Driver Qualification Files Checklist:
- Employment Application (391.21)
- Medical Certificate (391.43)
- Copy of Drivers License
- Motor Vehicle Record (391.25)
- Annual Driver’s Certificate of Violations (391.27)
- Previous Employer Responses (3 years) (391.23(a)(2) & (c))
- Pre-Employment Drug and Alcohol Testing Results
- Drug and Alcohol Testing Policy
- Road Test Results (391.31)
- Inquiry to State Agencies (391.23(a)(1) & (b)
- Proof of citizenship
About Driver Qualification Files
Every driver that operates a commercial motor vehicle must have a complete qualification file on record with their company of employment. It is the responsibility of the company to create and update the file which typically includes more than a dozen individual documents.
Where to store Driver Qualification Files
There are softwares that keep companies entirely up to date and within the regulations or you can keep paper files that must be accessible and up to date if you intend on passing a new entrant audit or in the event of a compliance investigation which usually happens after accidents, receiving too many roadsides violations, or sometimes randomly.
Risks of Not Maintaining Driver Qualification Files Properly
At a minimum, your company could be fined for not maintaining the files correctly. In the event of an FMCSA Audit, however, the outcomes depend on the number of errors the risks associated with those errors being present, and whether the errors were known or unknown by the company.
Where to Find Help Managing Driver Qualification Files
DOTReady offers driver hiring, processing, and management services. Plans start at a very low price of $179 /month and cover a diverse range of useful processes.
What are the DQ File Retention Requirements?
| Retention Period | Documents |
| Duration of Employment + 3 Years | – Driver application – MVR – Road test certificate – Copy of CDL – Previous employer checks or records of ‘good faith’ efforts to get them. |
| 3 years from Document Creation Date | – Annual MVR – Annual MVR Review – Annual list of driver violations – Medical examiner’s certificate – MVR showing medical status – Verification of medical examiners certificate – Medical exemption, if applicable |
| Minimum of 15 days following the medical exam | – Driver medical examiner’s certificate |
Schedule a Demo of DOTReady!
Managed services, phone support for compliance questions, preparation calls, and filing system organization services.
You can schedule a Zoom session to see how the software stores files and a walkthrough of how we help similar companies achieve confidence with long-term sustainable operational assistance.
