Certified Medical Examiners (MEs) play a vital role in ensuring the safety of commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers on our nation’s roadways.

Maintaining certification requires staying current with FMCSA standards, including the mandatory 5 year Periodic Training. 5 year periodic training is essential for remaining active on the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners.

For Medical Examiners seeking Initial Certification

Clinicians seeking to become Certified Medical Examiners must:

• Complete FMCSA approved training through an accredited organization such as NRCME Training Online, LLC located at: https://nrcmetrainingonline.com/

• Register with FMCSA and obtain a 10 digit National Registry Number.

• Pass the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners Exam (NRCME exam).

Once certified, FMCSA will issue a certificate that will expire 10 years from the date of issuance.

Ongoing Requirements: 5 Year Training & 10 Year Recertification

After initial certification, MEs must complete:

• 5 year Periodic Training (Every 5 Years).

• 10 year Recertification by completing training through an accredited organization such as NRCME Training Online, LLC (https://nrcmetrainingonline.com/) and obtaining an updated certificate of completion from the accredited training organization.

Failure to complete either requirement can result in removal from the National Registry!

GOOD NEWS! The FMCSA Has Simplified the Process!

As of November 20, 2025, FMCSA has modernized the training experience for the 5-year Periodic Training. The 5 year Periodic Training is:

• Free of charge

• Accessible directly through the MEs National Registry Account

• Delivered through a new, user friendly Training Dashboard

What’s New in the Training Dashboard?

The updated dashboard provides:

• A centralized “one stop shop” for all FMCSA assigned trainings.

• Interactive knowledge checks to reinforce key concepts.

• Automatic tracking of completion certificates

• On demand access to help guides and FAQs

• Automatic migration of any pending 5 year training.

Eligibility Timeline: A Clear Example

Certified MEs become eligible for their 5 year training on the first day of their 4th year of certification and must complete it within one year.

Example:
“If a certified ME’s date of certification is 5/2/2022, they become eligible to complete 5 year periodic training on 5/2/2026 and must complete it by 5/2/2027.”

Support for Medical Examiners

For technical issues with the National Registry or Training Dashboard:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (617) 494 3003, option #2

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.