DOT PHYSICAL - $120.00

A Department of Transportation (DOT) physical is a physical exam that is required of people who drive commercial vehicles. The point of a DOT physical is to make sure that people who are driving commercial motor vehicles (CMVs), such as large trucks and buses, are physically, mentally, and emotionally fit. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requires this testing for the safety of the public.

A Department of Transportation (DOT) physical will test your vision and hearing as well as your heart, lungs, and more to make sure you're able to drive a commercial vehicle.

You will need a DOT physical if you:

• Have a CDL or hoisting license
• Drive a vehicle designed to carry more than 15 people.
• Are paid to drive a vehicle designed to carry more than eight people.
• Carry hazardous material in your vehicle that requires your vehicle to have a placard.
• Drive a vehicle on the interstate with a gross combination weight rating, gross vehicle weight rating, or gross combination weight of 10,000 pounds (5 tons) or more.

• DOT physicals are $120
• DOT physicals typically take 45 minutes- depending on extensiveness of your past medical history
• If all standards are met on the day of your appointment, you’ll leave with your DOT medical certificate the same day.
• A DOT medical certificate is generally valid for up to 24 months (2 years). However, if you have certain medical conditions, such as high blood pressure, sleep apnea, or take certain medications you may be required to renew your certificate more frequently.
• If you receive a pending determination for any reason, this just means you have 45 days to resolve/improve this issue before we can issue you your DOT medical card. 
• A pending determination will require a DOT follow-up visit, which is a $30 appointment and usually takes less than 30 minutes to complete. 

You can fill out the Medical Examination Report (MER) Form, MCSA-5875:

driver's portion of the exam (page 1-2) at home if you want to save time on the day of the physical. (Medical Examination Report (MER) Form, MCSA-5875)

You will also need to bring:

• Your driver’s license
• A list of all your doctors' names and addresses
• A list of all your medicines, including the dosage
• Your glasses, contacts, or hearing aids, if you use them
• If you are diabetic, bring a record of your blood sugar readings and your most recent HbA1C (past 3 months).
• If you are diabetic not on insulin, have your prescribing provider complete the Non-Insulin-Treated Diabetes Mellitus Assessment Form MCSA-5872 prior to your appointment and bring it with you to your appointment. 
• If you are a diabetic and on insulin, have your prescribing provider complete the Insulin-Treated Diabetic Mellitus Assessment Form MCSA-5870 prior to your appointment and bring it with you to your appointment. 
• If you have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and use a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine, bring a compliance report showing proper use for at least 90 days.
• If you have a heart-related condition, bring a letter from your cardiologist outlining your cardiac history and indicates that you're safe to drive a DOT vehicle.
• If you have a heart-related condition, bring any recent heart test such as Stress Test or Echocardiogram (EKG) from the last 1-2 years.
• If you've had a stroke, brain tumor, seizure disorder, or bleeding in the brain, bring a letter from your neurologist outlining your history and indicates that you're safe to drive a DOT vehicle.
• If you have history of epilepsy/seizures please review the FMCSA Seizure Exemption Application.
• If you take blood thinners such as warfarin (Coumadin), bring your recent INR results and a letter from your provider indicating you’re safe to drive a DOT vehicle. 
• If you take any medicines that can cause sleepiness or are controlled substances (i.e. medicines you need an ID to pick up from the pharmacy). You need a letter from your prescribing provider outlining your history and indicates that you're safe to drive a DOT vehicle. You may also want your prescribing provider to fill out the 391.41 CMV Driver Medication Form, MCSA-5895 and bring it with you to your appointment. 
• If you have any mental health conditions, please bring a letter from your prescribing provider indicating you’re safe to drive a DOT vehicle.  

Feel free to reach out to us for any questions regarding items you may need for your visit.

508-503-6688 or contactus@physicalsplushealthcare.com

**Please do not get upset if you are certified for less than 2 years or do not pass. At Physicals Plus Healthcare we must follow all state & federal guidelines and regulations set forth by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).  

**We are committed to ensuring the safety of our patients and everyone on the road. We cannot ethically certify an individual who may pose a safety risk. 

**Our goal is always to help you, and we are happy to discuss any steps you can take toward meeting certification requirements in the future. We actively assist the borderline driver with meeting the criteria for passing the exam. 

**Take the fear out of your DOT exam and let Physicals Plus Healthcare provide the necessary support to get you back in the driver’s seat today. 

Conditions that may disqualify you from passing a DOT physical are those that interfere with your ability to drive safely. 

Such conditions can include:

• Uncontrolled or unstable heart conditions
• Epilepsy or seizure disorders with active seizure in the past 8 years on or off medication
• Meniere's disease, an inner ear disorder that causes dizziness
• Uncontrolled diabetes
• Uncontrolled high blood pressure
• Vision loss that can't be corrected
• Hearing loss that can't be corrected
• Use of marijuana, even if prescribed and legal
• Use of illegal substances
• Use of oxygen 
• Some respiratory conditions
• Protein in the urine, which may indicate kidney disease

Some of these conditions will be left up to the medical examiner's judgment as to whether to qualify you or not. You may be able to get an exemption or waiver from the FMCSA for certain conditions. 

Sometimes, you may be disqualified until you bring a medical condition under control. If you are able to resolve a disqualifying condition, you can reapply for certification.

For instance; if you have no history of high blood pressure, but your blood pressure was 160-179/100-109 in office, we will give you pending determination, which gives you 45 days to get blood pressure under control (usually with blood pressure medications). 

The urine testing is screening for underlying health issues, including:

• Diabetes (checking for sugar in urine)
• Kidney disorders (checking for blood or protein in urine)
• Blood pressure related issues.

Tip: This is not a drug test, but employers may request one separately. 

During a DOT (Commercial Driver’s License) physical, your blood pressure must meet the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requirements to be certified.

Passing Blood Pressure

• A blood pressure of 140/90 mmHg or lower meets FMCSA standards and allows full certification for 2 year.
• 
  

High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)

If you have hypertension and are on medication, your certification may be temporary or require follow-up:

• 140/90 to 159/99 mmHg: Certified for 1 year, but monitoring is required.
• 160/100 to 179/109 mmHg: Temporary certification for 3 months. You must lower your blood pressure below 140/90 to qualify for a 1-year certification.
• 180/110 mmHg or higher: You cannot be certified until your blood pressure is reduced. Once lowered to below 140/90, you can receive a 6-month certification.

**You may receive a pending determination (if BP is above 160/100), which gives you 45 days to get blood pressure under control (usually with blood pressure medications). This will require you to return to the office for a DOT follow-up appointment ($30) to have your blood pressure re-checked, your chart updated, and your information updated on the FMCSA website to receive your 1-year DOT certificate. 

**Sometimes, you may be disqualified due to a medical condition. However, if you are able to resolve a disqualifying condition, you can reapply for certification.

** Regardless of blood pressure on exam- If you have history of Hypertension and you are prescribed blood pressure medication you can only be certified for 1 year.

See Section § 391.41(b)(6): Driver Safety & Health-Medical Requirements (here).

Tip: Try making an appointment first thing in the morning verse late afternoon. Avoid salty foods, caffeine or smoke cigarettes before your appointment. Sit with your back supported, your legs uncrossed, and your feet on the floor while having your blood pressure checked. 

A DOT forced whisper test is a simple screening used during a Department of Transportation (DOT) physical to check a driver’s hearing. 

During the test:

• The examiner stands behind the driver and asks them to cover one ear.
• The examiner whispers a series of letters or numbers at a distance of about 5 feet.
• The driver must repeat back what they hear.
• The test is then repeated on the other ear.

This screening ensures that commercial drivers can hear adequately to operate a vehicle safely, especially for important signals, horns, or emergency warnings.

Note: If a driver does not pass the whisper test, further evaluation with an audiometer may be required to meet DOT hearing standards. If this is the case you will be given a pending determination, which gives you 45 days to complete audiometer testing and return to the office for a DOT follow-up appointment ($30) to review/upload these documents to your file and enter updated information on the FMSCA site to print your DOT certificate.

Note: If a driver is completely deaf and cannot pass the whisper test even with hearing aids, the drive must complete a Federal Hearing Exemption Form. 

To pass a DOT (FMCSA) physical, commercial drivers must meet these basic vision standards:

• Visual acuity: 20/40 or better in each eye, with or without corrective lenses
• Field of vision: At least 70 degrees in each eye
• Color vision: Ability to distinguish red, green, and amber

Alternative Vision Standard

FMCSA now allows an alternative vision standard for drivers who do not meet one or both of these requirements with their worse eye:

• Drivers must undergo a medical evaluation and be certified by a DOT Medical Examiner as physically qualified to operate a commercial motor vehicle.
• The evaluation requires a Vision Evaluation Report (Form MCSA–5871) completed by an ophthalmologist or optometrist (Form MCSA-5871). 
• The completed form is then provided to your DOT medical examiner during your physical.

This ensures that drivers with limited vision can still be safely certified if a specialist confirms they meet FMCSA safety standards.

Note: If a driver does not pass the vision test, further evaluation with an ophthalmologist or optometrist may be required to meet DOT vision standards. If this is the case you will be given a pending determination, which gives you 45 days to complete testing with an ophthalmologist or optometrist and return to the office for a DOT follow-up appointment ($30) to review/upload these documents to your file and enter updated information on the FMSCA site to print your DOT certificate.