Driver's Medical Reviews in Ontario
Whether you hold a Class A, B, C, D, E, or F commercial licence or if you are applying for the first time, you are required to submit a medical report:- Every five years, if under age 46
- Every three years, if ages 46 to 64
- Every year, if aged 65 and over
If a commercial driver has a medical condition that may impact their ability to drive, the MTO might request reports from specialists or further testing.
If the MTO receives a report about a driver’s medical issue, or if the driver's doctor provides medical information, the MTO will evaluate the situation to establish whether the driver meets the necessary medical standards for safely operating a commercial vehicle.
Commercial Driver's Medical Requirements
In Ontario, all drivers must meet essential medical standards to operate a motor vehicle. Whether you are applying for your licence or already possess one, you must not:- Experience any mental, emotional, nervous, or physical disability that could substantially affect your capacity to drive a motor vehicle safely.
- Develop an addiction to alcohol or drugs that could greatly impact your capacity to drive safely.
Stricter medical standards apply to individuals seeking to operate a commercial vehicle.
Vision Standards for Commercial Drivers
All drivers must meet vision standards. Those applying for or holding class A, B, C, D, E, or F licenses are required to have:
- A visual acuity that is not poorer than:
- 20/30 with both eyes open and examined together
- 20/100 in the weaker eye, with or without corrective lenses (glasses or contact lenses)
- A horizontal visual field with both eyes open and examined together of at least:
- 150 continuous degrees along the horizontal meridian
- 20 continuous degrees above and below fixation
Hearing Standards for Commercial Drivers
If you are a driver with better hearing in one ear than the other, you must either:
- Be able to perceive in the better ear a forced whisper at a distance of 1.5 metres, with or without a hearing aid
- Not have a loss in the better ear of more than 40 decibels at 500, 1000 and 2000 hertz (if an audiometer is used to test the driver's hearing)
Submitting Driver's Medical Forms in Ontario
If you are applying for a class A, B, C, D, E or F licence, you need to submit a medical report. The medical report form can be completed by a physician or a nurse practitioner (RN-EC) licensed to practice medicine in Canada. The medical form for a driver's license can be obtained from your local DriveTest centre.
If you are already a holder of a class A, B, C, D, E or F licence, you will receive a medical report form by mail 90 days before it is due. It will be mailed to the address shown on your driving record.
Mail Submissions
Mail the completed form, including any supporting documents, to the address listed on the form for the Ministry of Transportation, Transportation Safety, Driver and Vehicle Services Driver Medical Review Office.
Online Submissions
If your physician or nurse practitioner can access eForms at their clinic, they may submit your completed medical report form to the Ministry of Transportation’s Driver Medical Review office online.
Implications of Medical Suspensions for Commercial Drivers
If your medical report suggests that you may no longer meet the medical standards for a commercial license, you might be required to provide further information from your treating physician or nurse practitioner.
If the report confirms that you don't meet the required medical standards, your license will be downgraded. You may be eligible to appeal the decision if your license has been downgraded. This can be done using the Notice of Appeal – Downgrade of a Driver's Licence for Medical Reasons form.
Getting a Commercial Driver's Medical Exam
At Immigration Physician Ottawa, we have extensive experience in conducting the necessary medical examinations and completing forms for commercial and professional driver's licenses for residents throughout Canada, including Ontario, Quebec, and other regions.
Whether you're applying for a specific class of driver’s license, needing an annual re-examination, or changing provinces, we ensure your driver medical exam is completed thoroughly and efficiently.
The services we offer at our two convenient locations in Ottawa are easily accessible from anywhere. Whether you're traveling by foot, bus, or car, we make it easy for you to complete your medical exam for driver licensing so you can focus on getting on the road.
