To drive a commercial vehicle on interstate routes, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requires a current medical certificate. You get it through the DOT physical. If you drive a truck in Houston, here is what to know before you go.
Who needs a DOT physical?
As a rule, anyone who drives in interstate commerce a vehicle over 10,001 pounds, hauls hazardous materials or carries passengers above a certain number. Almost every CDL driver falls into that group. Texas applies similar requirements to some in-state transport; your employer or the DPS can tell you whether it applies to you.
What does the examiner check?
The exam follows federal form MCSA-5875 (FMCSA):
- Your health history, which you fill out: medications, surgeries, sleep, diabetes, heart.
- Vision: at least 20/40 in each eye and with both, with or without glasses, plus a minimum horizontal field of vision.
- Hearing: hearing a forced whisper at a set distance, or an audiometry test.
- Blood pressure and pulse.
- A urine test for protein, blood or sugar. It is a health indicator; it is not the drug test.
- A physical exam of the heart, lungs, abdomen, spine, limbs and nervous system.
How long is the certificate valid?
Up to 24 months. The examiner may issue a shorter one when a condition needs follow-up: with blood pressure in certain ranges, for example, a one-year certificate is common.
What do I bring?
- Your driver's license.
- Whatever you wear to see or hear: glasses, contacts, hearing aids.
- A list of your medications with doses.
- If you use insulin: form MCSA-5870 completed by your treating clinician (FMCSA). It must be less than 45 days old when you come in for the exam.
- If you have sleep apnea with CPAP: your machine's usage report.
- Recent specialist reports if you have a heart condition.
Showing up with these papers keeps your certificate from being held up for missing information.
Can I drive if I use insulin or take medications?
In many cases, yes. Since 2018 federal rules allow drivers with insulin-treated diabetes to be certified if their regimen is stable and the disease is well controlled; in that case the certificate lasts up to 12 months. With other medications, what matters is that they don't affect your ability to drive safely: that is why the examiner asks about each one, including over-the-counter drugs and anything you take for sleep or pain. Don't leave any out; an incomplete answer can void the certificate.
Is the drug test part of the exam?
No. It is a separate procedure your employer requests under Department of Transportation rules. The clinic also offers alcohol and drug testing for employment, if you need it the same day.
What if I don't pass?
It depends on the reason. Often it can be solved by getting the condition under control: lowering blood pressure with treatment, getting the right glasses or bringing the missing report. You then come back once you have it. If you have high blood pressure or diabetes, starting management of those conditions early makes renewal much smoother.
Your DOT physical on Bellfort Avenue
At Clínica Hispana Nueva Salud (7640 Bellfort Ave, Suite A, Houston 77061) we perform the DOT physical with no appointment and in Spanish. If you meet the requirements, you leave with your medical certificate that same day. Since we're open 9 AM to 9 PM on weekends too, you can stop by before heading out or once you're back. Phone and WhatsApp: (832) 831-4016.
