It is mandated by federal guidelines that all commercial drivers pass the Department of Transportation health exam. The purpose of this test is to determine whether a potential driver is physically capable of driving safely now and in the foreseeable future.

Successfully passing the exam means you have 24 months before you need to do it again. In some cases, however, this period might be decreased in case that serious health problems might arise in the future.

Health Requirements

Below are the basic requirements for passing the DOT physical exam.

• Vision in both eyes, as well as each eye individually, need to be 20/40. Visual improvement devices, such as glasses or contacts, are allowed.
• Needs to be capable of distinguishing colors found on traffic signals.
• Hearing should be good enough to notice a forced whisper at a minimum distance of 5 feet.
• Blood pressure must be under 160/100. Prescription medication may be used to control blood pressure.
• The maximum level of blood sugar an applicant is allowed to have is 200.
• Use of schedule 1 drugs is strictly disallowed.

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