Trucking company compliance checklist: what to keep, when to renew, and the rule behind each
By Edwin Horton · Updated
Compliance isn't one task. It's a set of filings, files and habits, each on its own clock. Some happen once, at startup. Some repeat every trip, every hire, every quarter, every year or every two years. Miss one and you can face a failed audit, an out-of-service order, a deactivated USDOT number or a broker who won't book you.
This checklist puts them in one place, with the rule behind each, how often it repeats and how long to keep the record. It's written for small fleets of one to ten trucks.
Not legal advice. Have it reviewed for your state and your operation.
For how CDL testing programs work, see our guide to a DOT drug testing consortium.
The compliance calendar
- EVERY TRIP
Driver checks
Pre-trip inspection; logs on the ELD; defect report when something's wrong; required documents in the cab.
- EVERY HIRE
Driver file
Application, MVRs, previous employer checks, road test, medical card; drug test and Clearinghouse query for CDL drivers.
- QUARTERLY
Filings and audits
IFTA returns; random testing selections; your own file self-audit.
- EVERY YEAR
Renewals
Annual MVR review per driver; annual inspection per truck and trailer; UCR; IRP; Form 2290; Clearinghouse annual query.
- EVERY 2 YEARS
Registration update
MCS-150 biennial update on your USDOT schedule; medical certificates generally renew every 24 months.
- WHEN THINGS CHANGE
Updates
New address, name or fleet size; new insurance; new trucks; leased equipment; accidents.
Compliance calendar
Calendar file (.ics) for Google, Outlook or Apple Calendar
Yearly reminders for IFTA quarters, Form 2290, UCR renewal and quarterly self-audits. Add your own driver and truck dates.
How to use this checklist
Read it in three passes. First, the startup items: if any registration, filing or insurance item is missing, fix it before the next load. Second, the per-hire and per-truck items: walk every driver file and every truck file against the tables. Third, the calendar: put every recurring date in one place, with reminders, and assign each item to a person. After that, a quarterly self-audit keeps it current.
The tables give the rule, the rhythm and the record. The sections after each table explain what the items mean in practice.
Registration, authority and filings
| Item | Rule or source | How often | Keep |
|---|---|---|---|
| USDOT number and operating authority | FMCSA registration; registration fee FMCSA registration application fee$30049 CFR 360.3 fee schedule: $300 for an application for USDOT registration (49 CFR part 390, subpart E). The same schedule lists no fee for designating a process agent (Form BOC-3).49 CFR 360.3Checked Oct 2026 | Once, at startup | Current record |
| Process agent (BOC-3) | Process agent designation (BOC-3)Required before operating authority is granted; no FMCSA feeMotor carriers designate a process agent in each state where they operate (Form BOC-3, 49 CFR part 366). FMCSA's fee schedule in 49 CFR 360.3 charges $0 for the designation; filing services charge their own fees.49 CFR 360.3 and part 366Checked Oct 2026 | Once; update if the agent changes | On file |
| MCS-150 update | 49 CFR 390.19 MCS-150 biennial updateUpdate your registration (MCS-150) every 24 months; missing it deactivates the USDOT number49 CFR 390.19(b): carriers file the MCS-150 before beginning operations and every 24 months on a schedule set by USDOT number digits; a carrier that fails to update will have its USDOT number deactivated. The form reports the number of power units the carrier operates, among other details.49 CFR 390.19Checked Oct 2026 | Every 24 months and when details change | Confirmation |
| Insurance on file | 49 CFR 387.9 minimums for interstate for-hire property Minimum liability, general freight$750,00049 CFR 387.9: for-hire interstate carriage of nonhazardous property in vehicles of 10,001 lb GVWR or more.49 CFR 387.9Checked Oct 2026 | Continuous; renew before expiry | Policies and filings |
| Company name and USDOT number on trucks | 49 CFR 390.21 Vehicle markingLegal or single trade name + "USDOT" number, both sides, sharp contrast, legible from 50 ft in daylight49 CFR 390.21 requires self-propelled CMVs to show the carrier's legal name or one trade name (as filed with FMCSA) and its USDOT number preceded by "USDOT", on both sides, in sharply contrasting letters readable from 50 feet in daylight while the vehicle is stationary.49 CFR 390.21Checked Oct 2026 | Every power unit | On the truck |
| UCR registration | UCR Plan fees by fleet size UCR fees by fleet size0 to 2 vehicles $46 (2026) / $55 (2027); 3 to 5 $138 / $167; 6 to 20 $276 / $333; 21 to 100 $963 / $1,163UCR Plan fee brackets for motor carriers: B1 0-2 vehicles $46 (2026), $55 (2027); B2 3-5 $138, $167; B3 6-20 $276, $333; B4 21-100 $963, $1,163; B5 101-1,000 $4,592, $5,548; B6 1,001+ $44,836, $54,165. The 2027 fees took effect October 1, 2026. Brokers and leasing companies pay the B1 fee.UCR Plan, fee brackets, 2026Checked Oct 2026 | Yearly | Receipt |
| IRP apportioned plates and cab cards | IRP apportioned registrationOne apportioned plate and cab card per vehicle, listing jurisdictions and weightsUnder the International Registration Plan, the base jurisdiction issues one plate and one cab card for each fleet vehicle; the cab card lists every jurisdiction the vehicle is apportioned for and the registered weight in each. Electronic cab card images must be accepted by member jurisdictions.Virginia DMV, IRP programChecked Oct 2026 | Yearly renewal | Cab card in each truck; mileage records |
| IFTA returns | IFTA quarterly due datesApril 30, July 31, October 31, January 31IFTA returns and payment are due the last day of the month after each quarter ends: April 30 (Q1), July 31 (Q2), October 31 (Q3), January 31 (Q4). A return is due even for a quarter with no operation. Weekend and holiday handling follows the base jurisdiction.California CDTFA, IFTA and Interstate User guide: getting startedChecked Oct 2026 | Quarterly | Fuel and distance records 4 years IFTA record retentionFuel and distance records kept 4 years from the date the return was filedIFTA Procedures Manual P510: licensees retain the records on which IFTA fuel tax returns are based for four years following the date the return was filed, longer if an audit or waiver extends it.IFTA Procedures Manual, P500 to P600Checked Oct 2026 |
| Form 2290 heavy vehicle use tax | Form 2290 due dateDue by the last day of the month after first use; for July first use, August 31IRS: Form 2290 is filed by the last day of the month following the month the vehicle is first used on public highways in the tax period (July 1 to June 30); vehicles in use in July are due August 31. Weekend and holiday dates move to the next business day.IRS, When Form 2290 taxes are dueChecked Oct 2026 | Yearly, for trucks of 55,000 lb taxable gross weight or more HVUT (Form 2290)Taxable gross weight 55,000 lb or moreIRS: Form 2290 reports the heavy highway vehicle use tax for vehicles with a taxable gross weight of 55,000 lb or more. Vehicles expected to run 5,000 miles or less (7,500 for agricultural vehicles) in the period can claim suspension.IRS, About Form 2290Checked Oct 2026 | Stamped Schedule 1 |
| Leased equipment | 49 CFR 376.11 and 376.12 Using equipment the carrier doesn't ownWritten lease, receipts when possession changes, the carrier's identification on the truck, trip records49 CFR 376.11: an authorized carrier may use equipment it does not own only under a written lease meeting 376.12, with receipts identifying the equipment and the date and time possession transfers, identification of the equipment as in the carrier's service (or a lease copy or statement carried on it), and trip records.49 CFR 376.11Checked Oct 2026 | Each lease | Lease, receipts |
What this means in practice. Your registration is your public identity. Brokers, shippers and insurers look it up, and the details there should match your carrier packet, your truck doors and your insurance certificate exactly: legal name, USDOT number, address, phone, and the number of power units you run. When something changes, update it within the time the rules allow rather than waiting for the biennial date.
Fuel tax and registration filings are where small carriers most often fall behind, because they're quarterly or yearly and easy to forget during a busy season. IFTA returns are due even for a quarter with no travel in IFTA jurisdictions. Form 2290 applies only to trucks at or above the taxable gross weight threshold, which leaves out most 26 ft box trucks but includes most Class 8 tractors. UCR applies to interstate carriers and is priced by fleet size, so moving from two trucks to three moves you up a bracket.
Drivers
| Item | Rule | How often | Keep |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment application | 49 CFR 391.21 Driver employment applicationSigned application with 3 years of addresses, accidents, violations and employers (10 years of CMV employers for CDL drivers)49 CFR 391.21: before driving a CMV, the driver completes and signs the carrier's application listing licenses, experience, accidents and moving violations for the past 3 years, any license denial or suspension, employers for the past 3 years, and for CDL drivers, CMV employers for the 7 years before that.49 CFR 391.21Checked Oct 2026 | Each hire | Driver file |
| MVRs from every licensing state, past 3 years | 49 CFR 391.23 Hiring inquiries: MVR and previous employersMVR covering 3 years from every licensing state, and a 3-year safety performance check with prior DOT employers, both within 30 days of hire49 CFR 391.23: within 30 days of the start of employment, obtain the driver's motor vehicle record for the prior 3 years from each state that licensed the driver, and investigate safety performance history (accidents and, for drivers in testing programs, drug and alcohol violations) with DOT-regulated employers from the past 3 years. Since January 6, 2023, FMCSA-regulated employers use the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse for the FMCSA part of that drug and alcohol history.49 CFR 391.23Checked Oct 2026 | Within 30 days of hire | Driver file |
| Previous employer safety checks | 49 CFR 391.23 | Within 30 days of hire | Driver investigation file |
| Road test or accepted equivalent | 49 CFR 391.31 Road testRoad test on the equipment the driver will use, with a signed certificate, unless an equivalent is accepted49 CFR 391.31: a driver completes a road test given by the carrier or its designee covering pre-trip inspection, coupling (for combinations), operation in traffic, turning, braking, backing and parking; the carrier keeps the signed form and certificate in the qualification file. 391.33 allows a CDL or a prior certificate to be accepted instead.49 CFR 391.31Checked Oct 2026 | Each hire | Driver file |
| Medical examiner's certificate | 49 CFR 391.45 Medical certification intervalGenerally every 24 months; shorter when the examiner sets it49 CFR 391.45: drivers must be medically examined and certified if they have not been certified within the preceding 24 months, with shorter intervals for certain conditions and whenever an injury or illness has impaired the driver's ability to perform normal duties.49 CFR 391.45Checked Oct 2026 | Generally every 24 months | Driver file |
| Annual MVR and review | 49 CFR 391.25 Annual driving record inquiry and reviewAt least every 12 months: get each driver's MVR and review it, with the reviewer's name and date in the file49 CFR 391.25: at least once every 12 months the carrier obtains each driver's MVR covering the preceding 12 months, reviews it to decide whether the driver meets minimum requirements for safe driving or is disqualified under 391.15, giving great weight to violations such as speeding, reckless driving and impaired driving, and keeps the MVR and a note with the reviewer's name and date in the qualification file.49 CFR 391.25Checked Oct 2026 | Every 12 months | Driver file, with reviewer and date |
| Driver qualification file | 49 CFR 391.51 Driver qualification fileApplication, MVRs, road test, annual MVR review, medical certificate (and more) for every driver49 CFR 391.51(b) lists what each driver's qualification file must hold, including the employment application, MVRs from each licensing state, the road test certificate or equivalent, the annual MVR inquiry and review note, and the medical examiner's certificate.49 CFR 391.51Checked Oct 2026 | Ongoing | While employed and 3 years after |
What this means in practice. Every driver of a commercial motor vehicle needs a complete file before driving, including drivers of non-CDL trucks of 10,001 lb or more in interstate commerce Commercial motor vehicle (FMCSRs)10,001 lb GVWR/GCWR or more, in interstate commerce49 CFR 390.5: a vehicle used in interstate commerce with a GVWR or GCWR (or actual weight) of 10,001 lb or more is a commercial motor vehicle for the safety regulations, including driver qualification, hours of service and inspection rules, whether or not the driver needs a CDL.49 CFR 390.5Checked Oct 2026. The two items that slow hiring most are previous employer replies and medical certificates; start both the day a candidate applies. The annual MVR review isn't just pulling a record: someone must read it, decide whether the driver still meets your standards, and write their name and the date in the file. Our truck driver recruiting guide covers the hiring steps in order, and MVR in trucking covers what disqualifies a driver.
Drug and alcohol testing (CDL drivers only)
| Item | Rule | How often | Keep |
|---|---|---|---|
| Written policy materials, signed receipt | 49 CFR 382.601 Drug and alcohol policy materials (CDL drivers)Written materials explaining the testing rules and the company's policy, given to each driver before testing starts49 CFR 382.601: employers give each CDL driver educational materials covering who answers questions, who is covered, prohibited conduct, when tests happen, test procedures, refusals, consequences of violations and the SAP process, and Clearinghouse reporting, and obtain a signed receipt.49 CFR 382.601Checked Oct 2026 | Each CDL driver | Testing records |
| Pre-employment drug test | 49 CFR 382.301 Pre-employment drug test (CDL drivers)Verified negative drug test before the first safety-sensitive work, with a narrow exception49 CFR 382.301: before a CDL driver first performs safety-sensitive functions for an employer, the driver must be tested for controlled substances and the employer must receive a verified negative result. An exception applies when the driver was in a compliant program within the previous 30 days and was tested within 6 months or was in a random program for the prior 12 months. Pre-employment alcohol testing is optional.49 CFR 382.301Checked Oct 2026 | Before first safety-sensitive work | Testing records |
| Clearinghouse queries | 49 CFR 382.701 Clearinghouse queriesFull query before a CDL driver's first safety-sensitive work; query every driver at least yearly49 CFR 382.701(a): an employer may not let a driver subject to testing perform safety-sensitive functions until a pre-employment full query of the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse is done, with the driver's consent. 382.701(b): at least one query per driver per year.49 CFR 382.701Checked Oct 2026 | Pre-employment and yearly | Query records |
| Random testing | Minimum rates for 2026 FMCSA random testing rates, 202650% drug, 10% alcoholMinimum annual random testing rates for CDL drivers under 49 CFR 382.305, unchanged for calendar year 2026.U.S. DOT ODAPC, random testing rates, 2026Checked Oct 2026 | Throughout the year | Testing records |
| Testing records | 49 CFR 382.401 Drug and alcohol testing records retention5 years for positives, refusals and SAP records; 2 years for collection records; 1 year for negatives49 CFR 382.401: alcohol results of 0.02 or greater, verified positive drug results, refusals, SAP evaluations and referrals and similar records are kept at least five years; collection process records two years; negative and canceled results one year.49 CFR 382.401Checked Oct 2026 | Ongoing | 1 to 5 years by type |
What this means in practice. Testing applies to drivers who need a CDL, including owner-operators with their own authority who drive, since they employ themselves. Most small carriers join a consortium or third-party administrator that manages the random pool, collections and results, but the carrier remains responsible for the program. Keep testing records separate from general personnel files and limit who can see them. If a driver has a violation, the return-to-duty process applies; see what is SAP in trucking. Non-CDL drivers aren't in DOT testing.
Hours of service
| Item | Rule | How often | Keep |
|---|---|---|---|
| ELD for drivers who must log | 49 CFR 395.8 Electronic logging devicesDrivers who must keep records of duty status use an ELD, with exceptions (8 or fewer log days in 30, pre-2000 engines, driveaway-towaway)49 CFR 395.8: carriers must require drivers to record duty status, and must install and require use of an ELD, except for drivers required to keep records on 8 or fewer days in any 30-day period, drivers in driveaway-towaway operations, and drivers of vehicles manufactured before model year 2000. Tampering with an ELD is prohibited.49 CFR 395.8Checked Oct 2026 | Every trip | 6 months Keeping logsCarrier keeps records of duty status and supporting documents 6 months; driver has the past 7 days49 CFR 395.8(k): carriers retain records of duty status and supporting documents for each driver for at least 6 months from receipt; the driver keeps the previous 7 consecutive days available for inspection while on duty.49 CFR 395.8(k)Checked Oct 2026 |
| Short-haul time records, if using the exception | 49 CFR 395.1(e) Short-haul exception to logsDrivers within a 150 air-mile radius who meet the conditions don't keep records of duty status49 CFR 395.1(e)(1): a driver operating within a 150 air-mile radius (172.6 statute miles) of the normal work reporting location, returning there and released within 14 consecutive hours, among other conditions, is exempt from records of duty status under 395.8; the carrier keeps time records instead.49 CFR 395.1(e)Checked Oct 2026 | Every day used | 6 months |
What this means in practice. Drivers who must keep logs generally do it on an ELD, with exceptions for limited log days, older engines and driveaway-towaway work. Local drivers who meet the short-haul conditions don't keep logs, but the carrier keeps time records instead. Review logs for violations each week; patterns caught early cost much less than violations found at an audit. Remember that time inspecting and waiting at docks is on-duty time, so dispatch plans should leave room for it.
Vehicles
| Item | Rule | How often | Keep |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-trip inspection | 49 CFR 392.7 and 396.13 Parts a driver must check before drivingBrakes, parking brake, steering, lights and reflectors, tires, horn, wipers, mirrors, coupling, wheels and rims, emergency equipment49 CFR 392.7(a): no CMV may be driven unless the driver is satisfied that service brakes (including trailer brake connections), parking brake, steering, lighting devices and reflectors, tires, horn, windshield wipers, mirrors, coupling devices, wheels and rims, and emergency equipment are in good working order.49 CFR 392.7Checked Oct 2026 | Every trip | Signed prior report if defects were listed |
| Driver vehicle inspection reports | 49 CFR 396.11 Driver vehicle inspection reportWritten post-trip report when a defect is found or reported; not required when there are none49 CFR 396.11: drivers report at the end of each day's work on each vehicle any defect or deficiency affecting safe operation (brakes, steering, lights, tires, coupling, wheels, mirrors, emergency equipment and more). Property-carrying drivers are not required to prepare a report if no defect is found or reported. The rule doesn't apply to carriers operating only one CMV.49 CFR 396.11Checked Oct 2026 | When defects are found | 3 months |
| Annual inspection | 49 CFR 396.17 Annual inspectionEvery 12 months49 CFR 396.17(c): a CMV may not be used unless each component in Appendix A has passed an inspection at least once in the preceding 12 months.49 CFR 396.17Checked Oct 2026 | Every 12 months, every truck and trailer | 14 months Annual inspection report retentionKeep the annual inspection report 14 months49 CFR 396.21(b)(1): the original or a copy of the periodic (annual) inspection report is retained for fourteen months from the date of the inspection report.49 CFR 396.21Checked Oct 2026 |
| Maintenance and repair records | 49 CFR 396.3 Maintenance records retentionKept 1 year where the vehicle is housed or maintained, and 6 months after it leaves your control49 CFR 396.3(c): inspection, repair and maintenance records for each vehicle controlled 30 days or more are kept where the vehicle is housed or maintained for 1 year and for 6 months after the vehicle leaves the carrier's control.49 CFR 396.3Checked Oct 2026 | Ongoing | 1 year, and 6 months after the truck leaves |
| Emergency equipment | 49 CFR 393.95 Required emergency equipmentA rated fire extinguisher and three reflective triangles (or 6 fusees)49 CFR 393.95: each truck and truck tractor carries a securely mounted, rated fire extinguisher (10 B:C or more when hauling placarded hazmat; otherwise one 5 B:C or two 4 B:C) and warning devices for stopped vehicles: three bidirectional emergency reflective triangles, or at least six fusees.49 CFR 393.95Checked Oct 2026 | Every truck | On the truck |
What this means in practice. Every truck and every trailer needs an annual inspection, and each unit needs its own maintenance record. Trailers are the item most often forgotten. Defects reported by drivers must be repaired, or confirmed as not needing repair, before the vehicle is driven again, and the next driver reviews and signs the report. A simple folder per unit, with the next service and inspection dates written on the front, covers most of it. Our guides to what is PTI in trucking and the annual inspection due date tracker help.
Accidents
| Item | Rule | How often | Keep |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accident register | 49 CFR 390.15 Accident registerKept for 3 years after each accident49 CFR 390.15(b): motor carriers maintain an accident register for 3 years after the date of each accident, with date, location, driver, injuries, fatalities and hazmat release information, plus copies of accident reports required by states or insurers.49 CFR 390.15Checked Oct 2026 | Each recordable accident | 3 years |
Printable checklist
Small fleet compliance checklist
FMCSA registration
Check before every broker setup
Your USDOT number schedule
49 CFR 390.19
Your insurer
49 CFR 387
Process agent
BOC-3
UCR Plan
By fleet size
Base state
Yearly
Base jurisdiction
Quarterly
IRS
Yearly
Each truck
49 CFR 390.21
Each driver
49 CFR 391.51
Each driver
49 CFR 391.25
Each driver
49 CFR 391.45
Consortium or C/TPA
49 CFR 382
Each truck
49 CFR 395.8
Every truck and trailer
49 CFR 396.17
Each truck
49 CFR 396.3
Each truck
49 CFR 396.11
Each truck
49 CFR 393.95
Company
49 CFR 390.15
A planning checklist, not legal or tax advice. Have it reviewed for your state.
Tick items as you check them; the list saves in this browser and prints.
Leased trucks and owner-operators
When you lease a truck from an owner-operator, the lease itself is a compliance document: it must contain the terms federal rules require, the truck must carry your identification while it runs for you, and you keep receipts for when you took and returned possession. The driver needs a full qualification file, and CDL drivers join your testing program. The truck needs an annual inspection and maintenance records like any other unit. See how to hire owner-operators for the full list of lease clauses.
Beyond the federal list
State rules. States add their own requirements for intrastate carriers, registration, fuel taxes in some cases, weight and size permits, and sometimes their own DOT numbers. Your state trucking association and state DOT are the places to check.
Your freight. Hazardous materials bring their own rules: endorsements for drivers, shipping papers, placards, sometimes a security plan and PHMSA registration. Oversize loads need state permits for each state you cross. Food and temperature-controlled freight often comes with customer requirements for cleaning and temperature records.
Your customers. Shippers and brokers may require higher insurance limits than the federal minimum, specific safety ratings, or proof of driver training. Those aren't federal rules, but they decide whether you get the freight.
Rule changes. Federal rules change every year, mostly in small ways. Our new trucking laws tracker lists recent final and proposed rules with their effective dates.
If FMCSA contacts you
A letter, email or call from FMCSA about an audit, investigation or data problem deserves a same-day response. Read it carefully, note every deadline, gather the records it asks for, and answer in writing. If the request involves a compliance review or a proposed rating, consider getting help from a compliance professional or transportation attorney before you respond. Most problems are much easier to fix early than after a deadline passes.
New carriers: the safety audit
New carriers face a safety audit once they've operated long enough to have records, generally after at least three months New entrant safety auditGenerally after at least 3 months of operation49 CFR 385.307: a safety audit of a new entrant is conducted once it has operated long enough to have records showing its basic safety management controls; generally at least 3 months.49 CFR 385.307Checked Oct 2026. Auditors review the same files listed above. If you're just starting, the starting a trucking business checklist and how to start a trucking company cover the setup steps in order.
How compliance shows up to brokers and insurers
Brokers check your authority, insurance and safety record before booking. Insurers look at inspection results, violations and crashes at renewal. Roadside violations feed your public safety measurement scores; see how with the CSA score estimator. Clean files and clean inspections keep both doors open.
The connection works the other way too. A carrier whose insurance lapses, whose authority is revoked or whose USDOT number is deactivated disappears from brokers' approved lists almost immediately, often through automated monitoring. Getting reinstated takes time, and every day off the list is a day the trucks don't run. That's why the startup and renewal items at the top of this checklist matter more than anything else on it: they're the ones that can stop the business overnight. Put insurance renewal, MCS-150 and UCR dates at the top of your calendar, with reminders well ahead, and confirm each one is done rather than assuming it.
Keeping it manageable
- One calendar for every company, driver and truck date, with reminders 60 days ahead.
- One owner for compliance, even if it's you.
- A quarterly self-audit of every file.
- Software or an outside service when the files outgrow you; see trucking compliance software.
- Your state trucking association for state rules and training; see the list of trucking associations.
EXAMPLE A three-truck carrier sets up the calendar file, adds each driver's medical certificate and MVR review dates and each truck's annual inspection date, and runs the printable checklist every quarter. At its first quarterly check it finds a trailer inspection two weeks from expiring and books it before the trailer is due out on a load.
Once every box is checked
Compliance is the base the rest of the business stands on. For how our desk works once you're compliant and ready to run, see small fleet dispatch.
This checklist summarizes federal rules in general terms; it isn't legal, tax or accounting advice. Have it reviewed for your state and operation.
Compliance questions, answered short
01What does a trucking company need to stay compliant?
Active USDOT and operating authority with current filings, insurance on file, a qualification file for every driver, a drug and alcohol program for CDL drivers, hours-of-service records, vehicle inspections and maintenance records, an accident register, and current IRP, IFTA, UCR and HVUT filings where they apply.
02How often do I update my MCS-150?
At least every 24 months on a schedule set by your USDOT number, and whenever key details change. Missing the biennial update can get your USDOT number deactivated.
03Do non-CDL trucks need drug testing?
No. DOT drug and alcohol testing applies to drivers who need a CDL. Non-CDL commercial vehicles still need driver qualification files, logs or short-haul records, inspections and maintenance records.
04What records does FMCSA check in a new entrant safety audit?
Typically driver qualification files, drug and alcohol testing records for CDL drivers, hours-of-service records, vehicle maintenance and inspection records, insurance and the accident register.
05How long do I keep driver qualification files?
For as long as the driver works for you and three years after.
06Is this checklist legal advice?
No. It summarizes federal rules in general terms. State rules, your freight (such as hazmat) and your operation can add requirements. Have it reviewed for your situation.
07How often does FMCSA audit trucking companies?
New carriers get a safety audit during their first months of operation. After that, FMCSA reviews carriers based on safety data, complaints and crashes rather than on a fixed schedule, so keep records audit-ready all the time.
08What compliance mistakes do small carriers make?
Missing dates: expired medical certificates, skipped annual MVR reviews, overdue annual inspections on trailers, and late MCS-150 updates. One calendar with reminders prevents most of them.
09Do owner-operators leased to a carrier need their own compliance files?
The carrier they lease to is responsible for qualifying them as drivers and for the leased truck's inspection and maintenance records while it runs under the carrier's authority. Owner-operators with their own authority keep all the files themselves.
10What happens if my MCS-150 is out of date?
A carrier that fails to complete the biennial update can have its USDOT number deactivated, which stops it from operating until it's fixed. Brokers may also refuse setups when your public record doesn't match your packet.