The National Registry (NRCME) requires the electronic transmission of driver medical examination results (medically qualified, medically unqualified, and voided) and additional information (e.g., corrective lenses, hearing aid, medical exemption, skill performance evaluation certificate, etc.) from examinations performed for commercial learner’s permit (CLP) applicants and commercial driver’s license (CDL) holders from FMCSA’s National Registry to the State Driver’s Licensing Agencies (SDLAs). Those SDLAs will post the information on the Commercial Driver’s License Information System (CDLIS) driver motor vehicle record (MVR).

Examiners are required to submit exam results to the National Registry by midnight (local time) of the next calendar day following the examination.

Assisting Drivers When Electronic Transmission Fails
Drivers have been provided with the steps below to take if they find that their medical certification information has not been received by the State Driver’s Licensing Agencies (SDLA):

Step 1- Contact the medical examiner that performed your physical qualification examination, explain the issue, and request that they log into their National Registry account and verify if they received an error message task for your examination. If they have, request that they use the copy of your driver’s license submitted at the time of the examination to correct any errors and select submit.

Step 2 - Contact the SDLA to inform them that the medical examiner submitted the validation/correction and to verify that the medical certification information posted. If it has not, and you requested an original/paper Medical Examiner’s Certificate, Form MCSA-5876, at the time of your examination, verify if it would be helpful to use it to help troubleshoot the issue and resolve it. In addition, the SDLA can attempt to pull the information from the National Registry which may assist in identifying the error that needs to be corrected (e.g., errors in the spelling of last name, DOB, licensing state, or license #).

Step 3 - If neither of the steps above resolve the issue, you can contact FMCSA’s National Registry Technical Support Helpdesk at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or (617) 494-3003, to assist in determining the issue and possible corrective actions the agency can assist with.

The Medical Examiner is the first step at troubleshooting the transmission issue. Therefore, if a driver contacts you stating that their medical certification information was not received by the SDLA, you should take the following steps:

Step 1 -Check your National Registry account and determine if you have submitted the examination results in the system. If not, submit the examination results as soon as possible, ensuring the driver information is accurate (be prepared for the examination results to need additional attention after submission should it fail the driver data validation).

Step 2 - check to see if you have received an error message task for the driver’s examination results. If you have, you should use a copy of the driver’s license submitted at the time of the examination to correct any errors and select submit. If no error message is returned, the medical certification information has been successfully transmitted to the SDLA. Otherwise, you must complete the action with the same validated driver information provided. If you have submitted the examination results, and there is no error message, ensure the driver data on the examination results is exactly as indicated on the driver’s license. If it is not, you may submit a new examination result with the corrected information (only if an error message task is not available for the examination result; it was either inaccurately completed previously or for a non-CDL holder. Submitting a corrected duplicate examination result is a last resort option to support the driver.

How to Avoid Submission Errors

Medical examiners should ensure that they are capturing accurate information on each driver they examine. When the driver completes the Medical Examination Report Form, MCSA-5875, they should be providing accurate information exactly as it appears on their driver’s license, as these key identifiers (last name, DOB, licensing state, license #) will be used when transmitting the medical certification information from the National Registry to the SDLA. As discussed above, if inaccurate information is provided, there will be an error and the driver’s medical certification information will not be transmitted from the National Registry to the SDLA.

All medical examiners have the capability to enter the results of the driver’s examination while the driver is present for the examination. This method could afford an opportunity for the driver to verify in real time, that all their information has been entered correctly. It would limit errors that could potentially be returned during the driver data validation.

Medical examiners are encouraged to make a copy of each driver’s license, so you have it to refer to in case there is an error during the transmission of the driver’s information from the National Registry to the SDLA.

It would be helpful to the drivers to advise them of the most efficient way to for them to work with your office if they are aware that there is an issue with their physical qualification results posting to their CDLIS driver MVR.

A critical element of FMCSA’s safety program is ensuring commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers are in adequate physical condition to operate the vehicles safely.

On January 22, 2024 FMCSA published a revised Medical Examiner’s Handbook (MEH), which includes updates to the Medical Advisory Criteria published in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).

The MEH provides information about regulatory requirements and guidance to medical examiners (ME) listed on FMCSA’s National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners (National Registry) who perform physical qualification examinations of interstate CMV drivers. The January 2024 edition of the MEH replaces all previous handbook editions and is posted on the National Registry and FMCSA websites and on the FMCSA guidance portal.

Publication of the MEH is the first phase of actions to provide current information and a comprehensive approach to medical certification.

To view the revised MEH, visit the FMCSA or National Registry websites at the links provided below.

FMCSA website: https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/medical/medical-examiners-handbook-2024-edition

FMCSA Portal website: https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/medical/driver-medical-requirements/medical-examiners-handbook

National Registry website: https://nationalregistry.fmcsa.dot.gov/resource-center

A webinar has been posted on the FMCSA and National Registry websites providing a high-level walkthrough of the revised MEH and can be viewed at the links provided below:

FMCSA website: https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/medical/new-medical-examiners-handbook-2024-edition-overview-webinar

National Registry website: https://nationalregistry.fmcsa.dot.gov/resource-center

If you have questions regarding the revised FMCSA Medical Examiner’s Handbook, please contact FMCSA’s Medical Programs Division at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or (202) 366-4001.

Thank you,
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
U.S. Department of Transportation

National Registry Certification Expires in 2023

All MEs whose National Registry certification expires in 2023, will have a full year to complete the 10-
year periodic training and pass the certification test if MEs take full advantage of the extended 1-year
timeframe by starting training and testing actions on January 1, 2023. To complete these requirements as
outlined in 49 CFR 390.111, please complete the following steps:

1. Contact the private sector training organizations to schedule training
2. Complete training
3. Log into your National Registry account and upload your proof of training (i.e., training
certificate)
4. Contact one of the 2 FMCSA-approved testing organizations (Prometric or PSI) to schedule the
certification test
5. Take and pass the certification test prior to your National Registry certification expiration

Regulatory Compliance and your National Registry Account

For all MEs whose certification expires in 2023, depending on when you complete your 10-year training
and testing requirements, you may notice your National Registry user profile indicates that your
certification has expired. This will not impact your ability to perform physical qualification examinations
and use the National Registry system, and as indicated above, FMCSA will not take action against
affected MEs for noncompliance with the regulations for not completing the training and passing the
certification test within the 10-year timeframe. However, any MEs whose certification expires in 2023
that have not completed the 10-year periodic training and received a passing score on the 10-year
certification test by December 31, 2023, will be removed from the National Registry for noncompliance
with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.

National Registry Certification Expires in 2024 or Later

All MEs whose National Registry certification expires in 2024 or later will be notified by FMCSA after
their 9-year certification anniversary that they need to complete their 10-year periodic training and pass
the certification test. Once notified, MEs should follow the steps outlined below:

1. Contact the private sector training organizations to schedule training
2. Complete training
3. Log into your National Registry account and upload your proof of training (i.e., training
certificate)
4. Contact one of the 2 FMCSA-approved testing organizations (Prometric or PSI) to schedule the
certification test
5. Take and pass the certification test prior to your National Registry certification expiration

If you have questions related to this message, please contact the National Registry Helpdesk at
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 617-494-3003.

10-year Periodic Training and Testing Requirement

Due to the delayed launch of the 5-year periodic training, and the extended timeframe for completion,
FMCSA has received numerous questions regarding how the 10-year periodic training and testing
requirements will be implemented as we have some MEs that will reach their 10-year National Registry
certification expiration date starting in January 2023.

Regulatory Requirement

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations under 49 CFR 390.111 - Requirements for Continued
Listing on the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners, requires certified MEs to complete
periodic training and receive a passing score on the National Registry Medical Examiner Certification
Test no sooner than 9 years and no later than 10 years after the date of issuance of the ME’s certification
credential by FMCSA.

How to Complete 10-year Periodic Training and Testing

MEs will complete training provided by private sector training organizations in the same manner as the
initial National Registry Medical Examiner training required for certification. After successfully
completing the training and uploading proof of training completion (i.e., training certificate) to your
National Registry account, you will be eligible to take the 10-year certification test. The 10-year
certification test will be provided by the two FMCSA-approved testing organizations (Prometric and PSI)
in the same manner as the initial National Registry Medical Examiner Certification Test.

MEs Past or Currently Due to Complete 10-year Periodic Training and Testing (MEs past the
9-year timeframe)

To ensure that all MEs in this status have a full year to complete the required recertification training and
pass the certification test, FMCSA will not take action against affected MEs for noncompliance with the
regulations for not completing the training and passing the certification test within the 10-year timeframe.
The 10-year periodic training and testing function in the National Registry will be available starting on
January 1, 2023. All MEs will receive an email at the professional contact email address listed in their
National Registry account notifying them when the 10-year periodic training and testing is due to be
completed. To be sure you receive notifications regarding the 10-year periodic training and testing, please
log into your National Registry account and review your profile to ensure your professional contact email
address is correct.

The table below explains how much extra time you will receive to complete the training and testing based
on the training and testing being available January 1, 2023, and the month in which your National
Registry certification expires.

Based on this information, FMCSA encourages MEs to take full advantage of the extended 1-year
timeframe by starting training and testing actions on January 1, 2023.

On January 21, 2022, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) published the Qualifications of Drivers; Vision Standard final rule, allowing individuals who do not satisfy, with the worse eye, either the existing distant visual acuity standard with corrective lenses or the field of vision standard, or both, to be physically qualified to operate a commercial motor vehicle without obtaining an exemption from FMCSA (87 FR 3390).

The new alternative vision standard eliminates the need for a Federal vision exemption program and allows certified medical examiners, in consultation with an ophthalmologist or optometrist and utilizing the new Vision Evaluation Report, Form MCSA-5871, to evaluate and determine whether to grant a Medical Examiner’s Certificate (MEC), Form MCSA-5876, for up to one year. Final Rule Effective Date: On March 22, 2022, the rule becomes effective, and medical examiners must begin to apply the provisions adopted in the final rule. All provisions are discussed further in the final rule located on FMCSA’s website at https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/federal-register-documents/2022-01021

The Vision Evaluation Report, Form MCSA-5871, is also effective on this date and will be available on FMCSA’s website at https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/medical/driver-medical-requirements/medical-applications-and-forms

Medical Examination Forms: Based on the adoption of the final rule, FMCSA has determined that the Federal vision exemption program is no longer necessary. As of March 22, 2022, medical examiners should not mark the box for accompanied by a Federal vision waiver/exemption on the Medical Examination Report (MER) Form, MCSA-5875, or the Medical Examiner’s Certificate (MEC), Form MCSA-5876. On and after March 22, 2022, any individual who might have been physically qualified by a vision exemption issued by FMCSA will have to be qualified by a medical examiner under the provisions adopted in the final rule. All individuals certified under the new alternative vision standard must provide the medical examiner with a Vision Evaluation Report, Form MCSA-5871, that has been signed and dated by an ophthalmologist or optometrist not more than 45 days before the physical qualification examination begins.

The medical examiner considers the information provided by the ophthalmologist or optometrist, but the final qualification decision rests with the medical examiner. Medical examiners may qualify these individuals for up to one year and a copy of the Vision Evaluation Report, Form MCSA-5871, must be treated and retained as part of the MER Form for three years.

Federal Vision Exemptions: As of January 21, 2022, FMCSA stopped accepting applications for new exemptions or renewal of previously granted exemptions under the Federal vision exemption program. Individuals holding exemptions in effect on March 22, 2022, have until March 22, 2023 to be medically certified under the alternative vision standard, at which time all MECs issued with vision exemptions will become void. FMCSA will notify exemption holders, applicants, and grandfathered drivers by letter with details of the transition to the new standard.

Grandfathered Drivers: The final rule eliminates 49 CFR 391.64(b), commonly known as the grandfather provision for drivers operating under the previous vision waiver study program, on March 22, 2023. Medical examiners may continue to physically qualify individuals under section 391.64(b) until this time. However, individuals physically qualified under section 391.64(b) have until March 22, 2023 to be medically certified under the alternative standard, at which time all MECs issued under 391.64(b) will become void.

Webinars: FMCSA has posted a webinar on the FMCSA website for medical examiners learn more about the new alternative vision standard and their responsibilities in applying it to certification of individual with monocular vision. The webinar can be found at https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/medical/new-vision-standard-overview-webinar.