Iowa DOT News

AMES, Iowa – Jan. 31, 2013 – The Iowa Department of Transportation is announcing a new online service aimed at helping commercial driver’s license (CDL) holders comply with Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulations. The “MyMVD Self-Certification and Medical Examiner’s Certificate” service is available online, anytime for the convenience of busy drivers.

A year ago, the Iowa DOT announced that starting Jan. 30, 2012, and no later than Jan. 30, 2014, all CDL holders must provide information to the Iowa DOT about the type of commercial motor vehicle operation they drive in or expect to drive in with their CDL. Drivers operating in certain types of commerce are also required to submit a current Medical Examiner’s Certificate to the Iowa DOT to obtain a “certified” medical status as part of their driving record. Failure by a person to provide and keep up-to-date their Medical Examiner’s Certificate with the Iowa DOT will result in the downgrading of that individual’s driver’s license from a CDL to a noncommercial license.  

The Iowa DOT wants to help CDL holders meet the federal deadline. It’s simple to use the online service.

1. Visit https://mymvd.iowadot.gov.
2. Enter your name, date of birth, last five digits of your social security number and Iowa driver’s license number.
3. Select the “Self-Certification and Medical Examiner’s Certificate” application.
4. Select the type of commercial motor vehicle operation you drive in or expect to drive in with your CDL. Based on your selection, you will or will not be required to provide a copy of a valid Medical Examiner’s Certificate. If a certificate is required, instructions will be provided for emailing, faxing or mailing the form to the Iowa DOT.
5. That’s it.   

If you don’t have online access, you can still meet the deadline by following these instructions.

• If your driver’s license expires between now and Jan. 30, 2014, go to the driver’s license station when it is time for your CDL to be renewed.  The clerk will ask you to declare the type of commercial motor vehicle operation you intend to perform. If it falls into a certain category, you will be asked to provide your Medical Examiner’s Certificate so that it can be scanned and saved with your driver record.  
• If your driver’s license does not expire until after Jan. 30, 2014, you must go to an Iowa driver’s license issuance location before Jan. 30, 2014. The clerk will ask you to declare the type of commercial motor vehicle operation you intend to perform. If it falls into a certain category, you will be asked to provide your Medical Examiner’s Certificate so that it can be scanned and saved with your driver record.  

Until the federal program is fully implemented on Jan. 30, 2014, a driver must still carry an original or copy of his or her Medical Examiner’s Certificate and provide a copy to his or her employer for individual’s driver qualification file. 

After Jan. 30, 2014, a driver’s Medical Examiner’s Certificate will be recorded on the individual’s driving record and it becomes the valid version of the certificate. An unexpired certificate must always be part of a CDL holder’s driving record after this date. If a driver’s certificate is about to expire, he or she must have a new medical examination and obtain a new medical certificate. The driver must then provide the new certificate to the Iowa DOT.

For additional information about CDL self-certification and Medical Examiner’s Certificate reporting, check out the brochure at http://www.iowadot.gov/mvd/ods/FedMedBrochure.pdf; or visit http://www.iowadot.gov/mvd/ods/MCRforCDL.html.

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Contact: Kim Snook at 515-237-3253 or [email protected]