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Verida NEMT Driver Requirements in Georgia

Short answer: since April 1, 2026, Verida is Georgia's Medicaid NEMT broker in all five regions. Georgia's NEMT manual (October 1, 2026) says each driver must be at least 21, hold a valid license, have no sexual or violent convictions, have no DUI in the 5 years before hire, and have no suspended license in the last 5 years. The broker's file on each driver holds a 3-year driving record from the Georgia State Patrol, a background check, and first aid and driver training certificates. Verida's Georgia page also asks for current drug screens for all owners and drivers. This page walks through each item, from the state manual and Verida's own pages.

Updated October 15, 2026 · Checked against the official sources listed at the end

Where these rules come from

Two public sources cover Georgia. The first is the Georgia Department of Community Health's Part II Policies and Procedures for NEMT, version October 1, 2026. It binds the broker, which must make sure every ride company it contracts with meets these driver rules. The second is Verida's Georgia Providers page, which lists what Verida asks for when you apply.

We found no public Verida provider manual for Georgia. The state manual lets the broker add its own qualifications with the state's approval. So your Verida service agreement may ask for more than this page shows. Ask your Verida provider relations manager for the full list.

Driver qualifications in Georgia's NEMT manual

Section 914 of the manual sets these conditions for every driver:

• Age and license: at least 21 years old, with a current, valid Georgia license or a license from a bordering state where the driver lives.
• Criminal history: no prior convictions for a sexual crime or a crime of violence. This applies to attendants too.
• DUI: no conviction for driving under the influence in the 5 years before hire.
• Felonies: a felony conviction in the last 5 years is allowed only after review by Verida and the state.
• License history: no suspended or revoked license in the last 5 years. A suspension for unpaid child support can be cleared after the court releases it and the driver stays in good standing for 90 days.
• Moving violations: a driver convicted of two moving violations or at-fault accidents related to NEMT trips must be removed from service.
• Identification: drivers wear a readable company ID badge or uniform when carrying members (section 907).

Drug and alcohol rules

Verida's Georgia page lists "Current drug screens for all owners and drivers" among the documents it asks for. Neither Verida's public pages nor the state manual say which panel, how often, or whether random testing applies. Ask Verida before you choose a panel.

The manual says no driver may use or be under the influence of alcohol or drugs on duty, and no driver may abuse alcohol or drugs at any time. If you suspect a driver is impaired, you must pull them from Medicaid trips right away. The federal minimum, repeated in section 915, is that each provider has a process to address any violation of a state drug law.

What goes in each driver's file

Section 1006 lists the records the broker keeps for each driver of each ride company:

• Name, date of birth and Social Security number.
• A copy of the Georgia driver's license.
• The driving record for the past three years, from the Georgia State Patrol.
• Documentation of background checks run by the broker.
• First aid training certificates and the driver training course certificate.
• Any complaints, incidents, accidents or moving violations involving the driver.

Training before driving

Section 916 says drivers must complete driver training, first aid, and training in using a spill kit and removing biohazards before driving Medicaid trips. Driver training must include a passenger assistance orientation, an ongoing safety and sensitivity program, and defensive driving. Certifications must stay current for as long as the driver works under the agreement. A separate line gives drivers who haven't had the training 90 days from assignment to finish it, so confirm with Verida which applies to a new hire.

Verida's provider training page lists the courses it expects drivers to finish: First Aid, CPR, Defensive Driving, Passenger Sensitivity and Customer Service, Spill Kit, Proper Lifting, Wheelchair Securement and Driver Orientation. Its topic list names the National Safety Council for defensive driving and Medic First Aid for first aid and CPR. The page doesn't say whether other providers' courses are accepted.

Exclusion checks

Federal law, repeated in the Georgia manual, says no provider or driver may be on the HHS Office of Inspector General exclusion list. At the broker level, the manual says the broker checks the OIG list and SAM "on a monthly basis," and checks the Social Security Death Master File for every driver at hire and every year after.

The manual doesn't say ride companies must run their own monthly checks. Many do anyway, so they find a problem before the broker does.

Vehicles, insurance and the sign-up steps

Verida inspects every vehicle before it enters service (no more than 60 days ahead) and then every six months. Checks include brakes, tire tread, turn signals, horn, seat belts, and air conditioning and heat. A vehicle that fails is pulled until the state clears it in writing.

Verida's Georgia page gives an insurance overview: an A- or better carrier, a general liability policy listed as "$1 M SAM coverage with $2M aggregate," and auto coverage for all owned, hired and non-owned vehicles. Verida says to ask your provider relations manager for the exact limits.

Verida's sign-up has four steps: a Request for Qualifications form with driver and vehicle lists; business documents such as a business license, proof of insurance, driver credentials, background checks and drug screens; vehicle inspections and driver training; and an owner orientation, where the contract is signed.

How Pact helps (and what it doesn't do)

Pact Compliance keeps each driver's file in one place: license, driving record, background check, drug test and training certificates, with reminders 30, 14 and 7 days before anything runs out. Pact checks every active driver against OIG's exclusion list, plus the Medicaid exclusion lists your states publish as a file, each month and keeps a dated record of each check. It includes a random drug testing program, with lab tests at Quest for $40. Pricing is $15 per active driver a month, with a $99 minimum.

Pact is not a broker and is not affiliated with or approved by any broker. It doesn't enroll you with a broker or with Medicaid, run state or FBI fingerprint checks, check SAM.gov, or inspect vehicles. Upload those results and Pact tracks when they're due. Georgia's manual describes the background check as run by the broker, so follow Verida's instructions for that. Your Verida service agreement is the final word.

Common questions

Sources

• Georgia DCH: Part II Policies and Procedures for NEMT, October 1, 2026 (PDF)
• Georgia DCH: Non-Emergency Medical Transportation
• Verida: Georgia Providers
• Verida: Provider and Driver Training
• CMS Informational Bulletin, July 12, 2021 (PDF)

Related guides

• Colorado MediDrive NEMT Driver Roster Checklist
• MTM Health NEMT Driver Requirements
• ModivCare Driver Credentialing Requirements for NEMT Providers