Upgrading CDL after expired medical- Texas

Discussion in 'Trucking Industry Regulations' started by driver1175, Oct 10, 2023.

  1. driver1175

    driver1175 Bobtail Member

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    Oct 10, 2023
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    Hello,
    So I left the transportation industry about 18 months ago to pursue another line of work and during that time my medical cert expired and CDL was downgraded. I recently decided I wanted to get back into transportation so I got my medical cert renewed. Am I able to quickly get my CDL upgraded back without having to retest and if so how?
     
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  3. dptrucker

    dptrucker Road Train Member

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    here in california ... once i got my medical card done, i took it to dmv and my cdl got back active.
    i was off 3 years.
    not sure how texas does it. take it to them and see
     
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  4. North Pole Nightmare

    North Pole Nightmare Heavy Load Member

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    Depends on the state you are licensed in.Check with the DMV or DPS.Some you can send in the new med cert and certify online.Just don't let the actual license expire,then you would probably have some retesting to do.
     
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  5. ViperTX

    ViperTX Bobtail Member

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    Jul 16, 2023
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    You will have to go to dps and ask , sometimes they will just brush you off with no because they are miserable, so try different ones dont get discouraged at the first one.

    In my opinion you should never let your cdl get downgraded...you can always self certify for intrastate and then its just easier to get back to interstate if you get new medical exam when you want to renew it.
     
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  6. tscottme

    tscottme Road Train Member

    In TN if you submit a current DOT Medical Card before your period of CDL downgrade goes 5 years and 1 day you have a valid CDL. Your state makes the rules for their CDLs. Call your state and get an email answer for your specific case. Nobody at your state DMV is going to live according to what some strangers on the internet told you about other states. It doesn't matter if your DMV is slow or difficult or inconvenient to get an answer. That's where the answer lies to your situation. Get an answer from them, no matter what.
     
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  7. rumoita

    rumoita Bobtail Member

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    Oct 19, 2023
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    Depending on how long your CDL has been downgraded, you may need to retake the knowledge unzip tgz mac tests. Check with the DMV to determine if this is necessary.
     
  8. rumoita

    rumoita Bobtail Member

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    Oct 19, 2023
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    It's important to note that the specific steps and requirements can unzip tgz mac vary by jurisdiction, so it's advisable to check with your local DMV or licensing authority for accurate and up-to-date information.
     
  9. Stringb8n

    Stringb8n Road Train Member

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    My uncle went through this, but it was only I think a month or two his med cert has been expired for. He went and gave them his new med cert and paid a fee ($85 I think he said) and he was back active, no retesting or anything like that. This is in Texas also. How it will work if its been 18 months since your med cert expired I am not sure, but I would imagine they aren't too strict about retesting. Seems like they just want some money.
     
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