I was talking with a friend today, who still drives over-the-road. I drove OTR for a year in 2007. While talking with my friend, he mentioned to me that he found out the hard way (a DOT Inspection) that his CDL had been suspended without notification, due to an issue with his Medical Card not being processed. He got it all straightened out, but this brought about a question for me.

Since I haven't been driving since 2007, but still retain my CDL in case I go back to driving for a living, will my CDL get suspended if my Medical Card expires? Or does this only apply if you are driving at the time? I really want to keep my CDL, so I can go back to driving if I want to, but I want to know if I will have to take another DOT physical to keep the CDL even if I'm currently not driving. Can you guys please help me out here? Thanks in advance.

 

According to a new federal reg that went into effect 1/01/09 you must have a valid medical clearance to have a CDL.

 

As Uturn says you must have a current Medical Card to operate commerial vehicle as it has always been. The difference now is the state can not issue a CDL without a current Medical Card. In addition you must now have a current Medical Card for the state to renew your CDL.

So to answer your question -- Yes you will have to have a current DOT physical for your CDL to be valid.

kc0iv

 

Ok thanks guys. But why wouldn't they have notified me about this? My medical card expired last month, so does that mean my license is no longer valid?

And does this mean my CDL isn't valid, or my driver's license in general isn't valid?

 

I have not heard that your CDL could be suspended by your state for not having a current medical unless you show it to an officer after the expiration date. I don't see how they would know. As far as I know these people who give the medical exams don't report directly to the states. You are required to have proof of your current medical card with you and must show it when asked. Even if you had a card that was expired I would think that you would only be issued a ticket with the provision that you must get a current medical exam and perhaps send them proof within a certain time frame or have your license suspended.

 

As of 1/1/09 all states will suspend the CDL portion of your license when the medical expires. Most have been collecting that info the last few years. It is up to you to insure that the state has the new info.

 

Some states already required a person who holds a CDL to have a current med card on record. For those states nothing has changed. States like Illinois, however, who did not require a CDL holder to have a current med clearance to simply have a CDL. States like this I am not sure how they plan to implement these changes. They may send out letter to all CDL holders giving them so many days to present a valid med card or possibly just wait until it is time to renew and require proof then.

This new reg is one that pretty much slipped under the radar. I would not have known about it if I hadn't been researching another FMCSA reg and came upon it in the notices section.

 

Medical examiners in Indiana have to report to the State. Indiana suspended my Class B last year when my medical expired. I wasnt driving at the time. But, went out and got a $45 exam a few weeks later.

 

If they suspended your CDL, could you still legally drive a regular motor vehicle? Or since your license is a CDL, if it gets suspended does that take all driving privleges away from you? Please help with this!

 

It would depend on the state how far the suspension goes. The state could suspend you CDL and automatically "reduce" it back to a basic driver's license or they could totally suspend it.