Mobile DOT Physicals for Fleets and Driver Groups

A mobile DOT physical is a commercial driver medical examination arranged at a workplace, fleet yard, or another suitable examination location instead of a provider’s regular office. Depending on the provider, this may involve an examiner visiting an appropriate room or a mobile examination facility traveling to the site. It is an in-person examination, not a telephone or video-only medical assessment.

For employers with several drivers, on-site examinations may reduce travel between the workplace and a medical office. Whether a mobile service is practical depends on the provider’s operating area, the location, the number of drivers, and the facilities available.

When mobile DOT physicals make sense

A coordinated examination visit can be useful when a fleet has drivers due for certification around the same period or operates shifts that make individual office visits difficult. Employers may wish to group appointments around dispatch schedules, driver availability, and operational coverage.

A mobile arrangement is not automatically the best option for a small group. Travel charges, setup needs, the provider’s minimum booking requirements, and the number of examinations that can reasonably be accommodated may affect its value. No universal minimum group size applies to every commercial mobile provider.

Planning the examination location

Before requesting a quote, identify the proposed site and describe the available facilities. An examiner conducting a regulated examination must be able to follow the applicable examination requirements. The provider should determine whether the proposed arrangement is suitable and what equipment and privacy provisions are required.

Questions to resolve include:

• Whether a private room or dedicated mobile examination unit will be used.
• Which examination equipment the provider supplies.
• Whether electrical power, lighting, seating, or other facilities are required.
• How drivers will enter, wait, and leave without disrupting operations.
• Whether the proposed space provides appropriate privacy.
• Who is responsible for site access, parking, and any setup restrictions.

These are planning considerations, not a universal facility specification. The examining provider must confirm what is appropriate for its examination process.

Coordinating drivers and shifts

Prepare an estimated driver count, requested date or date range, and an outline of shift patterns. Where practical, distinguish drivers requiring an initial examination from those approaching an existing medical certificate expiration.

The provider can then discuss appointment sequencing, expected examination capacity, and what happens if individual examinations take longer than anticipated. Employers should retain operational flexibility rather than assume every driver will complete an examination in an identical time slot.

Driver medical histories should be handled directly through the examining provider’s appropriate medical process, not included in a general service inquiry.

What a mobile service quote should cover

Ask potential providers for a clear description of what the price includes. Commercial terms may involve a visit charge, individual examination charges, travel, setup, cancellation conditions, or other arrangements determined by that provider.

Confirm who is responsible if a scheduled driver is absent, the worksite becomes unavailable, or the requested driver count changes. Establish whether any follow-up visit would involve an additional charge and how administrative documentation will be supplied.

DOT Compliance Companies does not set an examination fee. FMCSA also does not establish a national medical examiner fee schedule.

Medical exams and drug testing are different services

A DOT physical evaluates medical qualification under applicable commercial motor vehicle rules. Examination-related urinalysis is not the same as a separately regulated DOT drug test. If your fleet also needs drug testing or specimen collection, ask whether those services can be arranged and priced separately.

For the separate testing service, see DOT pre-employment drug testing services. Do not assume that a mobile medical examiner booking includes drug collection.

Certification and follow-up responsibilities

Applicable examinations must be conducted by a medical examiner listed on the FMCSA National Registry. The examiner makes the qualification decision and documents the examination using the required federal process. A certificate may be issued for up to 24 months or for a shorter period when appropriate.

Before a visit, confirm how completed examinations, pending determinations, and permitted employer documentation will be handled. CDL and CLP drivers should follow the current requirements of their home state for medical certification and licensing records.

Employers can use the DOT physical provider directory to explore examination services. Mobile arrangements require direct confirmation of each provider’s capacity, facilities, schedule, and commercial terms.