Published July 14, 2025
Category: DOT Compliance | FMCSA Updates | Medical Certification
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has issued a temporary waiver aimed at easing the transition to electronic medical certification under the National Registry Integration Initiative (NRII). This update is especially important for commercial driver’s license (CDL) holders, commercial learner’s permit (CLP) holders, motor carriers, and certified medical examiners navigating the evolving regulatory landscape.
FMCSA Modifies Waiver for Use of Paper Medical Examiner’s Certificate
Thursday, August 21, 2025
On July 14, 2025, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) 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 medical certification for up to 15 days after the certificate was issued. The agency modified this waiver on August 21, 2025, to allow CDL holders, CLP holders, and motor carriers to rely on the paper copy of the medical examiner’s certificate as proof of the driver’s medical certification for up to 60 days after the date the medical examiner’s certificate was issued.
The full contents of the waiver modification can be found here.
This action 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 modifying the initial 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.
What the FMCSA Waiver Means for CDL Medical Certification
As of July 14, 2025, the FMCSA is allowing interstate CDL and CLP holders to continue using paper copies of their medical examiner’s certificate as proof of medical qualification for up to 15 days following the date of examination. This temporary flexibility ensures that drivers are not penalized during technical or administrative delays in states transitioning to the NRII electronic submission process.
Waiver Duration:
Effective Now Through October 12, 2025
Why Did FMCSA Issue This Waiver?
The FMCSA acknowledges that state licensing agencies and medical examiners are still aligning their systems with the new electronic integration requirements of NRII. During this period, drivers may experience processing delays outside of their control.
Rather than risk disqualifying drivers who are medically fit to operate, FMCSA has issued this public interest waiver to avoid operational disruption and protect safety-sensitive roles in the transportation sector.
🩺 What Medical Examiners Should Do
In addition to submitting results electronically through the National Registry, FMCSA recommends that medical examiners continue issuing a paper certificate to drivers immediately after their exam. This ensures CDL/CLP holders have valid documentation while awaiting system updates or state processing.
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.
