of the motor has modified its temporary ignorance and allows business drivers and carriers to use paper medical examination certificates for up to 60 days after issuance and continue the previous 15 -day grant as government licensing agencies to transfer to electronic medical certification systems.
FMCSA announced the change of ignorance on August 21, and announced the grace period for inter -state -owned driver license holders, business license holders and motor carriers to rely on paper copies of medical examination certificates as a provision of medical certificate issuance up to 60 days after issuance of certification. The agency initially issued a 15 -day ignorance on July 14.
This 60 -day ignorance is being implemented to October 12, 2025, as the transportation industry provides other reliefs with the requirements of the II National Registry Electronic Transfer on June 23.
The reform of the ignorance of the implementation of the implementation of the implementation of the medical examination certificate is required, which requires valid medical examinations to send the results of the examination electronically to the FMCSA National Registry, and state driver licensing agencies to receive and send information to the driver’s records automatically.
According to the FMCSA, only 38 states and districts of Colombia have run NRII since August 21, meaning that twelve states have not yet run NRII and are still relied on paper medical certificates. Non -consistent countries include Alaska, California, Florida, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Vermont and Vermont.
The agency has determined that the extension is necessary to prevent the problems of drivers and carriers who experience the process of processing delays beyond their control during the transmission period. The agency said: “FMCSA has been informed of the initial grant on July 14, 2025, that some drivers with a current valid MEC may be delayed for more than 15 days to update their CDLIS MVR driver.”
The main requirements of drivers and fleets
Under extensive ignorance, business drivers must carry a paper copy of their current valid medical examination certificate issued by a valid medical examination within 60 days ago. This ignorance is applied only if the driver has a valid certificate issued by a valid medical examination mentioned in the national registration and the motor carrier is a copy in the driver’s competence file.
Engine carriers can maintain drivers’ medical certificate copies in jurisdiction files up to 60 days of certification before the need to obtain updated motor vehicles, indicating the status of electronic medical certification. After the 60 -day period, carriers must confirm that the results of the electronic test have been updated in the motor vehicle records of drivers to prevent problems related to adaptation during audit or inspection.
This ignorance works for drivers without a valid medical certificate or engine carriers who lack proper documentation in the 60 -day window. Drivers who do not have a copy of their current valid medical certificate that were issued within 60 days may not be able to operate under the regulations.
Adaptation recommendations for the industry
FMCSA also recommends that valid medical licenses provide MCSA-5876 medical examination certificates to drivers, and in addition to sending the results of the examination electronically through the national registration system, especially for licensed drivers in non-compatible countries.
Engine carriers must confirm that valid medical examinations have issued driver’s paper certificates and are valid in the 60 -day window. Fleet executives must monitor motor vehicle recording updates after 60 days and teach employees on the conditions of ignorance and the importance of carrying valid paper certificates, especially in non -compatible countries.
Drivers should request medical certificates of paper certificates, submit copies to their engine carriers, and continue to carry a certificate while working. They must also work with carriers to ensure that the test information is accompanied by government licensing agencies within 60 days after the examination, confirming accurate information during Dot physics to prevent transmission errors.
Electronic system requirements
The National Registry II law requires medical examinations to upload the results of the driver’s examination until midnight the next calendar day after the exams. The results are subsequently transferred electronically from the National Registry to the State Driver’s licensing agencies to send to the driver’s motor vehicles.
After full implementation, the electronic system will eliminate CDL and CLP holders for the transportation of paper medical certificates, as their medical certificate issuance will be available through government motor vehicle records available for law enforcement and inspectors.
For countries that have not yet implemented the electronic system, drivers must continue to submit medical certificates of paper to government licensing agencies as long as their status is in accordance with NRII requirements.
The impact of the industry and the timeline
The e -medical certification system is designed to reduce fraud, improve data accuracy and access real -time information for medical evidence for roadside inspections and law enforcement. The system destroys the previous dispersed process that drivers were responsible for sending physical certificates to government agencies, and manual recordings were prone to human error and paper bottlenecks.
Transportation Secretary, Sean Pipy, said the digital system “makes life easier for legal truck drivers and for bad actors who want to commit fraud” when the law enforcement is implemented in June. Jesse Ellison, a senior adviser to FMCSA, said: “Ignoring the reform guarantees” the level of safety that is equivalent to or more than the level of safety that is obtained in the absence of ignorance. “
Motor carriers operating in compatible countries no longer need to confirm that medical examinations are mentioned in national registration or retain paper copies of medical certificates in driver’s competence files after the transfer is completed. Instead, they must approve the driver’s medical certification status through the records of government motor vehicle, and regular MVR monitoring for adaptation.
The Law on the Mergers of the Examination of the Examination Certificate was initially published in 2015 with numerous delays. The law does not change the process of issuing medical certification to non -CDL drivers, which will continue to receive and carry medical certificates.
This reflection provides an important breathing room for the industry because the remaining 12 non -compatible countries work to implement the necessary information technology systems and procedures. FMCSA has not announced penalties for the states that loses compliance deadlines, but continues to complete the transfer with government agencies.
Engine drivers and carriers can find other resources and tips on NRII needs through the NRII FMCSA learning center. The agency maintains an up -to -date list of countries that have not yet implemented electronic medical certification systems on the Learning Center website.