Trucking Compliance Checklist
Running a trucking business means keeping a lot of plates spinning. Miss one compliance deadline and you risk fines, an out-of-service order, or losing your authority. Here's everything you need to track — and what happens if you don't.
Driver Compliance
- CDL (Commercial Driver's License): Valid and correct class. Renewal dates vary by state (typically every 4-8 years). Driving with an expired CDL is an instant out-of-service order.
- Medical card (DOT physical): Required every 2 years. Some conditions (diabetes, high blood pressure) require annual renewal. Without a valid medical card, your CDL is downgraded.
- Drug & alcohol testing: Pre-employment, random, post-accident, and reasonable suspicion. Must be enrolled in a DOT-compliant consortium. A missed random test is treated the same as a positive result.
- MVR (Motor Vehicle Record): Annual review required for every driver in your fleet.
- PSP (Pre-Employment Screening): Check crash and inspection history before hiring any driver.
- Hazmat endorsement: If applicable. TSA background check required, renewal every 5 years.
Pro Tip
Set reminders for 60, 30, and 7 days before your medical card expires. Most owner-operators don't realize their CDL gets automatically downgraded if the medical card lapses — even if the CDL itself is still valid.
Vehicle Compliance
- Annual DOT inspection: Every 12 months. Must have current sticker displayed. An expired sticker is a guaranteed inspection and potential out-of-service order.
- Vehicle registration (IRP): Annual renewal through your base state. Operating with expired registration can result in impoundment.
- DVIR (Driver Vehicle Inspection Report): Pre-trip and post-trip inspection reports. Required daily by FMCSA regulations.
- Brake adjustments & tire condition: Must meet FMCSA standards at all times. Brake violations are the #1 reason trucks get placed out of service.
- ELD compliance: Device must be FMCSA-registered and functioning. ELD malfunctions must be reported and resolved within 8 days.
Business & Authority Compliance
- MC/DOT authority: Must remain active. Insurance lapses trigger automatic revocation — and reactivation takes weeks.
- Insurance: Liability ($750K min), cargo, and filings must stay current with FMCSA. A lapse of even one day can revoke your authority.
- BOC-3: Process agent designation. Must be on file. Usually set once and forgotten, but verify it's still active.
- UCR (Unified Carrier Registration): Annual renewal. $176 for 0-2 vehicles.
- Form 2290 (HVUT): Annual. Due by August 31. $550 for trucks at 75,000 lbs GVW.
- MCS-150 update: Biennial (every 2 years based on your USDOT number). Failure to update can lead to USDOT deactivation.
- IFTA license & decals: Annual renewal through base state. Quarterly filing required.
Recordkeeping Requirements
- Driver qualification files: Must maintain for every driver, kept for 3 years after employment ends.
- ELD/HOS records: Retained for 6 months. Must be available for inspection at roadside.
- Drug testing records: 5 years for positive results, 1 year for negative results.
- Vehicle maintenance records: Keep for at least 1 year plus 6 months after vehicle leaves service.
- Accident records: 3 years for DOT-recordable accidents.
- IFTA records: 4 years. Includes fuel receipts and mileage records.
What Non-Compliance Actually Costs
FMCSA penalties are steep and escalate fast:
| Violation | Penalty |
|---|---|
| Operating without authority | Up to $16,000/violation |
| Insurance lapse | Authority revocation |
| HOS violations | $16,000+/violation |
| Expired medical card | Out of service |
| Failed drug test (no follow-up) | Driver removal |
| Expired DOT inspection | Out of service + fine |
| Late IFTA filing | $50 or 10% of tax |
Beyond fines, out-of-service orders mean you're parked — no revenue, stranded loads, and potentially a tow bill. Compliance violations also affect your CSA score, which some brokers check before offering loads.
FMCSA Audit Preparation
If FMCSA selects you for an audit (New Entrant audit is required within your first 18 months), you need:
- All driver qualification files organized and complete
- 6 months of ELD/HOS records
- Drug and alcohol testing records with consortium enrollment proof
- Vehicle maintenance logs and annual inspection records
- Insurance certificates and BOC-3 filing
- IFTA records for the past 4 years
Pro Tip
The New Entrant audit happens within 18 months of activating your authority. Prepare for it from day one — don't wait until you get the notice. Carriers who fail get a conditional rating and a timeline to fix issues, or face authority revocation.
Without OTR
- Calendar reminders you forget to set
- Scramble when something expires unexpectedly
- Paper files in a folder you can't find
- Miss a renewal → out of service on the road
- Audit prep takes days of digging through records
With OTR
- Every item tracked with color-coded timelines
- SMS + email reminders at 60, 30, and 7 days
- All documents scanned and filed digitally
- Dashboard shows compliance status at a glance
- Audit-ready records organized automatically
How OTR handles this
Compliance on autopilot
- Track CDL, medical card, inspections, insurance, permits — everything in one place
- Color-coded timelines: green (current), yellow (expiring soon), red (expired)
- SMS + email reminders at 60, 30, and 7 days before any expiration
- Snap a document photo — it's sorted and filed to the right compliance item
