Sixteen Drivers With Seizure Disorders Get Federal Trucking Exemptions
Published Date: 11/4/2026
Notice
Summary
The FMCSA is giving 16 drivers with epilepsy or seizure disorders a green light to drive commercial trucks across state lines, as long as they take their medication and stay safe. These special exemptions started on July 27, 2026, and last until July 27, 2028. This change helps qualified drivers keep working without risking safety or breaking rules.
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
16 Drivers Cleared to Drive Interstate
FMCSA granted exemptions to 16 named individuals allowing them to operate commercial motor vehicles in interstate commerce despite a history of epilepsy or seizures. The exemptions are effective July 27, 2026 and expire July 27, 2028; the 16 drivers are listed by name in the notice.
Required Medical Reporting and Compliance Rules
Drivers granted these exemptions must remain seizure-free, maintain a stable treatment regimen, and report a seizure or change in treatment to FMCSA within 24 hours. They must submit annual treating-physician reports and certified driving records, undergo an annual medical exam by a certified medical examiner, provide medical certification copies to their employer (or retain them if self-employed), report crashes and disqualifying citations/convictions to FMCSA within 7 days, and carry a copy of the exemption while driving.
Federal Exemption Preempts Conflicting State Laws
While the exemption is in effect (July 27, 2026 to July 27, 2028), no State may enforce a law or regulation that conflicts with the exemption for a person operating under it. This ensures the federally exempted drivers can operate interstate without state-level conflict during the exemption period.
Basis for Grant: Individualized Medical Assessments
FMCSA based these exemptions on individualized reviews of medical records, driving history, and treating-physician opinions; the 16 applicants had been seizure-free for between 1 and 21 years while taking anti-seizure medication and maintained a stable treatment regimen for the last 2 years. FMCSA determined that granting the exemptions would likely achieve a level of safety equivalent to or greater than compliance with the regulation.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
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