Driver Medical Conditions
Hearing and Sight
An applicant who does not pass the required hearing test on the DOT physical will not be able to obtain a New Mexico commercial license. New Mexico does not offer a medical waiver for hearing to commercial drivers.
An applicant who cannot pass the required color blindness test on the DOT physical will not be able to obtain a New Mexico commercial license. New Mexico does not offer a medical waiver for color blindness to commercial drivers.
Medical Examiners Certification
Every commercial license applicant (except a government employee, who is medically qualified through his government agency) must provide evidence that he is medically qualified to drive a commercial motor vehicle. Applicant must present a Medical Examiner Certificate which indicates that the applicant has passed a “DOT” physical. To be acceptable, the certificate must be filled out in each space. The Medical Examiner Certificate must have all the following fields filled in:
- Printed name, address and signature of driver.
- Printed name, address, license/certificate number, telephone number, date of examination, expiration date and signature of medical examiner.
- Appropriate box must be checked by medical examiner.
Do not accept any certificate that has been altered or corrected.
Look over the CDL Medical Examiner’s Certificate. Be familiar with the information that is currently required.
Because MVD electronically tracks the Medical Certificate the Commercial Driver License expiration date is no longer tied to the length of the Medical Certificate expiration date.
New Mexico medical waivers
- New Mexico does not have a Medical Waiver program.
- Medical Waivers must be issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
Federal medical waivers/exemptions
- Vision waiver – FMCSA no longer issues Vision Exemptions/Waivers; please visit FMCSA for more information on the Vision Standard final rule published on January 21, 2022.
About the Vision Evaluation Report, Form MCSA–5871:
The Qualification of Drivers; Vision Standard final rule (87 FR 3390, Jan. 21, 2022) requires that at least annually, an individual who does not satisfy, with the worse eye, either the distant visual acuity standard with corrective lenses or the field of vision standard, or both, must be medically examined and certified by a Medical Examiner as physically qualified to operate a commercial motor vehicle. The Medical Examiner must receive a completed Vision Evaluation Report, Form MCSA–5871, that is signed and dated by an ophthalmologist or optometrist before each required physical qualification examination. The examination conducted by the Medical Examiner must begin not more than 45 days after an ophthalmologist or optometrist signs and dates the Vision Evaluation Report, Form MCSA–5871.
You will find the Vision Evaluation Report Form, MCSA-5871 here. Vision Evaluation Report, Form MCSA–5871 | FMCSA (dot.gov)
- Loss of limb exemption – The New Mexico office of the FMCSA will take applications from drivers who are missing limbs but are wearing prosthetic devices. They provide a skills test and from that determine if an exemption certificate will be granted. This waiver will allow a commercial driver to drive out of state. The number the driver should call for an appointment is (505) 346-7858.
- Diabetes Exemption – FMCSA no longer issues Diabetes Exemptions/Waivers for Insulin Treated Diabetes Mellitus; please visit FMCSAfor more information on the Diabetes Standard final rule published on Sept 19, 2018.
About the Insulin Treated Diabetes Mellitus (ITDM) Assessment Form, MCSA-5870–As a part of the medical certification process for insulin treated diabetes mellitus (ITDM) individuals, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration requires that the Insulin Treated Diabetes Mellitus Assessment Form (ITDM), MCSA-5870, be completed by the ITDM individual’s Treating Clinician attesting that the individual has a stable insulin regimen and properly controlled diabetes. ITDM individuals are required to provide the ITDM Assessment Form, MCSA-5870, to the Certified Medical Examiner within 45 days of completion by the Treating Clinician.