Starting October 12, 2026, a paper copy of your DOT medical certificate no longer counts as proof of medical certification in any state except Alaska.
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What changed
Since June 23, 2025, under FMCSA's Medical Examiner's Certification Integration rule, certified medical examiners send your physical results to FMCSA's National Registry, which passes them to your state licensing agency. The state then posts them to your CDL driving record (MVR).
While states caught up, FMCSA allowed drivers and carriers to rely on a paper copy of the med card for up to 60 days. That nationwide exemption ended at 11:59 PM on October 11, 2026. FMCSA renewed it only for Alaska-licensed drivers, through October 12, 2027.
What drivers should do
- Check your MVR after every DOT physical and make sure the new certification shows up.
- If it's missing, call your medical examiner's office first, then your state licensing agency. Don't wait until a roadside inspection.
- Use an examiner on the National Registry, or the results can't be sent.
What carriers should do
- Use the MVR as proof of medical certification for your CDL drivers, not the paper card.
- Update your driver qualification (DQ) file: keep the MVR showing current certification. Driver qualification files are one of the things reviewed in the new-entrant safety audit.
- Put renewal dates on your calendar for every driver, including yourself if you drive your own truck.
Verify it yourself
Check FMCSA's National Registry learning center: https://nationalregistry.fmcsa.dot.gov/nriilearning-center
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This is general information, not legal advice. Check FMCSA and your state licensing agency for your situation.