As of March 1, 2022, the DOT/FMCSA have changed the certification procedure. Please see the section titled "How to Become Certified" on our home page for more information.
Once a medical provider has completed an accredited NRCME training program such as ours, and has printed their Certificate of Completion, they should then apply for their 10-digit National Registry certification number, also known as an Eligibility number by PSI testing centers, directly from the DOT.
Click here to register with the DOT.
The DOT will then assign and email the provider their National Registry certification number and will proceed to verify the provider's credentials (which can take 1 to 3 weeks). Once verified, the provider can then schedule the $80 national certification examination using their National Registry certification number with either a PSI or Prometric testing center (Testing Options: PSI or Prometric?). To locate convenient testing centers, visit Google Maps and search for “PSI testing center” or “Prometric testing center”.
COVID-19: Providers can find out when testing centers near them will reopen from the pandemic closures from the following links: https://www.prometric.com/closures and https://www.psionline.com/closures.
The day the provider sits for the national exam in person, they will need to bring the following to the testing center:
- Their Certificate of Completion (which can also be shown on their smart phone if they forget their printed certificate).
- A valid state issued photo ID, where the provider's name matches their Certificate of Completion.
- A copy of the provider's current medical license.
Once the DOT has received the passing test result from the testing company, they will process and email the provider an official certificate indicating their status as a certified Medical Examiner (ME) now listed on the National Registry (which can take 1 to 3 weeks). Once certified and performing examinations, the provider must submit their examination results to the DOT for all activity, including non-activity, via their online account with the DOT. Failure to report may result in the provider's removal from the federal program.
Medical providers who do not pass their NRCME national exam no longer have to wait 30 days to reschedule. This applies to both initial certification and 10-year recertification. As soon as the FMCSA receives the failing notice from the testing company, they will update the provider's FMCSA account, a process that may take up to 7 days. Once the update is complete, the provider can promptly reschedule their next exam.
More than 3 weeks: If it has been more than 3 weeks since the provider applied for their National Registry number, or more than 3 weeks since the provider passed the national exam, and they have heard nothing back from the DOT, check the provider's email and junk mail folder before contacting the DOT directly at FMCTECHSUP@dot.gov (recommended) or by telephone at 617-494-3003. Please note, training and testing companies do not assign providers their National Registry number, and the DOT will not discuss a provider's account with anyone other than the provider in question.
About the NRCME Exam
Testing Options: PSI or Prometric?
NRCME Exam Testing in Hawaii
NRCME 10-Year Recertification
Scheduling Your Recertification Exam
A Tale of Recertification