The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has addressed concerns about a bumpy transition to the new digital medical card process for commercial drivers by issuing a temporary waiver.

On July 14, the agency granted a waiver allowing interstate commercial driver’s license holders, commercial learner’s permit holders, and motor carriers to continue relying on paper copies of medical examiner’s certificates as proof of drivers’ medical certification for up to 15 days after the date the medical examiner’s certificate is issued. 

The waiver is in effect until Oct. 12, 2025, and a copy of the waiver is available on FMCSA’s website. 

Why Is FMCSA Issuing a Waiver?

New rules went into effect on June 23 regarding the electronic transmission of commercial driver medical exams. (See What Trucking Fleets Need to Know About Changes to Driver Medical Card Process.)

The Medical Examiner’s Certification Integration (NRII) final rule was supposed to facilitate the electronic transmission of results from commercial driver medical examinations from the FMCSA’s National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners to the state driver’s licensing agencies. Those agencies are then supposed to post that information on the Commercial Driver’s License Information System driver motor vehicle record.

However, some drivers may face delays as certified medical examiners and state driver's licensing agencies transition away from the paper-based process.

“FMCSA has determined that it is in the public interest to issue a waiver so that drivers with valid medical certification and their employers are not negatively impacted for delays outside of their control during the transition to NRII,” the agency said in an announcement. 

In addition, FMCSA has recommended to certified medical examiners that, in addition to submitting examination results electronically, they continue to issue drivers a paper medical examiner’s certificate during this transition period. 

The agency also issued guidance with recommendations for medical examiners, drivers, and motor carriers on procedures for drivers licensed in the states that have not yet implemented NRII, available on FMCSA’s website.