CDL certification requirements updated

If you are the holder of a commercial driver’s license (CDL) and work for a local government entity, chances are you are exempt from medical certification requirements.

Clarification has been offered describing the four self-certification categories:

• Excepted Interstate (EI)
• Excepted Intrastate (EA)
• Non-excepted Interstate (NI)
• Non-excepted Intrastate (NA)

Local government employees who drive intrastate usually only fall under the Excepted Intrastate (EA) category. Operators who conduct the following activities, typically performed by local government authorities, and do not cross other state lines are considered EA status while:

• Transporting school children and/or school staff between home and school;
• Driving as a federal, state, or local government employee;
• Transporting of human corpses or sick or injured persons;
• Operating a fire truck or rescue vehicle during emergencies and other related activities;
• Primarily in the transportation of propane winter heating fuel when responding to an emergency condition requiring immediate response such as damage to a propane gas system after a storm or flooding;
• In response to a pipeline emergency condition requiring immediate response such as a pipeline leak or rupture; and
• As a private motor carrier of passengers for non-business purposes

Other conditions also qualify which have not been stated here and are available online. Drivers who perform these duties as listed above operate in an excepted status and do not need a federal medical examiner’s certificate.

ALL CDL drivers, regardless of their status must have submitted a DL 8 form by January 8, 2014. Those who have missed this deadline are currently “not certified” and will be downgraded from their CDL driving privileges.

For additional information regarding this requirement visit the Virginia DMV website.

IMPORTANT: New medical examiner requirements for drivers certifying to a non-excepted category take effect as of May 21, 2014.

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