CDL Physical Exams Clinic in Denton TX
A CDL Physical Exam is required for commercial drivers to ensure they meet federal health standards. It checks vision, hearing, blood pressure, and overall fitness to ensure drivers can safely operate large vehicles. Passing this exam is essential for obtaining or renewing a CDL and maintaining road safety. Visit Dr. Andrew J. Blankenau, MD, at Minor Emergency of Denton today for your CDL physical exam. Our professional medical providers are dedicated to helping you stay healthy, compliant, and safely behind the wheel. For more information, please contact us or simply walk in! We are conveniently located at 4400 Teasley Ln #200 Denton, TX 76210.


Table of Contents:
What is included in a CDL physical examination?
How often do I need to get a CDL physical?
What are the requirements to pass a CDL physical?
Can I still get a CDL if I have a medical condition?
At Minor Emergency of Denton, we offer comprehensive Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) physical examinations to keep you compliant with Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations.
A CDL physical exam begins with a thorough review of your medical history. We will discuss your past illnesses, previous surgeries, current medications, and any ongoing medical conditions that may impact your ability to operate a commercial vehicle safely.
During your exam, our skilled medical professionals will measure your vital signs, including blood pressure and pulse, to ensure they meet DOT standards. We also perform vision tests to verify that your visual acuity, peripheral vision, and color perception are sufficient for the demands of commercial driving.
To confirm your hearing meets DOT requirements, we conduct hearing assessments such as the whisper test or audiometric evaluations. Additionally, our examination includes a cardiovascular assessment, ensuring heart health and checking for risk factors or conditions that could impact your safety on the road.
Our providers will also evaluate your respiratory health, screening for conditions like sleep apnea or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) that might impair your driving abilities. We assess your neurological function, including reflexes, coordination, and cognitive responses, to confirm your ability to safely manage the complex tasks involved in commercial driving.
The CDL physical also includes a musculoskeletal evaluation, measuring strength, flexibility, and range of motion, to ensure you’re physically capable of performing the necessary tasks associated with operating commercial vehicles. Additionally, we perform an abdominal examination to screen for hernias, masses, or tenderness that could interfere with safe driving.
Depending on regulatory requirements, your exam may also include testing for diabetes through blood glucose or urine analysis, as well as screening for drug and alcohol use.
The frequency at which you need a CDL physical exam primarily depends on your overall health status and any medical conditions identified by our medical examiner. Typically, once you complete your DOT physical, you’ll receive a medical certificate valid for up to 24 months. However, certain medical conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, or sleep apnea, may require more frequent evaluations, resulting in shorter-duration certificates.
To ensure you remain compliant and safe on the road, our medical providers will clearly outline the recommended schedule for your CDL physical exams. Additionally, if you experience significant changes in your health or develop new medical issues that could impact your driving capabilities, we encourage you to schedule an evaluation promptly with our experienced team.
Staying current with your CDL physical exams not only ensures compliance with federal regulations but also supports your health, safety, and ability to continue driving safely.
At Minor Emergency of Denton, we offer comprehensive Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) physicals to help drivers comply with federal health regulations. Our certified medical examiners ensure your health meets the required criteria to keep you safely on the road.
The process begins with a thorough medical history review. We’ll discuss any existing medical conditions, medications, surgeries, or illnesses, and review your substance use history. This helps our team understand your overall health.
Next, a detailed physical evaluation checks your vital signs, including blood pressure and heart rate. While minor blood pressure issues may not disqualify you, uncontrolled hypertension can delay your certification. Our team will help guide you on how to manage it.
Vision testing is crucial; you must have at least 20/40 vision in each eye (with or without corrective lenses) and meet peripheral vision requirements of at least 70 degrees. We’ll also assess color recognition to ensure safe navigation of traffic signals and signs.
Hearing tests ensure you can hear a forced whisper from five feet away, either naturally or with hearing aids. If necessary, an audiometric test may be performed.
We’ll also assess respiratory function, particularly for conditions like sleep apnea, which can affect driver alertness. Proper documentation of any respiratory condition’s treatment is essential for certification.
Your physical fitness, including muscle strength, flexibility, and coordination, is evaluated to ensure you can safely operate the vehicle. We also evaluate conditions like diabetes, which require controlled blood glucose levels, or cardiovascular issues that may need specialist clearance.
After meeting all the necessary requirements, we will issue your Medical Examiner’s Certificate, valid for up to two years. Certain conditions may require more frequent evaluations. Our goal is to help you remain healthy, compliant, and safe on the road
A frequent concern among commercial motor vehicle drivers is whether having certain medical conditions can impact their eligibility for obtaining or renewing a CDL. Our clinic is committed to helping drivers navigate this important issue by offering comprehensive CDL medical examinations in compliance with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) guidelines.
The FMCSA sets specific regulations regarding the health and medical fitness of CDL holders, aimed at ensuring the safety of all drivers on the road. While having a medical condition does not automatically disqualify a driver from obtaining or maintaining a CDL, it may require additional evaluation, documentation, and monitoring.
Our FMCSA-certified medical examiners regularly evaluate drivers with common medical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, epilepsy, sleep apnea, and more. During your CDL medical exam, our experienced providers will assess whether your medical condition is effectively controlled and does not pose a risk of sudden incapacitation or impairment while operating a commercial vehicle.
However, certain health conditions such as uncontrolled epilepsy or severe, unstable heart conditions may temporarily disqualify a driver from obtaining or renewing their CDL until the condition becomes stable and adequately managed. Our medical examiners at Minor Emergency of Denton are familiar with FMCSA guidelines and can provide guidance on how you can best manage your health to meet CDL eligibility requirements.
Having a medical condition does not necessarily prevent you from obtaining or renewing your CDL. The key factors are the type and severity of your condition, how well it is managed, and whether it presents a significant risk for safe driving. For more information, please contact us or simply walk in! We are conveniently located at 4400 Teasley Ln #200 Denton, TX 76210. We serve patients from Denton TX, Corinth TX, Highland Village TX, Flower Mound TX, Lewisville TX, Little Elm TX, and surrounding areas.

