Federal guidelines mandate that all commercial drivers pass the Department of Transportation health exam. The goal of this exam is to determine whether an applicant is fit enough to drive safely now and in the foreseeable future.

Passing the exam successfully means you have 24 months before you need to do it again. In some cases, this period might be decreased in case that serious health issues could appear in the future.

Health Requirements

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

• With or without vision corrections, each eye, as well as both eyes combined, need to have 20/40 vision.
• Must be able to distinguish colors found on traffic signals.
• Should be able to perceive a forced whisper at a distance of at least 5 feet.
• Maximum allowable blood pressure is 160/100. Use of prescription medication to achieve this threshold is allowed.
• An applicant can have diabetes which is controlled through diet or medication. Diabetes controlled through insulin injections is not permitted.
• Blood sugar may not be higher than 200.
• Use of schedule 1 drugs is forbidden.
• If you are currently diagnosed with a cardiovascular disease such as congestive cardiac failure, collapse or cardiac insufficiency, then you will have to provide the Medical Examiner with a stress test as well as with a note from your physician which states that you are capable of driving a commercial motor vehicle without restrictions.

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