How do I determine which type of commercial motor vehicle (CMV) operation I should self-certify to?

How do I determine which type of commercial motor vehicle (CMV) operation I should self-certify to?

To comply with the new medical certification requirements, you must first determine which type of commercial driving you do. Please follow the three steps below.

Step 1:

Is your CDL used to operate a commercial motor vehicle in interstate or intrastate commerce?

Interstate commerce is when you drive:

  • From one state to another state or to a foreign country;
  • Between two places within a state, but the route takes the vehicle through another state or foreign country; or
  • Between two places within a state, but your cargo came from or will be delivered to another state or foreign country.
     

Intrastate commerce is when you drive a commercial motor vehicle only within one state and you do not meet any of the descriptions above for interstate commerce.

NOTE: If you operate in both intrastate commerce and interstate commerce, you must choose interstate commerce.

Step 2:

Once you have determined whether you operate in interstate commerce or intrastate commerce, you must decide whether your status is non-excepted or excepted status.

Interstate Commerce -- Excepted or Non-excepted:

If the only type of commercial driving you do is one of the following excepted activities, then you operate in excepted interstate commerce and do not need to submit a federal medical examiner's certificate.

  • Transporting school children and/or school staff between home and school;
  • Transporting human corpses, or sick or injured persons;
  • Operating a fire truck or rescue vehicle during emergencies and other related activities;
  • Primarily transporting propane winter heating fuel when responding to an emergency condition requiring immediate response such as damage to a propane gas system after a storm or flooding;
  • Responding to a pipeline emergency condition requiring immediate response such as a pipeline leak or rupture;
  • Working in custom harvesting on a farm or to transport farm machinery and supplies used in the custom harvesting operation to and from a farm or to transport custom harvested crops to storage or market;
  • Working as a beekeeper in the seasonal transportation of bees;
  • Operating a vehicle controlled and operated by a farmer, but not a combination vehicle (power unit and towed unit), that is used to transport agricultural products, farm machinery or farm supplies, but not placardable hazardous materials, to and from a farm and within 150 air miles of the farm;
  • Driving as a private motor carrier of passengers for nonbusiness purposes; or
  • Transporting migrant workers.

If your commercial driving does not include any of the activities listed above, then you operate in non-excepted interstate commerce and are required to provide a current medical examiner's certificate (49 CFR 391.45), commonly referred to as a medical certificate or DOT card.

Most commercial drivers operating in interstate commerce are non-excepted interstate commerce drivers.

If you operate in both excepted interstate commerce and non-excepted interstate commerce, you must choose non-excepted interstate commerce.

Intrastate Commerce -- Excepted or Non-excepted:

You operate in excepted intrastate commerce when you drive a commercial motor vehicle only in intrastate commerce activities that your state of licensure has determined do not require you to meet the state's medical certification requirements.

You operate in non-excepted intrastate commerce when you drive a commercial motor vehicle only in intrastate commerce and are required to meet your state of licensure's medical certification requirements.

If you operate in both excepted intrastate commerce and non-excepted intrastate commerce, you must choose non-excepted intrastate commerce.

Step 3:

Provide the Secretary of State's Office with your self-certification of your operating status. If you self-certify to non-excepted interstate you must provide the Secretary of State's Office with an original or a copy of your current medical examiner's certificate.

To complete the federal medical certification requirements, bring your documents to any Michigan Secretary of State, fax them to 517-636-4359 or submit them online at www.Michigan.gov/CDL.

Medical examiner's certificates that are valid only with a waiver exemption or skills performance evaluation certificates must be submitted in person at any Secretary of State office. You can find a list of Secretary of State office locations from the Branch Office Locator.
 


 

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