Many people aren’t even aware of the need for a DOT medical card until they are being asked for the paperwork after applying for a CDL license. In certain industries, a DOT card is a piece of common knowledge, but to the average person, it’s new information and they aren’t sure who or why someone needs one.
You only need a DOT Medical Card for certain situations such as:
- Interstate driving commercial vehicles
- Driving any hazardous materials
- If your employer requires them
- When driving any vehicle over 10,000lbs
Thankfully, the process for getting your DOT medical Card is simple and is one of the few things needed before you can receive your CDL. If you are a generally healthy person with no huge medical issues, you shouldn’t have a problem passing the physical exam.
Needing A DOT Medical Card
Getting your DOT medical card is simply just so your employer and the government know you can healthily and physically handle driving certain vehicles. Due to the power and ability of commercial vehicles to harm others and damage so much property, it’s required for licensing to know that you don’t have any large medical conditions or disabilities that could be a risk.
Getting The Physical
Now, a normal physical for sports or a yearly check-up is not the same as the physical exam needed for your DOT medical Card.
One doctor, who is trained for the DOT physical assessment, will do every assessment including, but not limited to:
- Hearing
- Vision
- Heart, chest, lungs
- Throat, eyes, and nose
- All extremities
- Nervous system tests
- Medical history assessment
All bases have to be covered when you are wanting to apply for a CDL otherwise you, or someone else could be seriously injured or even killed. If you have a medical issue at the time of the assessment, if it can be resolved, you may be granted a temporary DOT Card until a follow-up appointment.
However, certain injuries and medical issues will disqualify you from being able to drive a commercial vehicle and that is generally dependent on the federal or state guidelines.
Getting A DOT Card With An Impairment
If you have certain impairments, you have to get your DOT card with a variance that comes from your state. This variance shows that you have been tested or approved to drive a commercial vehicle in accordance with your impairment.
Damaged Limbs
If you have missing or damaged limbs, you will also be required to test for and pass a skill performance evaluation, which is a special type of variance specific to those with missing extremities. This paperwork must be on your person at all times when you are operating a commercial vehicle to show that you have been approved and you are capable of driving the vehicle you have.
Hearing Impairment
If you have a hearing impairment issue, there is special equipment you can wear that will help you hear while you drive, however, you will have to receive an SPE that outlines the special equipment, its purpose, and how it’s supposed to be used. This will also need to be on your person at all times while operating a commercial vehicle.
Am I Ineligible for a DOT Medical Card?
While a lot of impairments and medical issues are accepted and worked with, there are quite a few that would not be able to receive a CDL.
This includes:
- Sleep disorders
- Heart diseases with no improvement in 5 years
- Muscular, neurological, or vascular diseases
- Mental or psychiatric disorders
- Drug or alcohol issues or past addictions
Now, let’s take a look at what happens if you operate a big rig without a DOT medical card.
What Happens If You Don’t Have Your DOT Medical Card?
It’s recommended to have a folder in your vehicle for every type of paperwork, insurance, and licensing requirements you may need just in case of an issue. This will protect you from any legal trouble with your job, the government, and your license eligibility.
Failure to have any specialized or necessary paperwork with you while operating a commercial vehicle can result in fines or suspension of a license pending a court case or investigation from the state or federal level depending on where the incident takes place.
Final Thoughts
The only people that truly need a DOT medical card are those who are operating a commercial vehicle, or those who could and their employer requires it out of precaution. To get your CDL, you have to pass the physical exam yearly.
If you have certain impairments, it’s possible you can be disqualified but there are usually workarounds for many common impairments that mean you can still acquire a CDL.