A DOT physical runs on two federal forms: the Medical Examination Report, MCSA-5875, which you and the examiner complete together, and the Medical Examiner’s Certificate, MCSA-5876, which the examiner issues if you pass. Those are the forms needed for a DOT physical in every case. What else you bring depends on your health history, and a separate state-level self-certification form catches many CDL holders off guard because it lives outside the exam itself.1Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Medical Examination Report (MER) Form, MCSA-5875
MCSA-5875: The Medical Examination Report
The MCSA-5875 is a multi-page form split between you and the examiner. Your portion asks for personal information exactly as it appears on your driver’s license, your full medical history, past surgeries, and every medication you take with dosages. The examiner completes the rest during the physical, recording test results and clinical findings.2Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. FMCSA Form MCSA-5875 – Medical Examination Report Form
You can download the MCSA-5875 from the FMCSA website or pick one up at the examiner’s office. Fill out your sections before the appointment. Showing up with a blank form wastes time and raises the odds that you forget a medication or an old surgery that later has to be reconciled with your medical records.
MCSA-5876: The Medical Examiner’s Certificate
If you pass the exam, the medical examiner completes and hands you the MCSA-5876. It shows your name, the examiner’s information, the certificate’s expiration date, and any restrictions or exemptions. The examiner keeps a copy on file for at least three years.3Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Medical Examiner’s Certificate (MEC), Form MCSA-5876 The maximum validity is two years, though several conditions shorten that window.4Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). For How Long Is My Medical Certificate Valid?
Keep your personal copy of the MCSA-5876 even after your state receives its copy. You may need it at a roadside inspection or when an employer asks for proof of medical qualification.
What Else to Bring to the Appointment
Beyond the pre-filled MCSA-5875, every driver should bring the following:
- A valid photo ID or driver’s license. Your personal information on the MCSA-5875 must match what’s on your license.
- Corrective lenses or hearing aids, if you use them. Vision and hearing are tested with correction in place.
- A complete medication list covering prescriptions, over-the-counter drugs, herbal remedies, and supplements, with dosages for each.2Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. FMCSA Form MCSA-5875 – Medical Examination Report Form
Extra Forms for Specific Conditions
Chronic conditions bring their own paperwork, and missing it either shortens your certificate or ends the exam.
Insulin-Treated Diabetes
If you take insulin, bring the Insulin-Treated Diabetes Mellitus Assessment Form, MCSA-5870, completed by your treating clinician, along with at least three months of electronic blood glucose self-monitoring records. Without those records, the examiner can only issue a certificate valid for three months at most.5eCFR. 49 CFR 391.46 – Physical Qualification Standards for an Individual With Diabetes Mellitus Treated With Insulin for Control
Sleep Apnea
If you use a CPAP machine, bring your compliance data showing regular usage.
Care From a Specialist
For any condition managed by a specialist, whether heart disease, a seizure history, or a musculoskeletal problem, bring a recent letter from that provider summarizing your diagnosis, treatment, and current stability.
CDL Self-Certification
Separate from the two exam forms, federal rules require every CDL holder to file a self-certification with their state licensing agency declaring what type of driving they do. It’s easy to overlook because it’s a different form, filed with a different agency, but skipping it can trigger a CDL downgrade on its own. You must declare one of four categories:6Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. How Do I Determine Which of the 4 Categories of Commercial Motor Vehicle Operation I Should Self-Certify
- Non-excepted interstate. You drive across state lines and must meet federal medical requirements. This is the most common category and requires a current MCSA-5876 on file with your state.
- Excepted interstate. You drive across state lines but fall under a federal exemption from the medical requirements, such as certain military or government operations.
- Non-excepted intrastate. You drive within a single state and must meet that state’s medical requirements.
- Excepted intrastate. You drive within a single state and are exempt from medical requirements under state law.
The self-certification form itself varies by state. Check with your state licensing agency for the correct form and how to submit it. If you self-certify as non-excepted interstate, you also need to provide your current MCSA-5876 or have it transmitted electronically through the National Registry.
Forms Tied to Exemptions
Drivers who don’t meet a standard qualification may need an additional application package on top of the MCSA-5875 and MCSA-5876.
Skill Performance Evaluation (SPE) Certificate
Drivers with a limb impairment or limb loss who want to operate in interstate commerce apply for an SPE certificate. The application requires the MCSA-5875 and MCSA-5876 from your DOT physical, a medical evaluation from a board-certified physiatrist or orthopedic surgeon, road test documentation, your three-year driving record, and a letter of application sent to the FMCSA Service Center for your state.7Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Initial (New Driver) SPE Certificate Application Package The medical evaluation must specifically address whether you can demonstrate precision grip and power grip with each hand. SPE certificates run up to two years and can be renewed starting 30 days before expiration.
Federal Hearing Exemption
If you can’t meet the hearing standard even with a hearing aid, the federal hearing exemption application requires your MCSA-5876 showing the exemption is needed, a signed medical release form, a copy of your driver’s license, your three-year driving record, and a written statement with your personal and vehicle information.8Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Federal Hearing Exemption Application
Alternative Vision Standard
The FMCSA replaced its old vision exemption program in 2022 with a permanent alternative vision standard at 49 CFR 391.44. Drivers who don’t meet the standard acuity or field of vision requirement in their worse eye can qualify under this alternative without filing an individual exemption application. Certificates issued under this standard are limited to one year.9Federal Register. Qualifications of Drivers; Vision Standards Grandfathering Provision
Where the Forms Go After the Exam
As of June 23, 2025, the National Registry II (NRII) rule requires medical examiners to electronically submit your exam results to the FMCSA National Registry by midnight of the calendar day after your exam. The National Registry then transmits the data to your state driver licensing agency.10Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Digital Medical Certification to Cut Fraud and Boost Safety For CDL and commercial learner’s permit holders in compliant states, this replaces paper.
Not every state had NRII fully implemented by that date. Drivers licensed in states that have not completed the transition still receive a paper MCSA-5876 and must submit it to the state licensing agency themselves.11Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. If a State Has Not Implemented National Registry II by the June 23, 2025 Compliance Date Submission methods vary; some states accept certificates online, some by mail, some by fax. The FMCSA maintains a state-by-state guide to submission methods and contact information.12Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). State-by-State Instructions for Submitting Medical Certificates to the State Driver Licensing Agencies
Whichever way your certificate reaches the state, hold onto your own copy. An expired certificate can prompt a CDL downgrade, and in some states the downgrade window is short enough that a driver who assumed the paperwork was handled electronically finds out otherwise the hard way.