Commercial Driver Medical Certificate Requirement:
Updated Deadlines and Requirements

(EA) Excepted Intrastate - are the only drivers that are affected by this change.

Effective July 1, 2026, the State of South Dakota will adopt federal regulation 49 CFR 391.11, which requires most Commercial Driver License (CDL) holders to maintain a valid Medical Examiner’s Certificate (medical card). This change removes the previous state exception that allowed certain drivers to indicate they were not required to hold a Medical Certificate.

 

South Dakota CDL holders with a K restriction who previously self‑certified as EA (Excepted Intrastate) must update their medical certification status with the South Dakota Driver Licensing Program to keep their CDL valid.

 

Updated Deadline and Enforcement Information

The Department of Public Safety has extended the deadline to submit a valid medical certificate to August 29, 2026.  No enforcement actions, penalties, or CDL downgrades for missing medical certificates will occur before January 1, 2027.

 

Beginning January 1, 2027, standard compliance procedures will resume, including downgrading CDLs for drivers who have not submitted an updated medical certificate by the extended deadline.

Some driver exam stations will be open on certain Saturdays in August to help CDL holders with the K-restriction meet this deadline. See list below:

Aberdeen: August 8, 15, 22 - 7AM to Noon

Brookings: August 8, 15, 22  - 7AM to Noon

Huron: August 8, 15, 22  - 7AM to Noon

Pierre: August 8, 15, 22  - 7AM to Noon

Rapid City: August 8, 15, 22  - 7AM to Noon

Sioux Falls One-Stop: August 8, 15, 22  - 7AM to Noon

Watertown: August 8, 22  - 7AM to Noon

 

Action Required

To keep your Commercial Driver License (CDL) valid, you must choose one of the options below and submit a valid medical certificate before the extended deadline of August 29, 2026:

Option 1: Self Certify as Non-Excepted Interstate (NI)

1. Obtain a Medical Examiner’s Certificate from a registered provider. See FMCSA’s website for registered providers: https://nationalregistry.fmcsa.dot.gov/home
2. The provider must electronically submit your Medical Examiner's Certificate to Driver Licensing.
3. Before January 1, 2027, you must visit a South Dakota Driver Exam Station to:
   
   
   • Submit an application
   • Pay $43 application fee, and
   • Provide two documents showing your residential address.

Option 2: Self Certify as an Excepted Interstate (EI)

1. You may certify that you operate only in transportation activities exempted under 49 CFR 390.3(f), 391.2, 391.68, or 398.3.
2. See full list of Excepted Interstate exemptions listed below.
3. Before January 1, 2027, you must visit a South Dakota Driver Exam Station to:
   
   
   • Submit an application,
   • Pay $43 application fee, and
   • Provide two documents showing your residential address.
     
     

Option 3: Self Certify as Non-Excepted Intrastate (NA)

1. You may certify that you or your cargo do not cross state lines. A Medical Examiner Certificate is still required. This also applies to certain school bus drivers under SDCL 32-12A-24 or if you are under the age of 21.
2. Your doctor must submit a valid Medical Certificate by August 29, 2026.
3. You must update your self-certification with Driver Licensing by January 1, 2027.
4. Your K-restriction will remain on your driver license. No new license is needed.
   
   

Option 4: Take No Action

1. If you do not update your self-certification and required medical documentation by August 29, 2026, your CDL will be medically downgraded beginning January 1, 2027.
2. You may continue to hold a valid non-commercial driver license, but you will not be authorized to drive commercially until you complete a new self-certification form and submit a valid Medical Certificate.

 

FAQs

Click on the arrow to reveal the answer.

What's changing on August 29, 2026, for Medical Certificates in South Dakota?

• EA-Excepted Intrastate are the only CDL drivers affected by this change.  These drivers have a K-restriction on the back of their license.

• South Dakota will no longer exempt intrastate CDL holders from the requirements of 49 CFR 391.11 (b)(4), Physical Qualifications.

What if I take no action?

• Your CDL will be automatically downgraded to a non-commercial license on January 1, 2027.

• You can still drive on that non-commercial driver license.

• However, you won't be allowed to operate commercial vehicles again until you obtain a medical card.

How can I stay compliant?

Re-Certify as one of the following:

NI - Non-excepted Interstate - (You will qualify for this if you or your cargo cross state lines or you do not meet qualifications in other categories.)

• You will need to visit a certified medical examiner listed on the FMCSA's National Registry.

• They will submit your medical certificate electronically to Driver Licensing within 2 business days.

• Then you will need to visit a driver exam station before January 1, 2027 to update your CDL to remove the "K" restriction and receive a new license.

---- OR ----

El - Excepted Interstate - (You may qualify only if all your commercial driving is under federal exemptions 49 CFR 390.3(f), 391.2, 391.68, or 398.3).

• You may still qualify for Excepted Interstate under the following conditions: Beekeepers, custom harvesters, government employees, and certain farm vehicle drivers and qualifying covered farm vehicles. (See the federal regulations below for a full list of excepted categories.)

• You will need to visit a driver exam station before January 1, 2027 to update your CDL to remove the "K" restriction and receive a new license.

---- OR ----

NA - Non-Excepted Intrastate - (You may qualify only if all your commercial driving is under 32-12A-24 (instate school bus driving) or if you are under the age of 21.)

• You will need to visit a certified medical examiner listed on the FMCSA's National Registry.

• They will submit your medical certificate electronically to Driver Licensing within 2 business days.

• You will need to submit a new self-certification form to Driver Licensing before January 1, 2027. 
  Click on this link and the form will be moved to your Downloads folder.

• Once Driver Licensing updates your self-certification form, your process is completed.
  
  

 

Self-Certify Excepted Interstate Categories

You operate in excepted interstate commerce when you drive a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) in interstate commerce only for the following excepted activities:

• Transportation performed by the Federal government, a State, or any political subdivision of a State, or an agency established under a compact between States that has been approved by the Congress of the United States;
• The transportation of human corpses or sick and injured persons;
• The operation of fire trucks and rescue vehicles while involved in emergency and related operations;
• Either a driver of a commercial motor vehicle used primarily in the transportation of propane winter heating fuel or a driver of a motor vehicle used to respond to a pipeline emergency, if such regulations would prevent the driver from responding to an emergency condition requiring immediate response as defined in § 390.5;
• Pipeline welding trucks;
• 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;
• Apiarian industries (beekeepers) in the transportation of bees;
• As a private motor carrier of passengers for non-business purposes;
• The occasional transportation of personal property by individuals not for compensation and not in the furtherance of a commercial enterprise;
• The operation of commercial motor vehicles designed or used to transport between 9 and 15 passengers (including the driver), not for direct compensation, provided the vehicle does not otherwise meet the definition of a commercial motor vehicle, except for the provisions of §§ 391.15(e) and (f), 392.80, and 392.82, and except that motor carriers operating such vehicles are required to comply with §§ 390.15, 390.21(a) and (b)(2), 390.201 and 390.205.
• Controlled and operated by a farmer, and is used to transport agricultural products, farm machinery or farm supplies (no placard able hazardous materials) to and from a farm and within 150 air-miles of the farm; or
• To transport migrant workers.

If you operate in one or more of the above activities as the only operation in which you drive and you operate in excepted interstate commerce, you do not need a Medical Examiner’s Certificate.