FMCSA Re-Issues Temporary Waiver for Medical Certification Requirements

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has announced a re-issuance of a temporary waiver that impacts truck drivers and fleets across the nation. Effective from October 13, 2025, to January 10, 2026, this waiver allows drivers to continue using a paper copy of their medical examiner’s certificate as proof of medical certification for an extended period of up to 60 days from the date of issuance.

This move follows the expiration of the previous waiver on October 12, 2025. The initial waiver, first issued in July, permitted commercial drivers to utilize their paper medical certificates for up to 15 days. However, following modifications made in August, the duration was extended to 60 days for holders of Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDL), Commercial Learner’s Permits (CLP) and motor carriers.

The waivers are a response to the implementation of FMCSA’s National Registry II (NRII) final rule, which mandates that states establish an electronic process for medical certification. This process involves certified medical examiners transmitting exam results directly to FMCSA, which then relays the information to state driver’s licensing agencies for updates to drivers’ motor vehicle records (MVR).

As of October 10, 2025, there remain 12 states that have yet to implement the NRII regulations. The states are:

• Alaska
• California       
• Florida
• Iowa
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New York         
• Oklahoma      
• Vermont          
• Wyoming

The FMCSA emphasized that the reissuance of this waiver is a crucial step in supporting drivers and carriers during the transition to this new electronic system. The agency aims to mitigate any potential hardship that drivers with valid medical certification and their employers might face due to processing delays outside of their control during this period.

Additionally, FMCSA recommends that certified medical examiners continue to issue paper medical examiner’s certificates (Form MCSA-5876) to drivers while also submitting examination results electronically until further notice.

For those interested in reviewing the complete details of the waiver, it can be found here.

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