US interstate CMV drivers generally need a valid Medical Examiner’s Certificate from a listed examiner, often up to 24 months. Canadian medical fitness is handled through provincial licence medical programs and class-based requirements rather than a single federal “DOT card” model. Cross-border Canadian drivers who operate in the US typically need the US medical certificate as well.
United States
The medical examiner’s certificate (often called the DOT medical card) is a cornerstone of Part 391 qualification. Certificates can be issued for up to 24 months, or shorter when the examiner sets conditions. CDL holders must keep medical certification status current with the state driver licensing agency processes that apply.
A driver with an expired medical card is not qualified — even if the plastic CDL is still in their wallet. Fleets that only track licence expiry miss medicals constantly.
Canada
Provinces require medical examinations for certain commercial classes on schedules that can differ by age and class. Evidence of fitness lives with the licensing authority and often as copies in the carrier file. Do not assume a US DOT card satisfies a provincial medical requirement or vice versa.
Operational practice
Store issue date, expiry date, examiner identity when relevant, and any restrictions (corrective lenses, hearing aids, time-limited certificates). Alert 60–90 days before expiry. Block dispatch when medical status is expired — paper reminders alone are not enough for multi-terminal fleets.
FAQ
Does a 24-month US medical always last 24 months?
No. Examiners may issue shorter certificates based on health conditions. Always file the actual expiry on the certificate, not a default 24-month assumption.
Related guides
When you are ready for software
Editorial links to the TruckerPro product site (separate intent from these guides):
- Medical & licence expiry alerts (truckerpro.ca)
Related reading on truckerpro.ca
Deeper regulatory articles and the software side of the same job, on our product site:
- Canada’s drug and alcohol Clearinghouse equivalent (truckerpro.ca)
What Canadian carriers use where US carriers query the FMCSA Clearinghouse. - Driver file management in a TMS (truckerpro.ca)
Expiry tracking, audit packets and version history without the binder. - Driver retention strategies (truckerpro.ca)
Why onboarding paperwork is a retention problem, not just a compliance one. - Surviving a new-entrant safety audit (truckerpro.ca)
What an auditor asks a new carrier for, and the order they ask for it in.
Ready to digitize driver files?
TruckerPro tracks licences, medicals, abstracts/MVRs, and expiries for US and Canadian fleets — free company signup, free demo on request.