How do I report my DOT medical certificate to Florida Driver’s License Office?

As of December 15, 2025 Florida has implemented the National Registry II (NRII) electronic medical certificate reporting system.

1. Florida DMV will note take any paper medial certificates or medical cards. It’s all in an electronic database now.

2. What if I did DOT physical before December 15, 2025 and I didn’t (failed to) self-report my DOT medical card/ DOT medical certificate to the State DMV (State Driver’s Licensing Agency)? You will probably have to get a new DOT Physical.

3. What I do if there is an error on my DOT medical certificate/ DOT medical card and my DOT physical doesn’t connect to my drivers license and the certifying doctor (medical examiner) is not available or will not make corrections? You will probably have to get a new DOT Physical.

4. If I call the FMCA (Federal DOT) for advice on how to get my medical certificate to link with my driver’s license can they help me? Yes, they will give you similar advice as listed here. In the end, the final, fastest resolution may be to: get a new DOT Physical.

5. Under the current system, the FMCSA National Registry electronically transmits a driver’s medical qualification status directly to the Florida State Driver’s Licensing Agency (SDLA) through CDLIS. As a result, CLP/CDL drivers are no longer allowed to submit their own medical certificates to the state.

National Electronic Transmission Requirements of FMCSA Reporting DOT/CDL Medical Certificate to your Drivers License

Beginning June 23, 2025, the FMCSA National Registry will begin transmitting medical exam results directly to ALL State Driver Licensing Agencies (SDLAs). Previously, this step required action by the driver or motor carrier.

The new electronic transmission requirements are from the FMCSA and this long awaited modernization is finally reality.

The nationwide shift to automate medical certification data for commercial drivers will make reporting medical fitness to drive more streamlined. The CDL drivers will no longer have the choice of what medical certificate that they choose to submit to the State that their CDL drivers’
license is issued from. This is yet another step to rein in “Doctor Shopping” from CDL drivers that don’t want to comply with FMCSA’s medical fitness requirements to safely operate a Commercial Motor Vehicle. On July 1, 2024, FMCSA began auditing both random and suspicious DOT Physical Examinations.

Beginning June 23, 2025, MEs will no longer need to issue the medical examiner’s certificate (Many drivers call this a “DOT Card,” “DOT Medical Card,” “DOT Medical Certificate,” or “CDL Medical Card”) to CLP/CDL applicants/holders.

CLP/CDL applicants/holders will NOT need to carry their medical certificate as proof of medical certification.

However, Medical Examiners (ME’s) can still make these certificates available if they choose, or if requested by the driver.

Common DOT Physical & CDL Driver Abbreviations Key:
CDL Commercial Driver’s License
CDLIS Commercial Driver’s License Information System
CLP Commercial Learner’s Permit
DOT U.S. Department of Transportation
FMCSA Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
MVR Motor Vehicle Record
NRII National Registry II (Roman 2)
NRCME National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners
SDLA State Driver’s Licensing Agency

What is National Registry II (NRII)?
• NRII refers to the Medical Examiner’s Certification Integration final rule from FMCSA.

• When states implement NRII, medical certification information for CLP applicants and CDL holders in those states will be electronically transmitted from the National Registry to the State Driver Licensing Agency SDLA.

• This rule requires medical examiners to use specific forms for documenting the physical qualification examination and for issuing the medical certificate to qualified drivers.

• This has been a long delayed FMCSA goal to get automatic reporting of DOT Physical results from the National Registry to the SDLA in real time on the date of the DOT physical exam in all 50 states.

How do I know if my State has implemented NRII (will send my DOT exam certificate to my State Driver Licensing Agency (SDLA))?
• Visit the NRII Learning Center page (scroll to bottom) of the National Registry website https://nationalregistry.fmcsa.dot.gov/nriilearning-center
What this means:
This change is intended to streamline the process for updating CDL drivers’ medical certifications and reduce delays or errors in driver qualification records.

Here’s a more detailed breakdown:

• Electronic Submission:
Medical Examiners will continue to electronically upload results of DOT physical examinations, along with any required restrictions or variances, to the National Registry by midnight (local time) of the next calendar day for Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) or Commercial Learner’s Permit (CLP) holders.

• FMCSA Forwarding:
The FMCSA will then transmit the exam results to the state licensing agencies responsible for issuing and managing CDL licenses.

• Driver and Carrier Impact:
Drivers will no longer be required to manually submit their medical certificates to the state licensing agency, and carriers will no longer need to verify the credentials of the medical examiner.

• National Registry:
The National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners (NRCME) will electronically transmit DOT examination results via the State Driver’s License Agencies technology connection.

How does National Registry II (NRII) affect me?

Drivers:

CLP/CDL applicants/holders will not need to carry their medical certificate as proof of medical certification. Non-CDL holders will need to continue carrying their medical certificate.

Physical qualification examinations should be scheduled well before a current medical certificate expires to prevent a gap in certification. Examination results may take three or more business days to be posted to the driver’s CDLIS record with the new reporting system.

When the driver’s identifying information is incorrect, this will delay the transmission of the information to the SDLA, preventing the driver’s CDLIS record from being updated until the correct information is provided by the ME. In addition, this may cause drivers to return to the ME’s office to ensure the correct information is provided.

Steps for CDL Driver to Ensure Successful Transmission to SDLAs
Based on the new process of the electronic transmission of medical certification information from the National Registry to the SDLAs described above and to avoid any issues that could result in a driver not being able to operate, motor carriers should encourage drivers to take the following proactive steps:

1. Begin the certification process with a medical examiner well in advance (at least 2 weeks) of the current (Medical Card Certificate) Medical Examiner’s Certificate, Form MCSA-5876, expiring to allow time for errors to be corrected in the driver data validation process if they occur.

2. Getting your DOT Physical Exam results (DOT card or certificate) to State Driver’s Licensing Agency (SDLA) and connected with your CDL drivers license on the SAME DAY WILL NO LONGER BE POSSIBLE. SDLA’s will no longer accept paper Medical Card Certificate) Medical Examiner’s Certificate, Form MCSA-5876.

3. Your DOT physical results and medical card will only be accepted when they post to the new Commercial Driver’s License Information System (CDLIS). This can take up to 3 days after the medical examiner has entered your DOT Physical results (Medical Card or Certificate) into the National Registry.

4. For drivers with a medical condition in which they believe the medical examiner may require supporting documentation from their treating clinician, encourage the driver to be sure to bring it with them to their physical qualification examination to expedite the qualification decision. Conditions like: Cardiac, Diabetes, Sleep Apnea, Glaucoma, or other vision problems.

5. When completing the Medical Examination Report Form, MCSA-5875, drivers should ensure that they provide accurate information EXACTLY as it appears on their driver’s license as these key identifiers (last name, DOB, licensing state, license number) will be used when transmitting the medical certification information from the National Registry to the SDLA. As discussed above, if inaccurate information is provided, there will be an error and the driver’s medical certification information will not be transmitted from the National Registry to the SDLA. Example: If the address on your medical certificate does NOT match your address EXACTLY then you medical certificate will fail to link with your drivers license.

6. You must make sure that your Medical Certificate/Medical card exactly matches your driver’s license or the DOT Physical will NOT link to your driver’s license. Many drivers have gotten into the habit of not keeping their address current on their driver’s license. ENFORCEMENT is cracking down.
• Florida Statute 322.19(2) If a person, after applying for or receiving a driver license or identification card, changes the legal residence or mailing address in the application, license, or card, the person must, within 30 calendar days after making the change, obtain a replacement license or card that reflects the change. A written request to the department must include the old and new addresses and the driver license or identification card number.
7. How Do I report a change of address on my Driver’s License to the Florida DMV?
Driver’s License/ID Cards Name and Address Change
Name changes must first be made with the Federal Social Security Administration in order to have your name updated on a Florida driver’s license or ID card. All name changes must be completed in person at a local office; however address changes can be completed online via MyDMV Portal or also in person at a local office.

• Name and Address Change Required Documentation
• For a list of the required documentation that you will need to complete a name or address change, please click on your applicable residency status below:
• U.S. Citizen
• Immigrant
• Non-Immigrant
• Canadian
8. If a medical examiner’s office enters the results of the driver’s examination into the National Registry during the examination, this may be an opportunity for the driver to verify that all their information has been entered correctly. However, not every medical examiner enters the results of examinations in this manner, while the driver is present. Therefore, when possible, drivers are encouraged to review their information as the medical examiner has entered it into the National Registry system to ensure accuracy.

Here at Bolick Clinic & Maitland Chiropractic we always enter the results of the driver’s examination into the National Registry at the end of the examination and we issue a paper certificate to help the driver make corrections in case of a mismatch to the State Driver’s Licensing Agency (SDLA). If you received a signed Medical Certificate, then it was reported to the Federal registry at that time.

9. Motor carriers should encourage drivers to remind the medical examiner or their staff, if they do not ask, to make a copy of the driver’s license so they have it to refer to in case there is an error during the transmission of their information from the National Registry to the SDLA.

10. Although the electronic medical certification information transmitted from the National Registry to the SDLA is the only official record of a driver’s medical certification status, and medical examiners are no longer required to issue the original/paper (DOT Medical Card or Certificate) Medical Examiner’s Certificate, Form MCSA-5876 to CLP applicants and CDL holders. Drivers should request a copy for their records this copy may assist them when trying to troubleshoot and resolve issues that might occur with the electronic transmission of their medical certification information from the National Registry to the State Driver’s Licensing Agency (SDLA).

Florida CDL Endorcement Requirements
Florida law requires all CDL drivers to have a valid DOT medical card, unless the type of commerce you drive qualifies as ‘Excepted’.
• Non-Excepted Interstate (Category A)
You must meet the Federal DOT medical certificate requirements.
• Non-Excepted Intrastate (Category C)
You must meet state of Florida medical certification requirements.

Medical Certificate Update
• Drivers certifying in non-excepted interstate or intrastate commerce (Category A or C) must ensure their medical documentation is on file with the state issuing agency and that it remains current. Failure to maintain current medical documentation on file may result in CDL disqualification and/or suspension of your driver’s license.

• The State of Florida does NOT send any kind of reminder that your medical card expiration is approaching. If you get a letter from the State of Florida DMV, then your medical certification date has lapsed and you will have to pay the State of Florida DMV a penalty for letting your medical certificate expire.

• Many drivers opt to not provide their email address to the FMCA when we upload your information into the Federal DOT registry. You could be missing important updates from the FMCA by failing to provide your (optional) email address on your DOT physical intake forms.

Medical Examiners:

The only official record of the CLP/CDL applicant’s/holder’s qualification status will be the information electronically transmitted from the National Registry to the state driver’s licensing agency (SDLA). The SDLA will enter this information into the driver’s Commercial Driver’s License Information System (CDLIS) record.

If the driver’s identifying information (i.e., name, date of birth, license number and licensing State) is missing or incorrect, the system will not be able to match the medical examiner’s certificate information to the driver’s CDLIS record, resulting in an error message back to the ME. The ME will be responsible for correcting the error.

Medical examiners should ensure that they are capturing accurate information on each driver they examine. When the driver completes the Medical Examination Report Form, MCSA-5875, they should be providing accurate information exactly as it appears on their driver’s license, as these key identifiers (last name, DOB, licensing state, license number) will be used when transmitting the medical certification information from the National Registry to the SDLA. As discussed above, if inaccurate information is provided, there will be an error and the driver’s medical certification information will not be transmitted from the National Registry to the SDLA.

All medical examiners have the capability to enter the results of the driver’s examination while the driver is present for the examination. This method could afford an opportunity for the driver to verify in real time, that all their information has been entered correctly. It would limit errors that could potentially be returned during the driver data validation.

Medical examiners should capture an image or make a copy of each driver’s license, so you have it to refer to in case there is an error during the transmission of the driver’s information from the National Registry to the SDLA.

Advise drivers of the most efficient way to for them to work with the Examiner’s office if they become aware that there is an issue with their physical qualification results posting to their CDLIS (Commercial Driver’s License Information System) driver MVR (Motor Vehicle Record).

Motor Carriers:

Motor carriers will no longer be required to verify that the ME is listed on the National Registry. Motor carriers must use the driver’s motor vehicle record from the SDLA to document CLP/CDL applicants’/holders’ medical certification status.

For non-CDL holders, however, motor carriers will still need to verify that the ME is listed on the National Registry. A medical examiner’s certificate that has not been signed by a certified ME is not valid.

Law Enforcement Officers

Law Enforcement Officers must use only the electronic results transmitted to the SDLA and posted to the CDLIS driver MVR as official proof of medical certification for drivers.

• CLP/CDL applicants/holders will NOT need to carry their medical certificate as proof of medical certification.

• Non-CDL holders will need to continue carrying their medical certificate.

How NRII will improve highway safety?

• NRII improves the quality of driver medical certification information by replacing paper records with electronic records. FMCSA will now electronically transmit medical certification information from the National Registry to the SDLA (state driver’s licensing agency). NRII also provides roadside inspectors and law enforcement officers with the most current medical certification information for these drivers.

• It eliminates the possibility of uncertified medical examiners issuing a Medical Examiner’s Certificate, Form MCSA-5876, to CLP applicants and CDL holders as only certified medical examiners can report results of physical qualification examinations through the National Registry. As a result, NRII ensures drivers are medically certified to operate in interstate commerce, improving highway safety.

• It cracks down on “doctor shopping” the results of EVERY DOT Medical Exam are reported to the SDLA (state driver’s licensing agency). Combined with FMCSA auditing both random and suspicious DOT Physical Examinations that began July 1, 2024. It ensures drivers are medically certified to operate in interstate commerce and not “gaming the system” to avoid properly treating medical conditions the CDL driver has chosen not to properly medically mange. This dramatically improves highway safety.

When must impacted individuals comply?

By June 23, 2025. However, FMCSA will allow states to implement NRII before June 23, 2025, if they are ready to do so.
• When states implement NRII, medical certification information for CLP applicants and CDL holders in those states will be electronically transmitted from the National Registry to the SDLA and
o the original/paper Medical Examiner’s Certificate, Form MCSA-5876, may no longer be used as proof of medical certification.
• In states that have implemented NRII, the medical examiner is not required to issue the original/paper Medical Examiner’s Certificate, Form MCSA-5876, as the medical certification information will be electronically transmitted to the SDLA.
• States that have NOT implemented NRII, the medical examiner must continue to issue drivers the original/paper Medical Examiner’s Certificate, Form MCSA-5876, and drivers need to submit the form to the SDLAs.

• Only a few States have yet to comply with NRCME Electronic Submission of DOT Exam Results to States (as of February 1, 2026)

o States that have not implemented NRII can be found at the bottom of the webpage https://nationalregistry.fmcsa.dot.gov/nriilearning-center

o What does this mean for drivers in these states?
o Drivers licensed in states that have NOT implemented NRII must continue to submit a paper copy of their Medical Examiner’s Certificate, MCSA-5876, to their State Driver Licensing Agency (SDLA).

o Regardless of where the examination is performed, the driver must ensure that the certified medical examiner issues them an original/paper Medical Examiner’s Certificate, MCSA-5876 so the driver can submit it to their State Driver Licensing Agency (SDLA).

• The FMCSA will update the list of States as they implement NRII. Follow this link to check for updates (scroll to bottom of webpage). https://nationalregistry.fmcsa.dot.gov/nriilearning-center
How do I know if my State has implemented NRII (will send my DOT exam certificate to my State Driver Licensing Agency (SDLA))?
• Visit the NRII Learning Center page of the National Registry website
(scroll to bottom of webpage).
https://nationalregistry.fmcsa.dot.gov/nriilearning-center

What if I need a Medical Variance
• In situations that a medical examiner indicates that you are required to obtain a medical variance (SPE Certificate or medical exemption) on the submitted examination result, your examination results will not be transmitted to the SDLA until you have been issued the medical variance by FMCSA. Once the medical variance has been issued, the National Registry system will link it with your initial examination results
and transmit the information to the SDLA. Please note that you are still required to carry medical variances while operating.

Do I need Carry My Medical Variance When I Drive?
• Yes, you are still required to carry medical variances while operating.

How do I verify my medical certification (DOT Physical Exam) information is successfully posted to the CDL driver’s motor vehicle record?

As drivers do not have access to the National Registry or SDLA systems, if you received a physical qualification examination, were told you are physically qualified and later receive a CDL downgrade letter, it is likely that your medical certification information was not received by the SDLA. If this happens and you determine there is an issue, you should immediately take the following steps:

• Step 1- Contact the medical examiner that performed your physical qualification examination, explain the issue, and request that they log into their National Registry account and verify if they received an error message task for your examination. If they have, request that they use the copy of your driver’s license submitted at the time of the examination to correct any errors and select submit.

• Step 2 – Contact the SDLA to inform them that the medical examiner submitted the
validation/correction and to verify that the medical certification information posted. If it has not, and you requested an original/paper Medical Examiner’s Certificate, Form MCSA-5876, at the time of your examination, verify if it would be helpful to use it to help troubleshoot the issue and resolve it. In addition, the SDLA can attempt to pull the information from the National Registry which may assist in identifying the error that needs to be corrected (e.g., errors in the spelling of last name, DOB, licensing state, or license number). May 2025

• Step 3 – If neither of the steps above resolve the issue, you can contact FMCSA’s National Registry Technical Support Helpdesk at fmctechsup@dot.gov or (617) 494-3003, to assist in determining the issue and possible corrective actions the agency can assist with.

What if I’m stopped by a law enforcement officer, they check your CDLIS driver MVR (government computer database), and they tell me that my record states I am not medically certified, you should:

• Step 1- Contact the medical examiner that performed your physical qualification examination, explain the issue, and request that they log into their National Registry account and verify if they received an error message task for your examination. If they have, request that they use the copy of your driver’s license submitted at the time of the examination to correct any errors and select submit.

• Step 2 – Contact the SDLA to inform them that the medical examiner submitted the
validation/correction and to verify that the medical certification information posted. If it has not, and you requested an original/paper Medical Examiner’s Certificate, Form MCSA-5876, at the time of your examination, verify if it would be helpful to use it to help troubleshoot the issue and resolve it. In addition, the SDLA can attempt to pull the information from the National Registry which may assist in identifying the error that needs to be corrected (e.g., errors in the spelling of last name, DOB (Date of Birth), licensing state, or license number).

• Step 3 – If neither of the steps above resolve the issue, you can contact FMCSA’s National Registry Technical Support Helpdesk at fmctechsup@dot.gov or (617) 494-3003, to assist you in determining what the problem is and what possible corrective actions the agency can help you with to get your DOT Physical Exam results from the medical examiner reported correctly in the database to get your CDL license reinstated for expired medical card (certificate).

What if my medical examiner made an error on my DOT Physical Card (certificate) and I can’t find the examiner (doctor) or contact them to make the correction?

• The quickest solution to get a new DOT physical and make sure that EVERYTHING is correct on you DOT medical card (certificate). One number that is off or a spelling variation of your name or address can cause a mismatch and your DOT medical card will fail to link with your driver’s license.
• You can contact FMCSA’s National Registry Technical Support Helpdesk at fmctechsup@dot.gov or (617) 494-3003, but in the end the solution with probably be the same: get a new DOT Physical.
• This will make getting your physical done by a well established doctor more imperative and save the driver money if a mismatch correction needs to be done.
o Maitland Chiropractic has been in continuous operation at the same address with the same phone number since 1980.
o Physicals done at truck stops, mobile rigs and urgent care (including pharmacy based clinic) locations may be more challenging and sometimes impossible to connect with the examiner to correct a data entry mistake. Medical providers have a high rate of turnover in urgent care facilities and pharmacy based clinics with variable work schedules. Most DOT Physicals performed in urgent care are done by a nurse practitioner or physician assistant. Some of these providers have multiple employers and may only work in an urgent care location one or two days per week and sometimes on a temporary basis.
o Failure rate for urgent care centers is increasing. Urgent care locations are closing with increased frequency, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. Urgent care failure with locations shuttered is driven by industry-wide financial and operational challenges that are making it harder for both independent clinics and larger chains to operate profitably.
 Major chains closing locations: In 2024-2025, significant healthcare providers announced the closure of urgent care and retail health clinics (pharmacy based) across the United States.
• Optum: Announced the closure of multiple clinics, including urgent care facilities, in multiple states.
• Walgreens: Closed 160 VillageMD clinics after investing heavily in them.
• Walmart: Shut down all 51 of its Walmart Health centers in five states.
• CVS: Is closing dozens of its MinuteClinics.
 Many urgent care clinics reported a steady decline in patient visits starting in 2023 with decline continuing. Stagnant insurance reimbursement, staffing shortages and market saturation are all contributors to urgent care locations going out of business.
 Telehealth and evolving technology. Many conditions commonly treated at urgent care like: sore throat, ear aches, colds, the flu, and COVID-19, headaches, minor cuts, burns, insect bites, allergies, sinus infections, urinary tract infections (UTIs) and yeast infections can be diagnosed and managed via Telehealth visits. So the “bread and butter” of urgent care is transferring to Telehealth COVID-19 pandemic.
Non-CDL Holders What Changes With National Registry II (NRII)?
If you are a non-CDL holder, NRII does not apply to you. Qualified medical examiners are still required to issue you the original/paper Medical Examiner’s Certificate, Form MCSA-5876, at the time of your examination.
In addition, you are still required to carry a copy of your Medical Examiner’s Certificate, Form MCSA-5876, when operating a commercial motor vehicle as proof of medical certification. Because you don’t have CDLIS (Commercial Driver’s License Information System) driver MVR (driver motor vehicle record), your information is not being electronically transmitted from the National Registry to the SDLA (State Driver’s Licensing Agencies) as there is no place to record the information.

If you are a non-CDL holder who is medically certified and at a later time decide to become a CDL holder, your current medical certification information can be pulled from the National Registry by the SDLA for posting to your CDLIS driver MVR.

Common DOT Physical & CDL Driver Abbreviations Key:
CDL Commercial Driver’s License
CDLIS Commercial Driver’s License Information System
CLP Commercial Learner’s Permit
DOT U.S. Department of Transportation
FMCSA Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
MVR Motor Vehicle Record
NRII National Registry II (Roman 2)
NRCME National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners
SDLA State Driver’s Licensing Agency

Monitoring and Auditing DOT Physicals with National Registry System

On July 1, 2024, FMCSA began auditing both random and suspicious DOT Physical Examinations.

What driver examination records will be audited?

All records associated with the physical qualification examination, including but not limited to the following:
• Medical Examination Report Form, MCSA-5875
• Medical Examiner’s Certificate, Form MCSA-5876
• Insulin Treated Diabetes Mellitus (ITDM) Assessment Form, MCSA-5870
• Vision Evaluation Report, Form MCSA–5871
• 391.41 CMV Driver Medication Form, MCSA-5895
• Non-Insulin Treated Diabetes Mellitus Assessment Form, MCSA-5872
• Any other medical records used in making a physical qualification determination including primary care and specialists.

What will trigger FMCSA to audit a driver’s physical examination records?

While the FMCSA’s to audit trigger criteria are proprietary, there are some scenarios that can be deemed as high risk of audit.

1. CDL driver that gets disqualified and then a few days later gets certified for 2 years by a different medical examiner. The FMCSA is likely going to audit the physical from BOTH doctors’ offices to determine what the driver got disqualified for and did they truly resolve that deficiency in just a few days.

2. A medical examiner (ME) that gives most everyone they see 2 years and/or an unrealistically low or no disqualifications. There are ME’s that have already had their certification revoked and removed from the National Registry.

3. An accident involving a CDL driver with a fatality.

Will HIPPA protect me from not disclosing medications that I take? Will HIPPA protect me from medical conditions a fail to disclose on my DOT Physical?
The short answer is, NO HIPPA will not save you from failure to disclose medications you are taking or medical conditions in ANY of your doctor’s medical records. Whoa, what about my medical privacy? HIPPA only protects you from unauthorized disclosure of your medical records. A subpoena from a lawyer to obtain your COMPLETE medical records is an authorized disclosure provision by HIPPA. We do a lot of DOT physicals. We get subpoenas nearly every week for DOT Physical exam records and I can guarantee you that ALL of your doctors also got a subpoena too!

How would a lawyer know all the doctors that I’ve seen and all the medications that I’ve been prescribed?

1. The lawyer will send a subpoena to your health insurance for your records there. This will include a list of EVERY doctor that you’ve seen and EVERY pharmacy a prescription was filled that your health insurance knows about.

2. The lawyer will send a subpoena your pharmacy or pharmacies for a list of all the medications that you’ve taken and every doctor that’s prescribed them.

3. What if I paid cash to see a doctor am I safe from a lawyer not finding out with a subpoena? Probably not…..

a. If the doctor you paid cash to gave you a prescription, then that doctor will be listed in your pharmacy records. What if I didn’t fill that prescription? If it was an electronic prescription then it’s probably in your pharmacy records regardless of if you filled it or didn’t fill it.

b. If you mentioned to ANY of your other doctors that you already disclosed and/or a lawyer somehow got the records by subpoena and you mentioned seeing this “cash doctor” then the lawyer can probably find out from your medical records.

c. What if I never told any of my ”insurance doctors” the name of this “cash doctor;” am I safe? Probably not.
i. The magic of a deposition. A lawyer could ask you under oath in a deposition or in court about this “cash doctor” or ask you to verify that the list of doctors that the opposing attorney has is complete and correct. So, if you lie, then you could also get busted for perjury! Keep in mind, lawyers sometimes ask questions that they already have the answer to (with proof) just to bust you in a lie that will completely discredit you. The court and the jury will assume that all of your testimony under oath is “suspect.”

ii. There a many more ways that law firms use to get medical records for a lawsuit.

It’s Already Started in the Aerospace & Aviation Medicine Sector

Although the cases of fraudulent medical reporting have been known to exist for over two decades, the Federal budget had not allotted significant funding to fully investigate it.

In 2019, FAA investigators finally had the means to compare FAA medical exams with VA medical records, with US Inspector General Michael’s office alerting officials to the nearly 5,000 troubling cases.

In 2023, nearly 5,000 pilots licensed to operate in the US were investigated for allegedly falsifying medical records to hide conditions that could deem them unfit to fly, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

The pilots were all military veterans and are accused of knowingly concealing serious health conditions or mental health disorders to the FAA, even as they reported them to other officials to collect disability benefits, The Washington Post reported.

The irregularities were first discovered as early as 2020 with about 4,800 pilots investigated by 2023 and half of those cases closed, FAA spokesman Matthew Lehner said in a statement.

Of those cases, about 60 pilots “posed a clear danger to aviation safety” and were ordered to cease flying while their records were under review.

The revelation has exposed a long-criticized method of how the FAA’s medical system screens pilots and relying on aviators to SELF-REPORT THEIR CONDITIONS.

Experts say this method of self-reporting medical conditions incentivizes vets to conceal their conditions from the FAA so they’ll be able to work — while often exaggerating the conditions to Veterans Affairs to bolster disability payments and coverage.

“There are people out there who I think are trying to play both sides of the game,” Jerome Limoge, an aviation medical examiner in Colorado Springs told the outlet. “They’re being encouraged by VA to claim everything. Some of it is almost stolen valor.”

Amid the investigation, the FAA also learned some of its own contracted physicians advised pilots to conceal their conditions.

What’s the FAA investigation have to do with CDL drivers?

It’s a warning shot, that further scrutiny is coming from the FMCSA on the accuracy of DOT Physicals for CDL drivers to be medically cleared to qualify for a CDL. It’s common knowledge that a significant number of CDL drivers intentionally fail to disclose, medications, medical conditions and even recent emergency room visits that could impact their ability to safely operate a commercial motor vehicle. Some instructors at various CDL Truck Driving Schools even tell student drivers seeking a Commercial Learner’s Permit (CLP) to just lie on their medical history and to lie about the medications that they are taking.

With the recent increase in US government efficiency and the integration of Federal databases to be cross referenced by Artificial Intelligence (AI) for accuracy it is just a matter of time before pharmacy, hospital, primary care and specialist records are cross referenced and verified as accurate.

It is essential for every driver undergoing a DOT physical to answer all questions honestly and accurately in order to avoid any potential future penalties. A driver may lose their ability to work as a commercial driver if they are found guilty of lying during their DOT physical. All this means one simple thing. It’s best not to lie when it comes to DOT physicals.
President Trump issued Executive Orders in 2025, which placed a renewed focus on roadway safety and directed the Department of Transportation to take swift action. The Trump administration has made hi-way safety a priority. President Trump is diverting more resources to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) an agency that has been under funded for decades will now be able to implement enforcement and audit DOT medical exams.

What about CDL drivers with an out-of-state license that get an examination in Florida or another state that his not implemented National Registry II?

When the driver’s exam determination is entered in the Federal Database and Medical Certificate/Card is printed the exam results will automatically link to your out-of-state CDL drivers license, because the Federal portal is linked to every state that has implemented National Registry II. But if the state that issued your driver’s license does not participate with National Registry II, then you must still link your DOT Physical to your driver’s license by whatever method that your specific state uses.