Thursday, October 9, 2025
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has re-issued a temporary waiver allowing interstate commercial driver’s license (CDL) holders, commercial learner’s permit (CLP) holders, and motor carriers to continue relying on a paper copy of the medical examiner’s certificate as proof of a driver’s medical certification for up to 60 days after the date the medical examiner’s certificate is issued. This re-issued Waiver is effective at 12:01 am on October 13th, 2025, and will expire on January 10, 2026, at 11:59 pm.
Just like the previous Waiver, it allows Motor Carriers to use a paper copy of a Medical Examiner’s Certificate, MCSA-5876, issued on or after June 23, 2025, for 60 days up to 60 days from date of Medical Certificate issuance as proof of the driver’s medical certification. The Motor Carrier should still attempt to obtain a CDLIS/MVR during that time showing that the driver is medically qualified unless the driver’s CDL or CLP is issued from a State that has not yet established electronic connections with the National Registry. According to the National Registry, as of today there are still 12 States that are not compliant. You can use this link to identify those states: https://nationalregistry.fmcsa.dot.gov/nriilearning-center
The driver must have in his/her possession at all times when operating a commercial motor vehicle during this Waiver period a copy of the actual Medical Examiner’s Certificate, MCSA-5876 if the Motor Carrier has not been able to obtain a CDLIS/MVR from the driver’s CDL or CLP state of issuance confirming the driver is medically certified.
The full contents of the re-issued waiver can be found here.
This action further supports drivers and carriers as State Driver’s Licensing Agencies and certified medical examiners continue to transition to the secure electronic transmission of medical certification data required under the National Registry II (NRII) final rule.
FMCSA determined that reissuing the waiver is in the public interest to prevent undue hardship on drivers with valid medical certification and their employers due to potential processing delays outside of their control during this transition period.
FMCSA also recommends that certified medical examiners continue issuing paper medical examiner’s certificates (Form MCSA-5876) to drivers, in addition to submitting examination results electronically, until further notice.
Where to Find More Information
To support the transition, FMCSA has released additional resources:
- NRII Learning Center
- Updated guidance for medical examiners, drivers, and carriers is also available on the FMCSA website.
How WorkforceQA Supports Clients During the NRII Rollout
At WorkforceQA, we stay ahead of regulatory changes to ensure your drivers and programs remain compliant, secure, and uninterrupted. Our team of DOT experts and medical review professionals are prepared to assist with
- Interpreting NRII transition requirements
- Ensuring medical examiners follow FMCSA-recommended practices
- Troubleshooting delayed certifications or rejected records
- Managing both electronic and paper medical certification workflows
WorkforceQA clients: We are closely monitoring NRII developments and will continue to support your compliance needs throughout this transition. If you have questions about how this affects your drivers or medical examiners, please contact your Client Services team.
