Dear Industry Partners, 

FMCSA has amended its regulations to delay the compliance date from June 22, 2018 to June 22, 2021, for several provisions of its April 23, 2015 Medical Examiner’s Certification Integration final rule.

This interim final rule requires that through June 21, 2021:

Commercial Learner’s Permit/Commercial Driver’s License Applicants/Holders:

  • Continue providing a copy of their Medical Examiner’s Certificate, Form MCSA-5876, to the Department of Motor Vehicles.
  • Continue carrying their Medical Examiner’s Certificate, Form MCSA-5876, as proof of medical certification for the first 15 days following certification.

Motor Carriers:

  • Continue verifying that drivers were certified by a certified Medical Examiner listed on the National Registry.

State Driver’s Licensing Agencies:

  • Continue processing paper copies of Medical Examiner’s Certificates, Form MCSA-5786, they receive from Commercial Learner’s Permit/Commercial Driver’s License applicants/holders.

Certified Medical Examiners:

  • Continue issuing the original paper Medical Examiner’s Certificate, Form MCSA-5876, to all qualified drivers including Commercial Learner’s Permit/Commercial Driver’s License applicants/holders.

The interim rule may be found at https://www.regulations.gov/.  Enter Docket # FMCSA-2018-0152 in the search box.

Information regarding Medical Certification requirements may be found on the DMV website at  https://dmv.ny.gov/commercial-drivers/commercial-driver-licenses.

NYS DMV Medical Certification Electronic Reminders:

Beginning in July 2018, the NY State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Electronic Reminders system will notify enrolled CDL/CLP holders via periodic emails and/or text messages when their medical certification or medical variance is about to expire. CDL/CLP holders will also receive alerts when a medical certification or medical variance status changes, when a downgrade to a non-CDL and/or a CLP cancellation occurs, or when DMV updates a medical certification or variance. 

Please encourage your drivers to enroll in the Electronic Reminders system by completing the electronic reminders form. Upon completion, drivers will be enrolled to receive all types of notifications sent through the system. This includes medical certification and medical variance reminders, as well as license renewal reminders, registration renewal reminders and inspection reminders. 

Drivers who are already receiving electronic reminders and want to continue receiving them do not need to do anything. However, if they want to stop receiving electronic reminders, they must select ‘unsubscribe’ on the subscription page.

Drivers may also check their medical certification status by enrolling in MyDMV.  https://dmv.ny.gov/mydmv/mydmv


Karen Paradise
Highway Safety Program Analyst

New York State Department of Motor Vehicles
6 Empire State Plaza
Albany, NY 12228
518.474-7586