How to Complete and Submit Louisiana Form DPSMV 2219: CDL Exam and OMV Filing

Louisiana Form DPSMV 2219 is the state’s CDL medical examination report, and you submit the completed, signed form to the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles by email at OMV_CDL_Medical@dps.la.gov, by fax at 225-925-3901, by mail to P.O. Box 64886, Baton Rouge, LA 70896, or in person at any OMV location.¹ The OMV typically updates your driving record within ten business days after it receives the form.²

Who Has to Submit the Form

Every Class A, B, or C CDL holder in Louisiana self-certifies the type of driving they do, and that choice controls whether the DPSMV 2219 applies to you.³

Non-Excepted Interstate drivers cross state lines and do not qualify for a federal exemption. You must file a current medical examiner’s certificate with the OMV.
Non-Excepted Intrastate drivers stay inside Louisiana but are still subject to the state’s medical certification rules. You need to submit the DPSMV 2219.
Excepted Interstate and Excepted Intrastate drivers operate only in narrowly defined exempted activities and do not need a federal medical certificate, though they still file a self-certification.⁴

If you do any mix of excepted and non-excepted work, you have to certify under the non-excepted category. That means the physical and the form.

Booking the Exam with a Certified Examiner

The physical must be done by a provider on the FMCSA National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners. An exam from an unlisted provider will not be accepted, no matter how thorough it was.⁵ Search for a certified examiner near you at nationalregistry.fmcsa.dot.gov. The registry includes physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and chiropractors who have completed FMCSA training and passed the certification test.

Your examiner will transmit your results electronically to FMCSA by midnight of the next calendar day after the exam, and FMCSA passes that data to the Louisiana OMV.⁶ That electronic transmission does not replace your obligation to send the DPSMV 2219 to the OMV yourself. Both happen.

What to Bring to the Exam

Come prepared so the visit is not wasted and the form is not left incomplete.

Your current CDL, so the examiner can record your license number and verify identity.
A written list of every prescription and over-the-counter medication you take, with dosages and prescribing doctors. Sleep apnea treatments, insulin, blood pressure medications, and anti-seizure drugs matter most.
Notes on past surgeries, hospitalizations, and chronic conditions such as diabetes or heart disease, plus any history of seizures, fainting, or vision problems. The driver health history section asks about these directly, and omitting something can create bigger problems later.
Whatever corrective lenses or hearing aids you normally use while driving. The examiner tests you with those devices in place.
Records from any specialist you see for a condition that previously required a shorter certification or follow-up.

Filling Out the Form

The DPSMV 2219 splits into two parts: your health history and the examiner’s clinical evaluation.

Your Health History

You answer yes-or-no questions about heart disease, breathing problems, kidney disease, seizures, head injuries, sleep disorders, and medication use. Answer honestly. False information can lead to CDL revocation and possible fraud charges. Sign and date the section before handing the form back to the examiner.

The Examiner’s Evaluation

The examiner evaluates you against the federal physical qualification standards in 49 CFR 391.41. Vision must be at least 20/40 (Snellen) in each eye with or without correction, with a horizontal field of at least 70 degrees per eye and the ability to distinguish red, green, and amber traffic signals. Hearing is tested first by forced whisper at five feet in the better ear, and if you cannot pass, by an audiometric test.⁷ The examiner also reviews cardiovascular, neurological, and other conditions listed in the regulation.

Once the exam is done, the examiner records the findings, marks any corrective devices, and decides whether you qualify. Both of you must sign, and every date field must be filled in. A form missing a signature or date will be rejected by the OMV.

How Blood Pressure Affects How Long Your Certificate Lasts

The standard maximum certificate is 24 months, and blood pressure is the most common reason drivers get less than that.⁸

Below 140/90: full two-year certification.
140–159 / 90–99 (Stage 1): one-year certification. At the next exam, if you are still above 140/90 but under 160/100, the examiner can issue a one-time three-month certificate.
160–179 / 100–109 (Stage 2): a one-time three-month certificate while you get treatment. Once you are under 140/90, you can get annual certification.
180/110 or higher (Stage 3): disqualified until your pressure drops below 140/90, after which you can be recertified every six months.⁹

Drivers certified under the alternative diabetes or vision standards in 49 CFR 391.44 or 391.46 are capped at twelve-month certificates regardless of blood pressure.⁸

Submitting the Completed Form to the OMV

Once the examiner hands you the signed form, getting it to the OMV is on you. Four options are available:¹

Email a clear scan or photo to OMV_CDL_Medical@dps.la.gov. This is the fastest remote option.
Fax to 225-925-3901. Check that every signature is legible in the faxed copy, because illegible faxes get rejected.
Mail to Office of Motor Vehicles, P.O. Box 64886, Baton Rouge, LA 70896. Use a trackable service so you have proof of delivery.
Drop it off in person at any Louisiana OMV location.⁵

There is no online upload portal for this form. The OMV’s online CDL tool is for checking status, not for submitting documents. Keep a personal copy of whatever you send. If there is ever a dispute about your medical status, having your own record is the easiest way to fix it.

Confirming the OMV Updated Your Record

After you submit, allow up to ten business days for the update. You can check your status through the CDL Medical and Self-Certification Inquiry tool at expresslane.dps.louisiana.gov. Enter your CDL information and the system shows your current medical certification status.² Do not assume the update went through just because you sent the paperwork. If your status still shows uncertified after ten business days, contact the OMV directly.

What Happens If Your Certificate Expires

When your medical certificate expires, the state notifies you that your CDL medical status is “not certified.” You then have 60 days to submit a new medical certificate, provide a current medical variance, or change your self-certification category to excepted or intrastate commerce. Do nothing within that window and your CDL is downgraded, which strips your commercial driving privileges.³

A downgrade does not erase your CDL. Your license stays on record, but the commercial privileges are off until you complete a new physical, submit a new DPSMV 2219, and the OMV updates your record. A standard DOT physical typically runs $60 to $200 depending on the provider. Schedule the exam at least a month before your certificate expires so there is time to handle anything unexpected.

Exemptions Worth Knowing About

Some commercial driving activities are exempt from the federal medical certification requirement altogether, including certain government work, emergency response, custom harvesting, and seasonal beekeeping. Drivers operating exclusively in those categories can self-certify as Excepted Interstate and skip the DPSMV 2219.¹⁰

If you cannot meet the standard qualifications but still want to drive commercially, two federal routes exist. Drivers who cannot meet the hearing or seizure standards can apply for a medical exemption through FMCSA, which decides within 180 days.¹¹ Drivers with a missing or permanently impaired limb can apply for a Skill Performance Evaluation certificate under 49 CFR 391.49.⁷ Both programs apply only to interstate drivers; intrastate exemptions are handled by Louisiana separately.

1
Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles. Submit CDL Medical Certificate
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Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles. Louisiana CDL Medical and Self-Certification Inquiry
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Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Medical
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Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. How Do I Determine Which of the 4 Categories of Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) Operation I Should Self-Certify to With My State Driver Licensing Agency (SDLA)?
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Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles. Medical Certification
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FMCSA National Registry. NRII Learning Center
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eCFR. 49 CFR 391.41 – Physical Qualifications for Drivers
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eCFR. 49 CFR 391.45 – Persons Who Must Be Medically Examined and Certified
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Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. What Is the Effect on Driver Certification Based on FMCSA Hypertension Stages
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eCFR. 49 CFR 390.3 – General Applicability
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Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Driver Exemptions