Commercial Driver's License (CDL) Medical Certification Requirements

Certification Categories

Federal regulations require that anyone holding or applying for a commercial driver's license (CDL) or commercial learner's permit (CLP) certify to one of these four categories of commercial motor vehicle (CMV) operation: 

  • Excepted Interstate (EI)
  • Excepted Intrastate (EA)
  • Non-excepted Interstate (NI)
  • Non-excepted Intrastate (NA)

Certification to either an "excepted intrastate" or "non-excepted intrastate" operation will require that an Intrastate Only restriction of "K" be placed on the CDL or CLP.

To help determine which category best fits your commercial vehicle operation, refer to CDL Medical Requirements Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).

Medical Examiner Requirement

CDL drivers who certify to either a "non-excepted interstate" or "non-excepted intrastate" category of commercial motor vehicle (CMV) operation must have their physical examiner's certificate completed by a medical examiner who is listed on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA's) National Registry of Medical Examiners.

Effective May 5, 2025, Virginia will no longer accept Medical Examiner Certificates (MECs) directly from commercial drivers. In compliance with federal regulations, all MECs must be submitted by their medical examiner provider electronically through the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners (NRII) Portal.

For more information on how to locate a medical examiner who is on the Registry, refer to the National Registry of Medical Examiners.

Apply for an Original, Renewal or Replacement CDL/Commercial Learner's Permit

If applying for an original, renewal or replacement CDL/commercial learner's permit (CLP), you must certify on your application to one of the four categories of commercial motor vehicle (CMV) operations listed above. Based on your certification category, you may be required to submit additional medical documentation.

  • If you certify to one of the excepted categories (i.e., excepted interstate or excepted intrastate), no medical examiner’s certificate is required.
  • If you certify to one of the non-excepted categories (i.e., non-excepted interstate or non-excepted intrastate), you must obtain a valid medical examiner's certificate (also known as a DOT Medical Card) which will be verified electronically.

Failure to meet these conditions will cause your application to be denied.

Additional Information

For more information, please review the CDL Medical Requirements Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) or contact us.

See Also