Federal rules require commercial drivers to be medically certified by an examiner listed on the National Registry. Certification periods run up to twenty-four months and may be shortened where a condition requires monitoring.
The certificate must be maintained in the driver qualification file and, for most drivers, reported to the state licensing agency.
Alternative Names:
DOT Physical Card, Med Card
Why it Matters?
An expired or missing certificate is a clean regulatory violation supporting negligent entrustment and qualification claims without any expert testimony. It also opens inquiry into the underlying medical condition, since certificates shortened to three or twelve months indicate a monitored condition such as diabetes, hypertension, or sleep apnea that may bear on the crash. Fatigue and medical-event defenses both intersect with this document.
Frequently Confused with
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
How long is a medical certificate valid?
Why does a shortened certification matter in litigation?
