CDL Medical Certification Requirements
Self-Certify a Driving Category
All Commercial Driver License holders are required by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations to certify in one of four categories prior to the issuance or renewal of a CDL. These categories have specific medical requirements that must be met in order to maintain their commercial license.
- Non-excepted Interstate: “I operate or expect to operate in interstate commerce and am required to maintain federal medical certification.” Requires Medical Card.
- Excepted Interstate: “I operate or expect to operate in interstate commerce, but engage exclusively in operations that qualify me for exception from the requirement to maintain federal medical certification”
- Non-excepted Intrastate: “I operate or expect to operate only in intrastate commerce and am required to meet state of Florida medical certification requirements.” Requires Medical card.
- Excepted Intrastate: “I operate or expect to operate only in intrastate commerce, but engage exclusively in operations that qualify me for exception from state of Florida medical certification requirements.”
DOT (Department of Transportation) Exam Test Requires
Vision
- 20/40 acuity in each eye, with or without correction
- At least 70 degrees peripheral in horizontal meridian measured in each eye
- Monocular drivers (vision in only one eye) are not qualified
Hearing
- Perceive forced whispered voice greater than or equal to 5 feet away, with or without a hearing aid
- Average hearing loss in better eat must be less than or equal to 40 dB
Blood Pressure/Pulse Rate
- Drivers with a blood pressure of less than 140/90 may be medically certified to drive for a period of two-years
- Drivers with 140-159 systolic and/or a 90-99 diastolic have stage 1 hypertension and may be certified to drive for one year
- Drivers with 160-179 systolic and/or a 100-109 diastolic have stage 2 hypertension and may be medically certified for three months but will need to reduce their blood pressure before recertifying
- Drivers with a blood pressure of 180 systolic and/or 110 diastolic have stage 3 hypertension and are disqualified until they undergo treatment and meet the requirements