FMCSA Moves to Renew Diabetes Form for DOT Physicals

FMCSA Moves to Renew Diabetes Form Used in DOT Physicals

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is moving to renew a medical form used during some DOT physicals.

The form is for commercial drivers who have diabetes that is not treated with insulin. It can help a medical examiner learn more about a driver’s health before making a medical certification decision. The form is called the Non-Insulin-Treated Diabetes Mellitus Assessment Form, or MCSA-5872.

This is not a new diabetes rule. FMCSA is asking to keep using an existing form under the federal Paperwork Reduction Act.

Diabetes Form Is Still Voluntary

The form is not required for every driver with non-insulin-treated diabetes.

FMCSA says use of MCSA-5872 is voluntary. A certified medical examiner may ask for it if more health details are needed during a DOT physical. There is also no set schedule for how often the form must be used.

If the form is requested, the driver’s treating healthcare provider can send medical information to the examiner. The examiner can then use that information when deciding if the driver meets federal medical standards.

For truck drivers, this could mean one more step in the medical card process. The notice does not say how often that causes delays.

FMCSA Rules Do Not Mean Automatic Disqualification

FMCSA has separate rules for drivers whose diabetes is treated with insulin.

The rules do not set out the same type of detailed process for drivers whose diabetes is treated without insulin. Instead, medical examiners look at the driver’s full health condition and decide whether it affects safe CMV operation.

That means non-insulin-treated diabetes does not automatically disqualify a commercial driver.

The key issue is whether the condition is under control and whether any related health problems affect the driver’s ability to meet FMCSA medical standards.

What Medical Examiners May Look For

FMCSA lists several health problems that can be linked to diabetes.

These can include problems with the heart, blood vessels, muscles, limbs, and movement. The agency also notes that loss of consciousness can be a concern. In some cases, an examiner may also look at frequent cases of severe hypoglycemia.

If the examiner needs more details, MCSA-5872 gives the driver’s regular healthcare provider a standard way to share them.

The goal is to help the medical examiner make a sound decision based on the driver’s actual health.

FMCSA Form Could Add a Step to DOT Physicals

The form may matter most when a driver is close to a medical card renewal date.

If the examiner asks for more records, the driver may need to wait for a treating doctor to complete and return the form. That can add another step before the medical examiner makes a final decision.

FMCSA says the form may be sent by fax or by scanned email. The agency expects about half of the forms to be sent electronically.

For company drivers, owner-operators, and fleets, the main point is simple. This is not a new form that every driver must complete.

FMCSA Estimates More Than 1 Million Respondents

FMCSA estimates that the information collection involves 1,011,520 respondents.

The agency says those respondents are treating healthcare providers for CMV drivers with non-insulin-treated diabetes. FMCSA estimates that each response takes about eight minutes.

The agency also lists a total annual paperwork burden of 27,913 hours.

The notice does not fully explain how the respondent estimate and annual burden figure fit together. Because the form is voluntary, the total should not be read to mean that more than 1 million truck drivers must complete the form.

Medical Records Must Be Kept for Three Years

The completed diabetes form is not made public.

FMCSA says the information becomes part of the driver’s medical exam records. The certified medical examiner must keep those records for at least three years from the date of the exam.

That is different from comments submitted during the federal review process.

Public comments sent to FMCSA are posted online. The agency warns that personal information included in those comments may also be made public.

FMCSA Seeks Public Comments

FMCSA published the notice as part of the Paperwork Reduction Act process.

The agency is asking for comments on whether the form is needed and whether its burden estimates are accurate. FMCSA is also asking for ideas on how to make the form clearer and how to reduce paperwork without lowering the quality of the information.

The notice was set for publication in the Federal Register on August 25, 2026. Comments are due 60 days after publication.
For commercial truck drivers with non-insulin-treated diabetes, the main issue is not a new medical rule. It is the continued use of an optional form that can help a medical examiner decide whether a driver meets FMCSA health standards for CMV operation.