DOT inspection checklist: the levels and what gets checked
A roadside inspection checks the driver, the truck, or both, against the North American Standard. Most out-of-service orders come from a short list of items: brakes, tires, lights and driver paperwork. Here is what each level covers and what inspectors find most often.
SamScheduling AgentTakes every load in your system and finds the optimal assignment across your fleet.
TommyTracking AgentProvides live ETAs on every active load and flags exceptions before they become problems.
ArunaAsset Management AgentTracks every tractor, trailer, and driver, and flags issues before they turn into firefights.
The inspection levels
CVSA defines eight levels. Levels I, II and III are the ones most carriers see.
| Level | What it covers |
|---|---|
| I | Full inspection of the driver and the vehicle, including underneath. |
| II | Walk-around: driver and vehicle, without going under the truck. |
| III | Driver only: license, medical card, hours of service, documents. |
| IV | A one-time check of a single item, usually for a study. |
| V | Vehicle only, with no driver present, at any location. |
| VI | Enhanced Level I for certain radioactive shipments. |
| VII | State or provincial programs that fit no other level. |
| VIII | Electronic, done wirelessly while the truck is moving. |
What inspectors find most
From FMCSA’s current Safety Measurement System data, about 6.8 million violations over two years. Brakes and tires lead both lists.
| Violation group | Violations | Out-of-service |
|---|---|---|
| Brakes | 1,166,027 | 226,689 |
| Lighting | 643,061 | 155,198 |
| Clearance and identification lamps | 534,910 | Rarely |
| Tires | 470,034 | 298,080 |
| Windshield, glass and markings | 367,194 | Rarely |
| Emergency equipment | 333,501 | Rarely |
Driver out-of-service causes: license problems (125,146), missing medical certificate (90,661) and logs (85,131).
Pre-trip checklist
Check these before every trip. Each one is on the most-cited list above.
- Brakes: air leaks, pushrod travel, hoses and linings.
- Tires: tread depth, inflation, cuts and exposed fabric.
- Every lamp and reflector working, including clearance lamps.
- Windshield free of cracks in the driver’s view.
- Fire extinguisher, warning triangles and spare fuses.
- Driver: valid CDL, medical certificate, and a current log on the ELD.
- Cargo secured, with the paperwork for it in the cab.
Questions
What is the most common DOT inspection?
Level I, the full inspection, followed by Level II walk-arounds and Level III driver-only checks.
What puts a truck out of service most often?
Tires and brakes. In FMCSA’s current data, tire violations led to about 298,000 out-of-service orders and brake violations to about 227,000.
Do inspections affect my CSA scores?
Yes. Violations from roadside inspections feed the CSA categories, and clean inspections help. See your scores.
How do I see my inspection history?
Look up your USDOT number for two years of inspections, out-of-service rates against the national average, and your most common violations.
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