DOT Physical Exam Guide

Key Takeaways

A Department of Transportation Physical is a required exam for individuals interested in obtaining a commercial driver’s license.
A comprehensive DOT exam includes a vision and hearing exam, a cardiovascular exam, a general physical exam, and additional tests.
Prepare for a DOT physical by gathering documentation of your medical history, bringing a list of current medications you are taking, engaging in healthy habits, and visiting your primary care physician in advance.
To schedule a DOT physical as soon as the same or next day, you can contact Arrowhead Health Centers.

Overview of DOT Physical Exam Requirements

A Department of Transportation physical exam, also known as a commercial driver’s license (CDL) medical exam, is a necessary requirement for obtaining a commercial license. This exam is valuable for assessing an individual’s fitness for operating a commercial vehicle, ensuring the safety of both the driver and others on the road.

A standard physical exam is insufficient for receiving your license, and instead, you must receive a DOT-specific physical exam from a certified provider to meet DOT requirements for a commercial driver’s license. This exam includes multiple components to ensure that an individual is fit for operating a vehicle, and it is essential for commercial drivers, motor carriers, and other truck drivers.

A truck driver physical is slightly different from a typical physical in order to ensure that an individual meets all the requirements for operating a commercial vehicle. This guide covers everything you should expect from a DOT physical and how to prepare.

Importance of the DOT Physical for Commercial Drivers

The DOT physical exam is a key requirement for receiving a commercial driver’s license. This exam ensures that an individual is healthy and capable of operating a commercial motor vehicle. The often long hours of commercial driving can be physically demanding, requiring sufficient alertness, awareness, and fitness.

Having set medical standards through the physical exam is important for ensuring a person is physically prepared for the demands of the job and can maintain safe operation of the vehicle for their own safety and the safety of others on the road. Although any doctor may be able to conduct a regular physical exam, it’s important that the examiner for a DOT physical is certified by the Department of Transportation to guarantee that the exam assesses all the necessary levels of fitness for commercial driving.

A DOT physical is required of commercial drivers at least every two years. However, in instances where an individual has a specific health condition, a physical may be required more frequently to verify that the condition is being managed responsibly.

Components of the DOT Physical Exam

A DOT physical exam contains multiple steps to ensure it covers all the necessary bases for obtaining certification for a commercial license. A comprehensive DOT exam includes all the following components.

Comprehensive Medical History Review

A comprehensive medical history review is crucial for identifying any risk factors that may impact a driver’s ability to operate a vehicle safely. A review of your medical history would include the following:

Previous medical conditions
Review of any recent lab tests or medical reports
Discussion of recent symptoms or concerns

This review will provide valuable context for the examiner as they conduct the rest of the exam. An understanding of your previous health concerns will be helpful for telling the examiner what aspects of your health may require a deeper look.

Vision Test

A vision test ensures you can comfortably read signage and see other vehicles on the road from an appropriate distance. To pass the vision test, a driver must demonstrate that they can see with at least 20/40 acuity in each eye, either with or without corrective lenses. A driver must also demonstrate at least 70 degrees of peripheral vision in the horizontal meridian in each eye.

Hearing Tests

Sufficient hearing is crucial for remaining aware of other drivers and any concerns on the road. The requirement for a hearing test is to be able to hear a forced whisper from a distance of 5 feet, either with or without a hearing aid. If a whisper test isn’t possible, then the driver should demonstrate a hearing loss of less than 40 decibels (dB) in the better ear through a hearing exam.

Blood Pressure and Pulse Rate Assessments

Assessments for blood pressure and pulse rate are beneficial for assessing your overall cardiovascular health and identifying irregularities in heart rate. The DOT standard for blood pressure is 140/90 or below. However, if an individual’s high blood pressure is considered manageable with lifestyle or medication, then they may be allowed temporary certification with regular monitoring.

Urinalysis for Basic Health Indicators

A urine analysis is required as an initial screening for basic health indicators by testing for sugar, proteins, or blood in the urine. This test can identify underlying medical conditions, like diabetes and kidney disease.

General Physical Examination

A general physical examination involves a comprehensive general overview of an individual’s health that’s immediately apparent. The purpose of this general exam is to understand any potential health risks, discover symptoms of potential issues, and identify possible concerns that may require treatment.

A general physical exam might review all the following areas for potential concerns:

General appearance – Checking for initial indicators of illness, like pale skin or fatigue
Eyes – Reviewing for concerns like cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration
Ears – Looking for potential conditions like perforated eardrums
Mouth – Searching for possible signs of illness or dysfunction, like difficulty swallowing
Heart – Assessing for issues like murmurs or pacemaker concerns
Lungs and chest – Listening for abnormal breathing or respiratory function
Abdomen – Looking for concerns like an enlarged liver or abdominal weakness
Genito-urinary – Reviewing for the presence of a hernia or functional concerns
Extremities – Looking for impairments to limbs, such as fractures or weakness
Spine or musculoskeletal – Assessing for limitations in mobility or pain
Neurological – Assessing for potential issues with balance, coordination, or speech

A general overview will offer the opportunity for the examiner to catch any conditions or concerns that may be immediately apparent so that more testing can take place.

How to Prepare for the DOT Physical Exam

Although a physical examination is rather straightforward, you may have to do a little bit of preparation. To prepare for the DOT Physical Exam, you should take the steps below.

Visiting Your Primary Care Physician

Prior to visiting a certified DOT physical exam provider, you should visit your primary care provider. Your primary care physician will be a valuable resource for providing the information required by your DOT exam, such as recent medical reports, prescription medication information, and treatment history for any medical conditions.

If you do not have a current primary care physician, you should contact the doctor you’ve seen most recently to obtain the necessary medical information.

Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices Prior to the Exam

Be mindful of your health in advance of your exam. It’s important to take care of yourself and engage in healthy habits to put yourself in the best physical condition possible. Lifestyle factors can all contribute to your health and may affect your exam results if you’re not careful. For example, a poor night’s sleep can lead to an elevated heart rate, or a salty meal can elevate your blood pressure ahead of your exam.

Prepare for your exam ahead of your appointment by doing the following:

Get a good night’s sleep the nights before your exam
Eat a balanced diet with protein, healthy fats, fruits, and veggies
Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water

Attempt to engage in these habits not just on the morning of your exam, but throughout the days in advance. Healthy lifestyle choices can significantly increase your potential for a successful exam and maintaining healthy vitals. Even better, you should enact the above habits as regular and ongoing steps for long-term wellness.

Ensuring Proper Medication Management

If you take medications for any medical conditions, it’s crucial that you engage in proper medication management to ensure these conditions are stable and under control. Especially if you have a condition like high blood pressure that could be potentially disqualifying, taking your medication ahead of time will stabilize your blood pressure and demonstrate to the examiner that it is well-managed and should not be considered a disqualifying factor.

DOT Physical Forms

DOT physical forms are necessary to demonstrate that you meet the necessary requirements, as well as provide proof of your certification for licensure. A DOT physical exam may involve the following forms:

Medical Examination Report Form, MCSA-5875 – This form includes the driver’s information and health history, as well as the findings of the medical examiner during the exam.
Medical Examiner’s Certificate, MCSA-5876 – Drivers will receive this certificate after passing their DOT exam.
Insulin-treated Diabetes Mellitus Assessment, MCSA-5870 – A driver with insulin-treated diabetes should have this form completed by their doctor providing treatment in advance of the exam to demonstrate proper disease management.

Your DOT physical provider will have these forms available in order to demonstrate a thorough review of your health and proof of your certification. However, you may choose to review these forms in advance of your exam for an understanding of what requirements you should meet and what to expect.

What To Bring To a DOT Physical

Prepare for your physical by bringing important documentation and medical records. The following covers some of the key documentation you should prepare for your DOT physical exam.

Medical Records Overview

Your medical examiner will begin the physical by reviewing your medical records. Bringing any available documents you have will provide the examiner with important context for what health indicators to consider and be aware of during your exam.

Important records to provide include:

Recent medical reports from check-ups
Recent blood tests or other lab results
Records from any recent specialist visits
Vaccination records
Proof of treatment of existing conditions

Current Medication List

Certain medications may impact your ability to operate a vehicle and can influence your overall health. Having a list of your current medications is helpful for giving your examiner an understanding of how they might affect you in the context of commercial vehicle driving. This list should include:

Dosage information
Your dosage regimen
The prescribing doctors’ names and addresses
Any supplements or over-the-counter medications you take regularly

This list is important for your examiner to understand what types of medications you are taking and why, how they might affect your health, and what influence they may have on your behavior and ability to operate a vehicle.

Navigating Disqualifying Conditions

There are a variety of disqualifying conditions that may prevent you from passing your exam if there are safety risks. If your examiner finds that you have a disqualifying condition, you should consider the following.

Common Health Issues Impacting Certification

If you have specific health issues that may affect your ability to operate a vehicle safely, an examiner may disqualify you from obtaining your CDL. In the case of less severe conditions, they may at least require you to address these issues before you can qualify.

Some disqualifying conditions include:

Any medical condition that may lead to an unexpected loss of consciousness, such as epilepsy
Extensive vision or hearing loss that results in failing the provided test
Unmanaged high blood pressure, diabetes, or respiratory conditions
Some heart conditions, unless given clearance by a cardiologist, such as angina pectoris, coronary insufficiency, or thrombosis
Inner ear disorders that may lead to balance issues or vertigo, like Meniere’s disease

In some cases, taking certain medications may also be disqualifying if they cause drowsiness or dizziness. Any use of marijuana is also a disqualifying factor given its classification as a Schedule I substance under federal law.

Note that the above list is in no way a full and complete list of all potential conditions that may be disqualifying. Ultimately, the level at which a condition is disqualifying depends on the discretion of the medical examiner. In some cases, an individual may be able to retake the exam in the future to demonstrate management of these conditions and overall fitness.

Steps to Address Potential Disqualifying Conditions

Some potentially disqualifying conditions are not disqualifying as long as you can manage them properly. For example, if you can get your blood pressure under control, you may be eligible for temporary certification on the grounds that you are taking steps to manage the condition and following your doctor’s instructions.

You should consult your primary care physician or a family medical provider for further review of your condition and guidance on what steps to take to get the condition under control. With their advice, you may be able to successfully navigate your condition and still obtain certification for your CDL.

Addressing a Failed DOT Physical Exam

If you fail any aspect of a DOT exam, you may not be able to receive certification. It is a good idea to take follow-up steps as soon as possible, both for potential reassessment and for the sake of your own general health.

Possible Next Steps and Follow-Up Examinations

The next steps following a failed exam will depend on the reason you failed to meet any requirements. However, your first step should always be to pursue a follow-up general exam with a primary care physician or general practitioner for more information. A general practitioner will offer guidance for next steps, necessary lab tests, and treatment.

If the condition is completely disqualifying, you should still attend a follow-up appointment to ensure that you are in good health. A doctor can help you manage your condition and provide treatment to bring it under control so you can maintain a healthy lifestyle.

If the examiner states that the condition may allow for the opportunity for future reassessment for CDL certification, use your follow-up appointment to discuss your health goals for the exam. Your doctor can help you develop a specific treatment plan to get the condition under control. Once you follow through, you should consult your doctor to determine if you’d be eligible for another assessment.

Managing Specific Health Concerns for Reassessment

With proper management of your health concerns, you may be eligible for reassessment and potential certification. Not all health concerns are cause for a complete disqualification from obtaining your CDL, so you should take treatment seriously.

If the conditions that led to you failing the exam are easily manageable, then you should take steps to address them, such as:

Taking medications for high blood pressure

Getting corrective lenses after a failed vision test
Obtaining a hearing aid after a failed hearing test
Accepting your doctor’s advice for treatment plans

Once you have the applicable health concerns under control, you can begin to take steps for reassessment, provided you are in close coordination with your doctor and continuously following their advice to manage your health.

Make DOT Physicals Easy With Arrowhead Health Centers

A DOT physical exam is a necessary step for obtaining your commercial driver’s license. Always be sure to choose a skilled, experienced, and certified provider for your exam. When seeking a CDL medical exam provider that offers convenient appointments with comprehensive and respectful care, look no further than Arrowhead Health Centers.

The Arrowhead Health Centers difference means that you can expect integrated and thorough care through personalized game plans and a helpful and friendly team. We’ll work closely with you to ensure that you receive the care you need during your physical and beyond into treatment, if needed. Our three convenient Arizona locations in Glendale, Scottsdale, and Surprise make it easy for individuals in need of a DOT physical to make an appointment on their terms.

Schedule an appointment with Arrowhead Health Centers today.