Once submitted, the FMCSA will transmit these results to the driver’s State Driver’s Licensing Agency (SDLA) for processing and posting to the driver’s Motor Vehicle Record (MVR). SDLAs will rely solely on this electronic transmission to determine whether the driver is medically qualified. If the record is not received or is inaccurate, the SDLA may downgrade the driver's CDL.
No Change for Non-CDL Drivers:
For non-CDL holders, nothing changes. You must continue to provide a paper Medical Examiner’s Certificate (MEC) as proof of qualification. These drivers are still required to present the paper card to their employer and/or state licensing agency, as applicable.
Important Note on State Integration with NRCME:
At the time of this writing, 14 state driver licensing agencies (SDLAs) are still not electronically connected to the NRCME database. In these states, Medical Examiners must continue to provide ALL drivers with a paper Medical Examiner’s Certificate (MEC), as this will remain the driver’s only means of proving medical qualification to the SDLA.
We recommend you stay up to date on which states are still pending integration by visiting the NRCME II Learning Center, available through the FMCSA. This list may change over time as states complete their system updates. If you are unsure whether a driver’s licensing state is integrated, err on the side of caution and issue a paper certificate.
Common Issues & How to Avoid Them:
To protect your drivers from unnecessary risk and ensure compliance:
- Verify All Driver Information Carefully: Always confirm the driver’s full name, date of birth, license number, and state of issuance directly from their driver's license. We strongly recommend making and keeping a copy of the license for accuracy in case an issue arises after the driver has left your clinic.
- Complete the CDL/CLP Box in the Medical History Section: On the MCSA-5875 form, be sure the CDL/CLP question is answered. This section is often left blank, which may prevent the form from being routed correctly and delay the driver’s certification.
- Submit Results On Time: Log into the National Registry and submit results within 24 hours of the exam. If a record has errors or is rejected due to data mismatches, it must be corrected and resubmitted as quickly as possible. A delay in submission may lead to automatic downgrade of the driver’s commercial license.
Paper Certificates Still Strongly Recommended
Although the paper Medical Examiner’s Certificate will no longer be accepted by SDLAs for CLP/CDL applicants/holders, we strongly recommend continuing to issue a printed copy to the driver for their own records. This is especially important for drivers licensed in states that are not yet integrated with the NRCME database, as the paper certificate may be their only proof of medical qualification.
Additionally, we ask that you continue to please send a copy of the certificate to us for documentation and billing purposes.
Form Versions:
Be sure you are using the most recent versions of the MCSA-5875 and MCSA-5876 forms[NA1] [SO2] , revised March 27, 2025, and valid through March 31, 2028. Use of outdated forms may result in processing errors. The current medical form can be found on FMCSA’s website: https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/medical/medical-examination-report-form-commercial-driver-medical-certification.
Thank you for your continued diligence in supporting the safety and compliance of commercial motor vehicle operators. If you have any questions, we suggest you review additional information found in the NRCME Learning Center: https://nationalregistry.fmcsa.dot.gov/nriilearning-center.