What is a Commercial Vehicle Inspection?
Annual, roadside, driver-report and PM checks are all called commercial vehicle inspections. Who does each and what record it leaves, under 49 CFR Part 396.
- Published
- Updated
- Cites
- 49 CFR 396.1 · 49 CFR 396.3 · 49 CFR 396.9 · 49 CFR 396.11 · 49 CFR 396.17 · 49 CFR 396.19 · 49 CFR 396.21 · 49 CFR 396.23 · 49 CFR 396.25 · 49 CFR Part 396 Appendix A
Short answer
A commercial vehicle inspection is a check of a truck, tractor, trailer or bus for defects that affect safe operation. Several different checks go by that name. 49 CFR Part 396 gives each one its own rules: who performs it, when, against what standard, and what record it leaves. This page explains how they fit together and links to the page that covers each one in detail.
What is a commercial vehicle inspection?
It is an examination of a commercial motor vehicle's parts and accessories, such as brakes, steering, lighting, tires, wheels and coupling devices, to find defects that affect safe operation or could cause a breakdown.
The duty behind every type is in 49 CFR 396.3(a). A motor carrier must systematically inspect, repair and maintain all vehicles under its control, and keep their parts and accessories in safe and proper operating condition at all times. The inspections below are the specific checks Part 396 sets out within that duty.
Part 396 does not apply to covered farm vehicles or pipeline welding trucks (49 CFR 396.1).
What types of commercial vehicle inspection are there?
Four checks are commonly called a commercial vehicle inspection. They differ in who does them, how often, and what standard applies.
| Inspection | Who performs it | When | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual (periodic) inspection | A qualified inspector | At least once every 12 months | 49 CFR 396.17 |
| Roadside inspection | FMCSA special agents | While the vehicle is in operation | 49 CFR 396.9 |
| Driver reports | The driver | At the end of each day's work | 49 CFR 396.11 |
| Preventive maintenance (PM) | A technician | On the carrier's schedule | No general PM interval in Part 396 |
The annual inspection
Under 49 CFR 396.17, a commercial motor vehicle may not be used unless every component listed in Appendix A to Part 396 has passed an inspection within the preceding 12 months, and documentation of that inspection is on the vehicle. Each vehicle in a combination counts separately, so a tractor and its trailer each need their own inspection. The inspector prepares a report whose contents are set by 49 CFR 396.21(a); see what the annual inspection report must contain.
The full rule, including the decal option and the State program exception, is on annual DOT inspection requirements. The components and what fails them are on the Appendix A pass/fail standards.
Roadside inspections
FMCSA special agents may inspect vehicles in operation under 49 CFR 396.9(a). Under 396.9(c), authorized personnel declare out of service a vehicle whose mechanical condition or loading would likely cause an accident or breakdown, and it may not be operated until the required repairs are complete. Within 15 days of the inspection, the carrier certifies that the violations noted have been corrected (396.9(d)(3)).
Being placed out of service at the roadside is not the same as failing an annual inspection. The difference is covered on unsafe operation, failed inspections and out-of-service orders.
Driver post-trip reports
At the completion of each day's work, the driver prepares a written report on each vehicle driven (49 CFR 396.11(a)(1)). It covers at least the parts and accessories listed in 396.11(a)(1), among them the service and parking brakes, steering, lighting, tires, coupling devices, and wheels and rims. The report identifies the vehicle and lists any defect or deficiency that would affect safe operation or result in a mechanical breakdown. No report is required if no defect or deficiency is discovered by or reported to the driver (396.11(a)(2)(i)). The section does not apply to a private motor carrier of passengers (nonbusiness), a driveaway-towaway operation, or a motor carrier operating only one commercial motor vehicle (396.11(a)(5)).
The driver's report is not measured against Appendix A and does not produce a decal. What the driver must check before driving is covered on 49 CFR Part 396 explained, section by section.
Preventive maintenance (PM)
A PM inspection is scheduled service work. Part 396 sets no general PM interval; the schedule comes from the carrier and the equipment manufacturer's documentation. The one fixed interval in 396.3 is for buses: pushout windows, emergency doors and emergency door marking lights are inspected at least every 90 days (396.3(a)(2)). What 49 CFR 396.3(b) does require, for each vehicle a carrier has controlled for 30 consecutive days, is a means of showing the nature and due date of the inspection and maintenance operations to be performed, and a record of inspections, repairs and maintenance with their date and nature. Private motor carriers of passengers (nonbusiness) are excepted.
A PM result is not an annual inspection. See what a PM inspection is and how a PM inspection differs from a DOT inspection.
Who performs a commercial vehicle inspection?
It depends on the type:
- Annual inspection. An individual who meets the inspector qualifications in 49 CFR 396.19. A carrier may inspect its own vehicles, or have a commercial garage, fleet leasing company, truck stop or similar business do it as its agent (396.17(d) and (e)). Where a State runs a mandatory program that FMCSA has found as effective as 396.17, the requirement is met through that program (396.23).
- Brake work, in any inspection or PM. Anyone responsible for brake inspection, maintenance, service or repair must also meet the separate brake inspector qualifications in 49 CFR 396.25.
- Roadside inspection. FMCSA special agents, under 396.9(a). An out-of-service order is issued by authorized personnel under 396.9(c).
- Driver reports. The driver.
What counts as qualifying training or experience is on who can perform a DOT inspection.
What records does each inspection leave?
Each type has its own record and its own retention period:
- Annual inspection report: kept for 14 months from the date of the report, where the vehicle is housed or maintained (49 CFR 396.21(b)(1)). The report or a decal based on it is carried on the vehicle (396.17(c)).
- Roadside inspection report: a copy kept for 12 months from the date of the inspection (396.9(d)(3)).
- Driver vehicle inspection report: the original, with the certification of repairs and of the driver's review, kept for three months from the date it was prepared (396.11(a)(4)).
- Maintenance records: kept for one year where the vehicle is housed or maintained, and for six months after the vehicle leaves the carrier's control (396.3(c)).
Who must produce these records, and what the annual report must contain, is on DOT inspection recordkeeping.
Related
- Annual DOT inspection requirements — §396.17
- Who can perform a DOT inspection — §396.19 and §396.25
- Unsafe operation, failed inspections and out-of-service orders — §396.9
- Inspection recordkeeping requirements — §396.21 and §396.3
- The annual inspection report form — §396.21
- PM inspection vs. DOT inspection
- 49 CFR Part 396 explained, section by section
This page summarizes 49 CFR Part 396 as of the eCFR edition of October 1, 2026. It is informational only and does not constitute legal or regulatory advice. Regulations change and State requirements vary. Consult the current eCFR and your State's requirements.
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