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                medical variance expiring or being rescinded.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.