California NEMT Vehicle Requirements: What Your Medi-Cal Vans Must Have

California NEMT providers: your vehicles have to meet Medi-Cal's rules before you can carry a single client.

If you're launching or expanding non-emergency medical transportation in California, the fastest way to stall your Medi-Cal enrollment is to buy the wrong vehicles or skip a permit. Here's what the state expects.

Equip each vehicle for its service level

A wheelchair van needs a lift or ramp plus securement systems and tie-downs that lock each mobility device in place, along with separate occupant restraints. Transporting a client on a stretcher is a different service level: it requires a purpose-built litter van, not a modified minivan.

Permit and inspect before you operate

Before any vehicle carries passengers for hire, you generally need a California Public Utilities Commission transportation permit, current DMV commercial registration, proof of commercial insurance, and a passing vehicle safety inspection. Drivers need clean DMV records plus first aid and CPR. The California Department of Health Care Services administers the Medi-Cal NEMT benefit and expects your fleet and drivers to meet the standard for the services you plan to bill.

Key takeaway: Match each vehicle to its service level, equip wheelchair vans with lifts and securement, use a litter van for stretchers, and secure your CPUC permit, DMV registration, and inspection before you enroll to bill Medi-Cal.

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