NRCME Training FAQ

The National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners (National Registry) was developed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to improve highway safety and driver health by requiring that medical examiners be trained and certified to effectively determine whether a CMV driver meets FMCSA’s physical qualification standards. The goal of the National Registry program is to promote and preserve the highest level of professional standards of training and care among medical examiners. To further that goal, the National Registry program requires that medical examiners performing CMV driver examinations be trained and certified.

To become a medical examiner listed on the National Registry, you must:

1. Register for your national registry account, click here to go to the FMCSA website.
2. Register for training, click here to start.
3. Upload your training certificate to your NRCME account.
4. Register for the test with either Prometric or PSI.
5. Once you pass your test, you will be notified by the FMCSA by email and you may begin to conduct DOT/CDL medical exams.

You must first complete accredited training and upload your certificate to your NRCME account. Once you do this, register for the test with either Prometric or PSI.

You must be a licensed, certified, or registered to perform medical examinations in accordance with applicable State laws and regulations. The examiner type varies by state.

The test is currently only administered by two organizations: Prometric and PSI. You must register with them to take your test.

You must complete an accredited training course, like this one, prior to registering for the NRCME Test.

Your certification is valid for 10 years from the date it is issued. You must complete a 5 year (free) refresher course, which is available in your NRCME account. After 9 years, you should begin your recertification training as it is required prior to your expiration date.

10 Year recertification is a new process as of 2023 and requires all medical examiners to complete accredited NRCME training and pass the NRCME test prior to their certification expiring. This may be started in the CME’s 9th year and must be completing before the end of their 9th year.

The test is administered by PSI or Prometric and must be scheduled and taken at one of their on-site testing locations.

Once your 10 year expiration date has passed, you will be removed from the national registry. You could petition the FMCSA in order to be granted more time to complete your training and pass the test, but this is by no means guaranteed. In most cases, you will need to complete accredited NRCME training and pass the NRCME test to be reinstated.

You would have received, but not responded to, an email from the FMCSA advising you of information that needed to be updated, or actions to be completed. This includes, but is not limited to, verifying your medical license information, completing your 5 year refresher training, or 10 year recertification requirements. Log onto your national registry account and review the red alerts to resolve any issues. You should also contact fmctechsup@dot.gov to notify them that you will be complying with the requirements and wish for reinstatement.

You may begin doing exams as soon as you are listed on the national registry. This typically takes anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. You should check daily, there is no guaranteed timeline.

Yes, you must apply when registering to take the test through the FMCSA. Some examples would include: Need for extended time, need for a paper version of the exam, etc… The accommodations must be granted prior to registering to take the test.