Self Certification

Self-Certification & Medical Requirements

If you are applying for a Commercial Learner’s Permit; or are renewing, upgrading, adding endorsements to or transferring a CDL from another state, federal rules require that you provide information to the Idaho Transportation Department regarding the type of commercial motor vehicle operation you drive in or expect to drive in with your CDL. This process is known as Self Certification.

Self-Certification can be accomplished at your county driver’s license office, or you can complete your own self-certification on the ITD website at the following web address:

https://dmvapps.itd.idaho.gov/cdlselfcertification/

There is no charge to self-certify and you can change your category at any time. Be aware, if you self certify in the “Intrastate” category, a (K) (intrastate operation only) restriction will be placed on your commercial license.

For the purpose of complying with the requirements for medical certification, it is important to know how you are using the CMV. The following information will help you decide how to self-certify:

Interstate or Intrastate Commerce

Do you, or will you, use a CDL to operate a CMV in interstate or intrastate commerce? Interstate commerce is when you drive a CMV:

• From one State to another State or a foreign country;
• Between two places within a State, but during part of the trip, the CMV crosses into another State or foreign country; or
• Between two places within a State, but the cargo or passengers are part of a trip that began or will end in another State or foreign country.

Intrastate commerce is when you drive a CMV within a State and you do not meet any of the descriptions above for interstate commerce. If you operate in both intrastate commerce and interstate commerce, you must choose interstate commerce.

Inter/Intrastate Commerce: Status Nonexcepted or Excepted?

Once you decide whether you will operate in interstate commerce or intrastate commerce, you must decide whether you will operate (or expect to operate) in a non-excepted or excepted status. This decision will tell you to which of the four types of commerce you must self-certify.

Interstate Commerce:

You operate in excepted interstate commerce when you drive a CMV in interstate commerce only for the following excepted activities:

• To transport school children and/or school staff between home and school *;
• As Federal, State or local government employees;
• To transport human corpses or sick or injured persons;
• Fire truck or rescue vehicle drivers during emergencies and other related activities;
• Primarily in the transportation of propane winter heating fuel when responding to an emergency condition requiring immediate response such as damage to a propane gas system after a storm or flooding;
• In Response to a pipeline emergency condition requiring immediate response such as a pipeline leak or rupture;
• In custom harvesting on a farm or to transport farm machinery and supplies used in the custom harvesting operation to and from a farm or to transport custom harvested crops to storage or market;
• Beekeeper in the seasonal transportation of bees;
• Controlled and operated by a farmer, but is not a combination vehicle (power unit and towed unit), and is used to transport agricultural products, farm machinery or farm supplies (no placardable hazardous materials) to and from a farm and within 150 air-miles of the farm;
• As a private motor carrier of passengers for non-business purposes ; or
• To transport migrant workers.

If you answered yes to one or more of the above activities as the only operation in which you drive, you operate in excepted interstate commerce and do not need a Federal medical examiner’s certificate.

Note: Idaho Department of Education and Idaho Code requires public school bus drivers to maintain a medical examiner’s certificate.

If you answered no to all of the above activities, you operate in non-excepted interstate commerce and are required to provide a current medical examiner’s certificate (49 CFR 391.45),commonly referred to as a medical certificate or DOT card, to ITD. Most CDL holders who drive CMVs in interstate commerce are non-excepted interstate commerce drivers.

If you operate in both excepted interstate commerce and non-excepted interstate commerce, you must choose non-excepted interstate commerce to be qualified to operate in both types of interstate commerce.

Intrastate Commerce:

You operate in excepted intrastate commerce when you drive a CMV only in intrastate commerce hauling exempt commodities or other activities which do not require you to meet medical certification requirements. You operate in non-excepted intrastate commerce when you drive a CMV only in intrastate commerce and are required to meet DOT medical certification requirements.

If you operate in both excepted intrastate commerce and non-excepted intrastate commerce, you must choose non-excepted intrastate commerce.

Self-Certification Statements

When completing an application for your CDL, you will be required to check the box next to the statement that describes your status. Based on the information above, choose from:

• Interstate non-excepted
• Interstate excepted
• Intrastate non-excepted
• Intrastate excepted

Note: The above federal definitions can be confusing. Generally, if you are 21 or older and maintain your medical certification and ever drive commercially across state lines (or think you might) you should self-certify “Interstate - non-excepted” to avoid restrictions on your CDL. If you have questions call Driver Services (208) 334-8736