FMCSA extends requirement for paper medical certificates

Washington – Interstate truck and bus drivers must continue to keep a paper copy of their medical examiner’s certificate with them while driving, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced Jan. 10.

The requirement, which has been extended to Jan. 30, 2015, is intended to allow the certificates to be reviewed during roadside inspections.

In an effort to simplify recordkeeping requirements, a final rule issued in December 2008 set a deadline of Jan. 30, 2014, for states to include drivers’ medical certification records in the national driver’s license database. However, some state driver licensing agencies have indicated they will not be able to meet the deadline, leading FMCSA to keep the requirement active to prevent commercial drivers from receiving recordkeeping violations while those agencies finish updating their driver’s licensing systems.

Interstate truck and bus carriers also must keep a paper copy of the certificates in their driver qualification files.