By January 30, 2014, all CDL holders must declare your status to the Illinois Secretary of State, choosing one of the following four categories: 

 

1.  Non-excepted interstate driver (NI)

2.  Excepted interstate driver (EI)

3.  Non-excepted intrastate driver (NA)

4.  Excepted intrastate driver (EA)

 

Illinois ranks fifth in the US for states with the largest number of CDL drivers, following New York, California, Texas and Florida.  The Secretary of State's CDL office estimates that while 91% of Illinois CDL holders have declared, there are still 40,000 that have yet to do so.  You know how long the lines can get at a SOS office towards the end of the month, so if you have not yet declared, save yourself some grief and get there this week!  

 

For the vast majority of IFCA members who transport products only in Illinois, you can choose category 3.  However, if you engage in any interstate transportation you should declare category 1.  Categories 1 and 3 require medical certification, while the other categories are for drivers who are exempt from medical certification.  The purpose of this declaration is to allow the state and federal governments to enter medical certificate information into a new system that allows law enforcement officers to access it electronically in real time.  However, we recommend that you continue to carry your medical card until the new system is fully up and running just to be sure.  If you have questions, please contact IFCA at 309.827.2774.  More detailed information on this new requirement is posted on the IFCA website, please click here.