The DVIR, without the folklore
Driver vehicle inspection reports are short, specific, and federally defined, and most of the confusion around them is secondhand. Here is what the rule actually requires, what's worth adding for fleet work, and how the paper has to flow. Free and printable.
What the report must cover
The first list is the minimum the regulation names. The second is what experienced fleet operations add because it catches the expensive failures early.
- Service brakes, including trailer brake connections
- Parking (hand) brake
- Steering mechanism
- Lighting devices and reflectors
- Tires
- Horn
- Windshield wipers
- Rear vision mirrors
- Coupling devices
- Wheels and rims
- Emergency equipment
- Fluid levels and visible leaks (oil, coolant, fuel, DEF)
- Air system: build time, audible leaks, dryer status
- Fifth wheel and slider locking
- Mud flaps, fenders, and body damage
- Cab interior: seat belts, gauges, warning lamps
- Trailer doors, floor, and landing gear
- Odometer and unit number recorded with the report
Who signs what, and for how long
| Who writes it | The driver, at the completion of each day's work, for each power unit operated (and towed unit where applicable) |
|---|---|
| When a report is required | Property carriers: when a defect or deficiency is discovered or reported. Since the 2014 rule change, a no-defect DVIR is no longer required for property-carrying drivers. Passenger carriers must file a report regardless |
| Defect handling | The carrier must repair the defect, or certify that repair is unnecessary, before the vehicle is dispatched again. The certifying signature goes on the report |
| Next driver's job | Review the previous DVIR before driving and sign to acknowledge the defects were corrected or certified unnecessary (49 CFR 396.13) |
| Retention | Keep the report, the certification of repairs, and the reviewing driver's signature for three months from the date the report was prepared |
| Don't confuse it with | The periodic (annual) inspection under 49 CFR 396.17, which is a separate, more thorough inspection with its own documentation and retention rules |
This page is a working reference, not legal advice. The controlling text is 49 CFR 396.11 and 396.13, and your clients' fleet programs may layer their own requirements on top. When in doubt, read the rule, not the forum thread.
Inspections that become work orders
In Fleet Portal, structured inspections convert failed items straight into service requests, so the defect found at the yard becomes a dispatched, billable job instead of a note on a clipboard.