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FMCSA SPE Certificate: Medical Evaluation Summary

Interstate commercial drivers with limb loss or impairment can apply for a Skill Performance Evaluation certificate under 49 CFR 391.49. The application must include this Medical Evaluation Summary, in which a physiatrist or orthopedic surgeon assesses strength, mobility, stability, prehension and any prosthesis against the described job tasks. FMCSA then evaluates the driver's skills in the intended vehicle.

Who completes it

The motor carrier or driver completes Part II, the job task description. Only a board-certified or board-qualified physiatrist or orthopedic surgeon may complete and sign Part III; FMCSA rejects any other signature and keeps no list of eligible physicians.

Submitting and payment

How to submit it
The physician returns the summary to the driver or carrier, who include it in the application to the FMCSA Service Center for the driver's licensing state (or the carrier's principal place of business), where email is the preferred method.

Good to know

  • Part III asks yes or no for adequate muscle strength, limb and trunk mobility, and joint and trunk stability, and for precision and power grasp prehension in each hand separately.
  • Describe the loss or impairment precisely, for example amputation 3 inches below the left elbow, and summarize grip strength, pinch testing, range of motion and sensory findings.
  • The summary must give an opinion on whether the condition will likely remain medically stable over the driver's lifetime; the physician need not say whether the driver is a safety risk.
  • The MCSA-5875 and MCSA-5876 must have the SPE certificate box checked. Certificates last up to 2 years and can be renewed 30 days before expiration.

Get the official form

Download the current version from the source each time; forms change without notice.

Medical Evaluation Summary (Skill Performance Evaluation Certificate application)

Official pagePDF

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How this list is checked

A form is listed only after its name and number were confirmed on the issuing agency’s or insurer’s own website, or in the form itself. Each entry links to that source. The list was last checked in October 2026. Forms and their requirements change without notice, so check the official page for the current version before you complete one.

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Frequently asked questions

Can a family doctor complete the FMCSA SPE medical evaluation summary?

No. Only a board-certified or board-qualified physiatrist or orthopedic surgeon can complete and sign it, with no exceptions. An evaluation from another type of physician is not accepted, and if a qualifying specialist does not complete Part III, processing of the application stops.

What do precision prehension and power grasp prehension mean on the SPE form?

Precision prehension is grasping and manipulating knobs and switches with the fingers and thumb; power grasp is holding and maneuvering the steering wheel with the hand. The specialist answers for each hand and answers yes whether the driver achieves them with a natural limb or a prosthetic or orthotic device.

How long is an SPE certificate valid?

Up to 2 years from the date of issue, and it may be renewed 30 days before expiration. FMCSA may grant it in whole or in part with conditions, and the certificate names the power unit it covers, such as a bus, truck or truck tractor.