New FMCSA Waiver Gives Carriers Space to Be Fully Compliant

FMCSA Waiver is a Compliance Relief for Medical Certification Transition

The FMCSA waiver gives commercial drivers and state licensing agencies more time to meet the new medical certification requirements under the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners system, also known as NRII. This temporary waiver is meant to ease the transition into the updated FMCSA medical examiner rules. It addresses concerns about CDL medical requirements, state licensing delays, and compliance deadlines. The waiver is especially important for drivers working to meet federal motor carrier guidelines while maintaining valid commercial driver’s licenses.

Why the FMCSA Waiver Was Needed

The waiver was issued because many states and medical examiners were not fully prepared. The original compliance deadline was June 23, 2025, but some systems were still not ready to support the new process.

The waiver is effective from July 14, 2025, through October 12, 2025. During this time, FMCSA will not issue penalties to drivers, motor carriers, certified medical examiners, or state licensing agencies. This temporary relief gives everyone time to adjust.

What the FMCSA Waiver Allows

The FMCSA waiver covers three main areas:

1. Medical examiners do not have to upload medical cards to the federal system right away.
2. State offices can still take medical cards directly from drivers.
3. Carriers do not have to check the National Registry for each driver’s record.

These rules stay in place until early October. After that, all the new rules will apply.

How the FMCSA Waiver Helps Trucking

The waiver gives drivers and carriers time to adjust. Without it, some drivers could be taken off the road. That could hurt delivery schedules and business operations.

This waiver helps avoid those problems. Carriers can still hire and keep drivers. Doctors can still give medical cards, even if they can’t upload them yet.

FMCSA Offers Tools to Help

FMCSA also created a learning center. This site helps medical examiners and state workers learn the new system. It has training videos and helpful guides.

In a statement, FMCSA said these delays were not the fault of drivers or carriers. The FMCSA waiver helps everyone keep working while systems get fixed.

What Happens After the FMCSA Waiver Ends

By early October, the system should be fully working. After that, medical examiners will need to upload medical cards to the registry. States will stop accepting cards from drivers.

Until then, the waiver stays in effect. It gives everyone time to fix problems and avoid confusion.

FMCSA hopes this will help drivers stay on the road. The FMCSA waiver is one way to support a smooth switch to the new system.