Department of Transportation (DOT) physicals are required to ensure that all professional drivers are in good health so they can safely operate commercial vehicles.
DOT physicals can only be administered by an FMCSA certified medical provider.
DOT physical certifications can be valid for up to 24 months. However, if the medical provider determines that the driver has existing conditions that need to be monitored, they can certify for less than 24 months. Common conditions that require monitoring include: high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, sleep disorders, sleep apnea.
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) a DOT physical is required for the drivers that operate a commercial vehicle, that:
- Has a combined gross vehicle weight or weight rating of 10,001 lbs or more
- Is designed or used to transport 9-15 passengers (including driver) for compensation
- Is designed to transport 16 or more passengers (including driver) regardless of compensation
- Transports hazardous materials in quantities that require placarding under the hazardous materials regulations
Click HERE to get started & complete your portion of the DOT form online.
What should I expect during my DOT physical examination?
- Medical History
- Medical conditions, past surgeries, medication list will be discussed with your provider. You must be honest when providing health history as there could be legal repercussions by the FMCSA later if the correct health history is not provided.
- Vitals Signs & Testing
- Blood pressure, pulse, height, and weight will be taken during your visits. The FMCSA also requires a urinalysis, which looks at protein, blood, and sugar in a urine sample to assess underlying medical conditions.
- Vision Screening
- The FMCSA requires vision testing to ensure drivers meet the standard of at least 20/40 visual acuity in EACH eye with or without corrective lenses (glasses or contact) and at least a 70 degree field of vision on the horizontal meridian measured in each eye. You will also be screened for color blindness.
- Physical Examination
- The examiner will perform physical examination and document findings in the FMCSA database.
- Drug Screen
- Drug screens are NOT required as part of the DOT physical examination, however, some employers do require drug screening. We do NOT perform drug screening, you will need to have drug screening performed by a local lab if it is required by your employer.
What do I need to bring to my DOT physical examination?
- A valid driver’s license
- List of current medications
- List of past surgeries and medical conditions
- List of allergies
- Additional paperwork required by FMCSA for any pre-existing conditions. Examples include copy of stress test or echocardiogram for coronary heart disease, medical exemption forms for vision, hearing, or seizure disorders, recent diabetes labs, recent sleep apnea study, and pulmonary studies.
- Employee Authorization Form (if your company is paying for DOT)
