DOT Compliance Checker · For fleets of 1–25 trucks
Pass your DOT audit. Skip the $15,846 fines.
A DOT compliance checklist for a fleet of 1–25 trucks comes down to six records FMCSA asks for in a new-entrant safety audit — driver qualification files, medical certificates, drug & alcohol program records, Clearinghouse queries, vehicle maintenance files and hours-of-service logs — checked free below (as of ).
Most small carriers fail their first DOT review over paperwork, not safety — missing driver files, lapsed medical cards, skipped Clearinghouse queries. We keep every record audit-ready and remind you before deadlines become violations.
Sources: 49 CFR §382.305 (random testing rates) · 49 CFR Part 386 App. B (civil penalty schedule) · 49 U.S.C. §31144(g) (new-entrant safety audit within 12 months)
How it works
Three steps to an audit-ready fleet
You don't need enterprise fleet software to survive a DOT review. You need complete files, current dates, and proof you can hand an auditor. That's what we track — we prepare the checklist and watch the deadline; you file directly with FMCSA and never pay a middleman markup on a government filing.
1. Load your fleet
Add each driver and vehicle through a guided checklist — license and medical card dates, drug-and-alcohol records, inspection and maintenance history. Ten minutes per driver, no spreadsheets.
2. See your gaps
Your dashboard scores every file against the six failures that sink most audits, in plain English — what's missing, what's expiring, and exactly which regulation it maps to.
3. Stay ahead of deadlines
Email reminders before medical cards lapse, annual Clearinghouse queries come due, and the UCR window opens. Export a clean packet when the auditor calls.
Free audit check
Would you pass a DOT review today?
Check each item you could hand an auditor right now, complete and current for every driver and truck. These are the six recordkeeping areas where most small fleets fail.
The six-point file check
0 of 6 readyWe'll send your six-point results with the exact records to fix first, and remind you before common deadlines (medical cards, annual Clearinghouse queries, UCR). No spam — unsubscribe anytime.
New-entrant safety audit
What FMCSA asks for in your first 12 months
A new carrier is monitored for 18 months and must pass a safety audit within its first 12 months of operating (49 CFR §385.307, checked ). The audit reviews the same records as the six-point check above, so a fleet that passes the check has its audit file already built.
Audit review areas, mapped to the six-point check
49 CFR §385.311| FMCSA reviews | What it means in your files | Six-point check |
|---|---|---|
| Driver qualification §385.311(a) | One file per driver: application, MVR, road test, licence copy, prior-employer checks | Driver qualification files · Current medical certificates |
| Driver duty status §385.311(b) | Records of duty status or ELD data with supporting documents | Hours-of-service records |
| Controlled substances and alcohol §385.311(e) | Written testing program, random-pool enrollment, test results, Clearinghouse queries | Drug & alcohol program records · Clearinghouse queries |
| Vehicle maintenance §385.311(c) | Systematic inspection, repair and maintenance records, annual inspections | Vehicle maintenance files |
| Accident register §385.311(d) | A register of DOT-recordable crashes | Not scored above — keep it anyway |
| Financial responsibility Part 387 (Appendix A, Factor 1) | Proof of the required minimum insurance on file | Not scored above — an automatic-fail item |
If you fail: FMCSA sends written notice within 45 days of the audit. You then have 60 days (45 for passenger and placarded hazmat carriers) to file an acceptable corrective action plan, or your new-entrant registration is revoked and the operation is placed out of service (§385.319).
Sixteen violations fail the audit on their own (§385.321), among them: no drug-and-alcohol testing program or no random testing pool; using a driver who tested positive or refused a test; a driver without a valid CDL, disqualified, or medically unqualified; operating without the required minimum insurance; no records of duty status for 51% or more of the records examined; and running a vehicle declared out of service or with uncorrected out-of-service defects.
Beyond the audit: the review checks that minimum insurance is on file, not what a claim above that limit could reach. The free asset protection gap analyzer scores that exposure in 6 questions.
Still setting up the company? Our guides list the federal registrations, insurance and taxes for each kind of operation: LLC for a trucking company, LLC for hotshot trucking and LLC for a freight broker.
Sources: 49 CFR Part 385 Subpart D (§§385.307, 385.311, 385.319) · §385.321 · Appendix A to Part 385 · FMCSA New Entrant Safety Assurance Program
Pricing
Less than one hour of a compliance consultant
One recordkeeping violation costs more than a decade of either plan. Cancel anytime.
Small Fleet
- Up to 10 drivers & vehicles
- Six-point audit dashboard
- Expiration & deadline reminders
- Annual Clearinghouse query tracker
- UCR renewal calendar
- Audit packet export
Growing Fleet
- Up to 25 drivers & vehicles
- Everything in Small Fleet
- Quarterly compliance review by email
- New-hire file checklist workflow
- Priority support
Sign in or create a free member account, pick your plan, and your dashboard opens immediately. Month-to-month, cancel anytime.
FAQ
Questions carriers ask us
Is this legal or regulatory advice?
No. DOT Compliance Checker is a recordkeeping and deadline-tracking tool. It shows which files are incomplete or expiring against published FMCSA requirements, but you remain responsible for your compliance and any filings. For an enforcement action, talk to a transportation attorney.
Do you file anything with FMCSA for us?
No — and that's deliberate. FMCSA filings (biennial updates, UCR, Clearinghouse queries) are free or low-cost when you do them yourself. We prepare the checklist, track the deadline, and remind you; you file directly. You never pay a middleman markup on a government filing.
I just got my operating authority. When does the audit happen?
New entrants get a safety audit within their first 12 months of operation. Most carriers who fail don't fail over crashes — they fail over incomplete driver files, missing drug-and-alcohol program records, and skipped Clearinghouse queries. Those are exactly the six areas the free check covers.
How is this different from enterprise fleet software?
Platforms like FleetCollect and DriverHub are built for mid-size and enterprise fleets, priced accordingly. We built for the carrier with 1–25 trucks who's currently tracking medical card dates in a notebook. Simpler, cheaper, and focused on the records a DOT auditor actually asks for.
What happens after I run the free check?
You get your six-point gap report by email with the records to fix first, in priority order. The report is free either way; the paid plan adds the ongoing dashboard, reminders, and audit packet export.
Can I cancel anytime?
Yes. Plans are month-to-month with no contract. Export your records before you go — they're your files, not ours.
The auditor is coming either way.
Every new authority gets reviewed within 12 months. The carriers who pass are the ones whose files were ready before the letter arrived.
Run the free audit check