Issuing Medical Examiner’s Certificates to Drivers With Expired Driver’s Licenses During COVID-19

FMCSA has been notified that some Medical Examiners (MEs) are refusing to issue Medical Examiner’s Certificates (MECs), Form MCSA-5876 to drivers who have expired driver’s licenses even though they are operating legally under the COVID-19 Emergency Declaration Waiver.  Due to COVID-19 and the declaration by the President of a national emergency, FMCSA and many of the State Driver’s Licensing Agencies have granted waivers from certain regulations applicable to commercial motor vehicle drivers that may result in an increase of the number of expired licenses that MEs may encounter.

Certified MEs listed on the National Registry are authorized to conduct examinations of, and issue MECs to, any driver that meets the physical qualification standards regardless of whether or not they have a current expired or unexpired driver’s license.  The ME is only required to use the driver’s license to verify the identity of the person they are examining.  An expired license is not a reason to refuse to conduct a physical qualification examination or to not issue the qualified driver an MEC.

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