1-1-.06 Minimum Physical Requirements Required to Obtain a Commercial Driver's License
(1) Any person applying for a CLP; renewing, upgrading, adding
endorsements to a CDL, or transferring a CDL from another
state will be required to self-certify to a single type of
commercial operation and provide a copy of their medical
certificate (if applicable) and any applicable variance documents
(i.e. Vision Waivers, Hearing Waivers, Skills Performance Waivers,
Diabetic Waivers, Seizure Waivers).
(a) Each individual holding a CLP or CDL will be responsible for
providing new copies of medical examiner certificates and
any applicable variances (i.e. vision waivers, hearing waivers,
Skills Performance waivers, diabetic waivers, seizure waivers)
prior to the expiration of the previous documents.
(b) The Department will update the medical certification status of
the driver as “Not Certified” upon expiration of medical
certification or rescission of medical variance within 10 calendar
days of the driver’s medical certification status expiring or a
medical variance expiring or being rescinded.
(c) The Department shall notify the CLP or CDL holder of their
CLP/CDL “Not Certified” medical certification status and that
the CMV privileges will be downgraded unless the driver submits
a current medical certificate and/or medical variance.
(d) The CLP or CDL downgrade must be completed by the
Department and recorded in the person’s driving record within
60 days of the driver’s medical certification status becoming
“not-certified” to operate a CMV.
(e) Failure to provide valid medical certificates and/or variances may
require retesting and additional fees to restore CLP or CDL
privileges. Test scores are valid for one year.
(2) Any person applying for a license to operate a CMV must comply
with minimum Federal requirements as set forth in 49 C.F.R. § 391.41.
(3) Except as provided in paragraph (4) of this regulation, any person
applying for a license to operate a CMV shall have a distant visual
acuity of at least 20/40 in each eye without corrective lenses or visual
acuity separately corrected to 20/40 or better with corrective lenses;
distant binocular acuity of at least 20/40 in both eyes; or without
corrective lenses, field of vision of at least 70 in the horizontal
meridian in each eye; and the ability to recognize the colors of
traffic signals and devices showing standard red, green, and amber.
(4) Any person applying for a CLP or CDL to operate a CMV solely within
the State of Georgia who has lost some or all of the vision in one eye
may be exempted from the vision standard set forth in paragraph (3)
of this regulation by providing the Department with medical evidence
satisfactory to the Department that states vision in the other eye
satisfies the requirements set forth in paragraph (3) of this regulation.
Said medical evidence shall include completion of the prescribed form
from a certified ophthalmologist or optometrist who has examined the
applicant within three months of the date of the application which:
(a) Identifies and defines the nature and duration of the vision
deficiency;
(b) States the date of examination;
(c) Certifies that the visual deficiency is stable;
(d) Identifies the visual acuity of each eye, corrected and uncorrected;
(e) Identifies the field of vision of each eye, including central and
peripheral fields, testing to at least 120° in the horizontal.
(Formal perimetry is required. The doctor must submit the
formal perimetry for each eye and interpret the results in degrees
of field of vision.);
(f) Identifies if the applicant has the ability to recognize the colors of
traffic control signals and devices showing red, green, and amber;
(g) Certifies that in their medical opinion, the applicant has sufficient
vision to perform the driving tasks required to operate a CMV;
(h) A three-year MVR will be obtained on each applicant applying
for a vision waiver. Waivers will only be granted to those applicants
whose records contain no suspensions, withdrawals, or revocations
for the operation of any motor vehicle (including personal vehicles);
contains no involvement in an crash for which they contributed or
received a citation for a moving traffic violation; contains no
convictions for a disqualifying offense, as defined in
49 C.F.R. § 383.51 (b)(2), or more than one serious traffic violation
as defined in 49 C.F.R. § 383.51, while driving a CMV during the
three-year period, which disqualified or should have disqualified
the applicant in accordance with the driver qualification provisions
of 49 C.F.R. § 383.51; contains no more than two convictions
for any other moving traffic violations;
(i) An exemption may be issued for a maximum of two years,
but may be renewed at the discretion of the Department;
and
(5) A driver after holding a state waiver for three years is eligible to
apply for a federal vision exemption waiver in accordance with
49 C.F.R. § 381.300.
(6) A driver who does not meet the physical qualification standards
in 49 C.F.R. § 391.41 may continue to be qualified to operate a
CMV in intrastate commerce if they meet the following conditions:
(a) The driver was qualified under existing State law or regulation
at the time the State adopted physical qualification standards
compatible with the Federal standards in 49 C.F.R. 391.41.
(b) The otherwise non-qualifying medical or physical condition
has not substantially worsened.
(c) No other non-qualifying medical or physical condition has
developed.
(d) The driver has not downgraded to a lesser class license
since taking the required CDL knowledge exam(s).
Authority: O.C.G.A. § 40-5-156, 49 C.F.R. § 390.9, 49 C.F.R. § 391.41.
History: Original Rule entitled "1-1-.04 Minimum Physical Requirements
Required to Obtain a Commercial Driver's License. Amended." adopted.
Effective Feb. 8, 2017.
Amended: New title "1-1-.06 Minimum Physical Requirements Required to
Obtain a Commercial Driver's License"; Effective Nov. 9, 2022.