What to Do If Your CDL Expires
CDL licenses are valid for 5 to 8 years from the day they are issued. To preserve your CDL from being degraded, you must get a yearly medical check. It is important as a truck driver to retain your CDL and any endorsements, such as hazardous substances, updated and valid. If you let your Class A CDL expire or terminate while driving, you might face serious repercussions. If you are stopped over and confirmed to have an expired CDL, you may lose your CDL and be ineligible to drive semi-trucks.
What happens if your CDL expires?
You will no longer be qualified to operate commercial motor vehicles if your CDL expires without it being renewed. Driving with an expired CDL can lead to fees and penalties, as well as the loss of your CDL. If you do not maintain your license updated, your employer may impose further fines. To prevent these hassles, renewing your commercial driver’s license on schedule is crucial.
If your CDL expired due to a failure to renew your medical certification, you must get a new medical examiner’s certificate and submit them to the Department of Transportation (DOT). If your waiver has expired, you have to renew it with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Variances are generally FMCSA exemptions for different medical problems such as diabetes, seizures, eyesight and hearing difficulties, and so on. These variances, like the medical examiner’s certifications, must be kept up to date in order to keep your CDL valid.
What if your CDL expires while you’re driving?
If you are driving when your license is about to expire, you might face serious repercussions. The license is issued by the state, although it is mandated by the Department of Transportation (DOT). If you are caught driving with an expired license, you may lose your CDL license (and no longer be able to drive trucks).
How can you have your commercial driver’s license reinstated?
It is critical to plan ahead of time and renew the CDL before the expiration. Typically, you will receive a reminder around a month beforehand. Some states let you renew in person, online, or via mail, while others only let you renew only in person. This changes according to the laws of the motor vehicle department in each state.
A few criteria must be considered while reinstating in case your CDL expired. For how long has your CDL been out of commission? If the expiry date has not yet passed, you will most likely only need to renew your CDL like you would a standard driver’s license. Check with your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to discover if you may update your license online or in person. Simply pay the renewal cost and bring your updated medical examiner’s certificate with you. It is unlikely that you will be required to take a written or skills exam.
If your CDL expired more than 60 days ago (depending on your state), you could be required to re-qualify for a CDL. This will require obtaining a commercial learner’s permit (CLP), retaking the written knowledge exam, driving test, or skills test, and re-paying the application expenses. If you have been pulled over with an expired CDL, you might not be able to get your license reinstated. Furthermore, if you have certain major offenses on your driver’s license, you may be disqualified to reclaim your CDL. It is critical to have your CDL valid at all times, as well as your DOT medical card. With an expired license, you will be unable to work as a truck driver.