CDL DOT Card/Medical Information/Intrastate Waiver

On September 29, 2025, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) published an interim final rule requiring states to pause the issuance of limited-term Commercial Driver's Licenses (CDLs) until they comply with the new rules and regulations. The State of Utah is currently working to meet these requirements and will update this page when it is able to resume issuing non-domiciled CDLs.

Commercial Driver License (CDL) Medical Examiner’s Certificate (MEC or DOT Card) / Medical Information / Intrastate Waiver Program

When applying for your CDL you are required to provide a DOT medical certification and medical self-driving certification. For drivers with impairments of functional ability, we can set limitations with the intrastate waiver program.

Commercial drivers (CDL) need to have a distant visual acuity of at least 20/40 in each eye without corrective lenses or visual acuity separately corrected to 20/40 or better with corrective lenses, and distant binocular acuity of at least 20/40 in both eyes with or without corrective lenses, a field of vision of at least 70° in the horizontal meridian in each eye.

Any driver who drives for commerce in a vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 10,001 pounds must have a DOT medical card in their possession. To obtain and maintain a CDL, you may be required to have a DOT medical card. A licensed medical examiner conducts the DOT physical examination. The term includes, but is not limited to, doctors of medicine (MD), doctors of osteopathy (DO), physician assistants (PA), advanced practice nurses (APN), and doctors of chiropractic (DC.)

To find a medical examiner to conduct the DOT physical exam, you may contact your primary care provider to inquire if they can conduct a DOT physical exam. A DOT physical can be administered only by a certified medical examiner listed on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s National Registry.

A DOT physical exam is valid for up to 24 months. The medical examiner may also issue a medical examiner’s certificate for less than 24 months when monitoring a condition, such as high blood pressure.

If the medical examiner finds that the person they examined is physically qualified to drive a commercial motor vehicle (CMV), the medical examiner will furnish one copy of the results to the person who was examined and complete a medical examiner’s certificate (MCSA-5876.)

Please see the Intrastate Waiver Program button below if you do not qualify for a Medical Examiner’s Certificate (MEC or DOT Card).

Operators of commercial intrastate vehicles fall under different licensing requirements. As far as possible, these have been incorporated into appropriate profiles. In 1997 the division began the Utah intrastate program for commercial drivers.

Setting limitations on driving for persons with impairments of functional ability works to increase public safety and, simultaneously, permit individuals a maximum degree of freedom of movement in two (2) ways. First, in cases of decreased vision or motor control, avoiding high speeds will reduce the number and the seriousness of accidents. Second, in situations of some increase in the chance of an accident, cutting down on the extent of exposure on the highway by limiting driving areas or times of day will reduce the total number of accidents and yet allow a person perhaps enough mobility to maintain a job with a single round trip each work day. These factors are difficult to define and measure, but an effort has been made to accumulate and develop accurate data to refine limitations in the interest of safety.

In some cases, functional ability profiles indicating driving impairment in more than one category may be the basis for a more limited license than if there is only one impairment. Still, generally, any limitation will relate to the single profile showing the most impairment. As these functional ability profiles are used in determining driver licenses, data will be gathered on the driving safety record of various groups as a basis for revising the levels. Data secured from other sources will also be used. Denial of driving privileges based on medical reasons does not constitute a “disability” defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

All commercial intrastate drivers with physical impairments must obtain a “variance” from their state in the appropriate category(s) to be considered for an intrastate license. Only the following categories may be considered for the Utah intrastate program:

Pulmonary
Neurologic
Seizures
Learning/Memory
Psychiatric or Emotional Conditions
Musculoskeletal

Drivers who fall under the intrastate category must have a K restriction added to their driver license. Click for the intrastate K waiver application packet. If you need further information about the intrastate waiver program, please call our Customer Service at 801.965.4437 or toll-free at 888.353.4224.

You must self-certify your type of vehicle operation. This means you must self-certify one (1) of the following driving categories:

Non-Excepted Interstate (Nationwide)
Excepted Interstate (Nationwide)
Non-Excepted Intrastate (Utah only requires K restriction)
Excepted Intrastate (Utah only requires K restriction)

You can only certify to one (1) of the categories. Failure to mark the correct box could lead to further complications while you’re out driving. To help you choose which to certify, please view this Google doc.

If you need to update your type of vehicle operation you will need to submit this self- certification.

For the medical certification process to be complete, this form must be submitted to the Driver License Division:

Upon the issuance of any CDL;
If the status of your driving condition changes; or
Renewal of the CDL.