DOT physicals, without the runaround.
What to bring, how to prepare, and the one thing that saves you the most time on the day of your visit.
Please bring your form already completed.
This is the big one, so we want to be really clear about it. The DOT exam form is long. It asks about your whole health history, every medication you take, every surgery you have had, and every condition you have been treated for. That is a lot to remember off the top of your head, and it is not something you want to be filling out in the exam room while your appointment time ticks away.
So please print it, fill it out at home, and sign it before you come in. Your appointment should start with your provider looking your history over and talking it through with you. Not with you sitting in a chair trying to remember the name of a medication.
If you arrive with a blank form, we may need to reschedule you so that you get the full visit you paid for instead of a rushed one.
Fill out Section 1, the driver's health history. Your provider completes the rest during the exam. The form has to be filled out in English. A Spanish version exists for reference only and cannot be used for your certification.
How it works.
First certification, a renewal, or a follow-up visit, the process is the same. Simple, as long as the paperwork is handled before you walk through the door.
Download the form
Print the MCSA-5875 and fill out Section 1, the driver's health history. Take your time with it at home where you have your medication bottles and your records in front of you.
Book your appointment
Schedule your DOT physical or your follow-up online. You do not need to be a Waypoint Wellness member to come in for a DOT exam.
Bring it with you, completed and signed
Walk in with the form already done. Your visit starts with your provider reviewing your history and examining you, not with you sitting there writing.
What to bring with you.
Missing paperwork is the number one reason a driver has to come back a second time. Run through this list the night before.
- Your completed and signed MCSA-5875. Section 1 is the driver's health history. That is your part, and it needs to be filled out before you get here.
- A valid driver's license or CDL. Bring the physical card, not a photo of it.
- A full list of your medications. Include the dose, how often you take it, and the name of the provider who prescribes it. Over the counter medications and supplements count too.
- Your glasses or contacts, and your hearing aids. Whatever you use to drive, bring it and wear it for the exam. If you use hearing aids, bring fresh batteries.
- A full bladder. A urine sample is part of every DOT exam, so try not to go right before you walk in.
Take your regular medications that morning, including your blood pressure medication, exactly the way you normally would.
A few situations need more than the form.
If any of these are you, get the paperwork started early. Some of it has to come from another provider, and that takes time.
If you take insulin
Your treating clinician needs to complete the Insulin-Treated Diabetes Mellitus Assessment Form (MCSA-5870) within 45 days of your exam, and you will need your recent A1c along with blood glucose records downloaded from your meter. We cannot complete the exam without that form.
If you use a CPAP
Bring your compliance report from the machine. Ninety days of data is ideal.
If you have vision in only one eye
Your eye doctor needs to complete the Vision Evaluation Report (MCSA-5871) within 45 days of your exam.
If you see a specialist for anything
Heart conditions, stroke, seizures, blood thinners, or anything you take a controlled medication for. Bring a recent letter from that provider describing your diagnosis, your treatment, and how stable things are right now.
Not sure whether something applies to you? Call us at 804-735-1291 before your appointment and we will tell you exactly what to bring.
What the exam covers.
Vision and hearing
Tested with whatever you normally use to drive, so bring your glasses or hearing aids.
Blood pressure and pulse
Take your regular blood pressure medication as usual that morning, and go easy on the caffeine before you come.
Urinalysis
Required at every DOT exam. It is a screen, not a drug test.
Physical exam
A head to toe check against the federal standards in 49 CFR 391.41.
What you leave with.
If you meet the federal standards, you leave with your Medical Examiner's Certificate, Form MCSA-5876. That is the card you and your employer keep on file.
Certificates are good for up to 24 months. Some are issued for a shorter window when a condition needs to be watched more closely, and your provider will explain why before you leave.
Do not wait until the last week. Come see us 30 to 60 days before your current card expires, or before you need your first one, so there is room to sort out anything unexpected without you losing time on the road.
Come in with the form done and we can spend your visit on you, not on paperwork.
Waypoint Wellness Direct Primary Care
Ready to get certified?
Print your form, fill it out, and pick a time that works for you.
Curious about membership too? Book a free 15 minute meet and greet, in person or virtually.
DOT Physicals
Ready to schedule your DOT physical?
Pick a time that works for you. Just remember to bring your form already filled out and signed, so we can spend your visit on you instead of paperwork.
Waypoint Wellness Direct Primary Care
Henrico, VA · Serving all of Virginia
Schedule your DOT physicalBring your completed form · Henrico, VA