Walk-in DOT physical exams in Davie and Plantation by a certified medical examiner listed on the FMCSA National Registry, seven days a week. When you qualify, you leave with your Medical Examiner’s Certificate the same visit — and you can add a DOT drug test without a second stop. Both clinics are minutes from I-595 and Florida’s Turnpike.
Who needs a DOT physical
Federal rules (49 CFR 391.41) require anyone who drives a commercial motor vehicle in interstate commerce to hold a current Medical Examiner’s Certificate — the “DOT medical card”. The same exam covers:
- CDL and CLP holders.
- Non-CDL drivers of vehicles rated over 10,001 lbs, and of any vehicle carrying placarded hazardous materials.
- Drivers of vehicles built to carry 9 or more passengers for pay, or 16 or more passengers.
- Drivers whose employer, school-bus operator or Florida intrastate carrier asks for it.
You need a new exam when:
- You are getting a CDL or CLP for the first time, or returning to commercial driving.
- Your medical card is about to expire. FMCSA allows certificates for up to 24 months.
- Your examiner gave you a shorter card (3, 6 or 12 months) because a condition needs monitoring.
- A new employer requires a current exam, or your health has changed — an illness, an injury or a new medication since your last one.
DOT physical, DOT medical exam, CDL physical, med card — one exam
Drivers use several names for the same visit: DOT physical, DOT medical exam, CDL physical or CDL medical exam. The card it produces is the Medical Examiner’s Certificate — the DOT medical card, or “med card”. It is one exam, defined by FMCSA, and only a medical examiner listed on the National Registry may perform it. You can look up any examiner on the FMCSA National Registry.
What does a DOT physical consist of in Florida?
Florida uses the federal FMCSA exam; there is no separate state version. The examiner records everything on the Medical Examination Report (MCSA-5875). Expect:
- Health history — conditions, surgeries, medications, sleep, and the driver questionnaire you complete on arrival.
- Vision — 20/40 in each eye with or without correction, 70-degree peripheral vision, and the ability to tell traffic-signal colors apart. Bring your glasses or contacts.
- Hearing — the forced-whisper test at five feet, or an audiometry test. Bring hearing aids if you use them.
- Blood pressure and pulse — the reading sets the length of your card (the tiers are below).
- Urinalysis — a dipstick for protein, blood and sugar, as a screen for kidney disease and diabetes. This is not a drug test.
- Physical examination — heart, lungs, abdomen, spine, limbs, neurological exam and hernia check.
An EKG or lung-function test is not part of the standard DOT exam. When your history calls for one, or your cardiologist or employer requires it, we do both on site the same day.
What disqualifies a driver — and what usually does not
Most drivers with a managed condition pass. The federal standards, and the guidance FMCSA gives examiners, draw these lines:
- Blood pressure — under 140/90 earns the full two-year card. 140–159 over 90–99 earns a one-year card. 160–179 over 100–109 earns a one-time three-month card while treatment starts. 180/110 or higher is disqualifying until the reading is back at or below 140/90, after which cards run six months at a time.
- Vision — 20/40 in each eye, with or without correction, and a 70-degree field of vision in each eye. Since 2022, a driver who cannot meet the standard in one eye can qualify under FMCSA’s alternative vision standard with a Vision Evaluation Report (MCSA-5871) from an eye doctor.
- Hearing — you pass with a forced whisper heard at five feet, or an average hearing loss of 40 decibels or less in your better ear on audiometry. Hearing aids are allowed.
- Diabetes — insulin-treated drivers can be certified for up to 12 months with the Insulin-Treated Diabetes Mellitus Assessment Form (MCSA-5870), completed by the treating clinician within the 45 days before the exam.
- Seizures — a diagnosis of epilepsy is disqualifying under the federal standard unless FMCSA grants an exemption. A single seizure with a known cause is reviewed case by case with your neurologist’s records.
- Sleep apnea — FMCSA has no mandatory sleep test. The examiner assesses your risk and may ask for a sleep study or CPAP compliance data before certifying.
Conditions that need paperwork — bring it
What usually decides a borderline exam is documentation, so bring:
- High blood pressure — your medication list. The readings at the exam set the card length.
- Diabetes — a recent A1c. Insulin-treated drivers bring the MCSA-5870 completed by the treating clinician within the last 45 days.
- Sleep apnea — the CPAP compliance report (usually 30–90 days of use data).
- Heart disease, stents or bypass — a letter from the cardiologist and the most recent stress test or echo report.
- Vision or hearing waivers, seizure history, or any medication that can affect alertness — the prescriber’s note.
Your medical card and the FMCSA National Registry
When you meet the standards, the examiner issues the Medical Examiner’s Certificate (MCSA-5876) at the visit. Since June 23, 2025, certified examiners send exam results electronically to the FMCSA National Registry. The Registry forwards them to the state licensing agency for CDL and CLP holders, so most drivers no longer hand-deliver the card to the DMV.
Keep your paper copy in the cab. During FMCSA’s 2026 exemption period (April 14 to October 14, 2026) it is valid proof of certification for 60 days after issue while the electronic record posts. Your employer’s driver qualification file needs a copy either way.
DOT physical near you — Davie and Plantation, no appointment
- Walk in seven days a week, early or late. Both clinics are just off I-595 — Davie at S University Drive, Plantation at Cleary Boulevard — and close to the Turnpike and I-75 for drivers coming through Broward County.
- Parked at the 595 Truck Stop? The Davie clinic is a few exits west on I-595, at University Drive.
- Certified examiner on site every day the clinic is open — no “DOT days”.
- DOT drug and alcohol collections, pre-employment physicals and employer paperwork in the same visit. Fleets can set up an account with results reported to the safety manager.
- Self-pay pricing quoted at the front desk. Most drivers pay out of pocket because employer plans rarely cover the exam.
Walk in at either Broward clinic
Both clinics are open seven days a week — Davie at 5149 S University Drive (Renaissance Plaza, just off I-595) and Plantation at 10199 Cleary Boulevard, Suite 10. Both serve Davie, Plantation, Cooper City, Weston, Sunrise, Southwest Ranches, Pembroke Pines and the surrounding Broward County communities. Hours, maps and parking.
Insurance and self-pay
DOT physicals are usually self-pay, and the front desk quotes the price before your exam. We bill employer accounts directly. Bring a photo ID and your driver’s license.
Sources: FMCSA — DOT medical exam and CMV certification · FMCSA — National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners