FMCSA Issues Temporary Waiver for NRII Transition, Easing CDL Medical Certification Delays for Motor Carriers and Drivers

Coming on the heels of a rocky transition to the new fully-electronic process for CDL medical certifications, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has announced a temporary waiver for CDL drivers and the motor carriers that employ them. This FMCSA waiver addresses potential delays in the electronic transmission of DOT medical exam results stemming from medical examiners or state drivers licensing agencies (SDLAs) who weren't prepared for this long awaited change, ensuring that drivers and carriers aren't penalized during this shift in CDL medical certification processes.

As motor carriers know, maintaining compliance with FMCSA regulations on driver medical qualifications is essential for road safety and avoiding costly violations. The NRII, part of the broader Medical Examiner’s Certification Integration Rule, aims to streamline how DOT physical exam results are reported and linked to CDL records. However, as states and certified medical examiners adapt to this electronic system, some hiccups were inevitable.

Effective July 14, 2025, and lasting until October 12, 2025, the waiver allows CDL and CLP holders, along with their employing motor carriers, to continue using paper copies of Medical Examiner’s Certificates (MECs) as proof of medical certification for up to 15 days after the certificate's issuance date. This provides a buffer against delays in the NRII electronic transmission process, where certified medical examiners submit results directly to FMCSA's National Registry of Medical Examiners, which then forwards them to SDLAs. The waiver contains three conditions:

1. This waiver does not apply to a driver if the driver does not have a copy of his or her current, valid, MEC on his or her person that was issued by a certified medical examiner within the prior 15 days.

2. This waiver does not apply to a motor carrier if the motor carrier does not have a copy of the driver’s current, valid, MEC that was issued by a certified medical examiner within the prior 15 days.

3. FMCSA reserves the right to revoke this waiver if the waiver results in a lower level of safety than was maintained before it was granted or continuation of the waiver would not be consistent with the goals and objectives of 49 USC 31136(e) and 31315(a).

FMCSA determined that this flexibility is in the public interest, recognizing that drivers with valid medical qualifications shouldn't face negative impacts from transition-related bottlenecks outside their control. Without this waiver, outdated records could lead to unnecessary CDL downgrades or compliance issues during roadside inspections or DOT audits.

Additionally, FMCSA recommends that certified medical examiners continue issuing paper MECs alongside electronic submissions during this NRII transition period. This dual approach helps bridge any gaps for CDL drivers, ensuring they have physical proof of their qualifications while systems catch up.

For more on the waiver and NRII resources, visit FMCSA's NRII Learning Center at https://nationalregistry.fmcsa.dot.gov/nriilearning-center. FMCSA has also provided specific guidance for medical examiners, drivers, and motor carriers in states still implementing NRII, available on their website.

Planned Changes to the Certification Process

As detailed in our prior article on the topic, the planned revision to the medical certification process for CDL drivers has been a decade in the making. The change shifts from a paper-based system—prone to fraud, delays, and errors—to an automated electronic process where FMCSA relays exam results to SDLAs, updating CDLIS and MVRs in near real-time.

As highlighted in our update within that article, as of June 20, 2025, 14 states had not yet fully implemented the necessary systems for electronic transfers, prompting FMCSA to advise continuing with paper MECs in those jurisdictions. The new waiver extends similar relief more broadly, allowing CDL drivers and their employing carriers to continue using the old certification process through October 12th to mitigate ongoing transition challenges.

Despite this waiver, motor carriers would be well advised to ensure they understand the new process and start to take proactive steps to ensure they have proper policies and procedures in place to accommodate it.

About Trucksafe Consulting, LLC: Trucksafe Consulting is a full-service DOT regulatory compliance consulting and training service. We help carriers develop, implement, and improve their safety programs, through personalized services, industry-leading training, and a library of educational content. Trucksafe also hosts a livestream podcast on its various social media channels called Trucksafe LIVE! to discuss hot-button issues impacting highway transportation. Trucksafe is owned and operated by Brandon Wiseman and Jerad Childress, transportation attorneys who've assisted some of the nation’s leading fleets to develop and maintain cutting-edge safety programs. You can learn more about Trucksafe online at www.trucksafe.com and by following Trucksafe on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Or subscribe to Trucksafe's newsletter for the latest highway transportation news & analysis. Also, be sure to check out eRegs, the first app-based digital version of the federal safety regulations aimed at helping carriers and drivers better understand and comply with the regulations.