DOT annual inspection: what the rule requires
The DOT annual inspection, called the periodic inspection in the rule, is a full inspection each commercial motor vehicle has to pass at least once every 12 months. The rules are 49 CFR 396.17 for the inspection and 396.21 for the report.
| Question | What the rule says | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| How often | Passed at least once in the preceding 12 months | 396.17(c) |
| Which vehicles | Every CMV, and each vehicle in a combination: tractor, semitrailer and full trailer each need one | 396.17(a) |
| Standard | At least the parts and accessories in Appendix A to Part 396 | 396.17(a) |
| Proof on the vehicle | The inspection report, or a sticker or decal with the date, where the report is kept, the vehicle's ID and a pass certification | 396.17(c) |
| Who can inspect | The carrier itself, or a garage, leasing company, truck stop or similar business acting for it, with qualified inspectors | 396.17(d)-(e), 396.19 |
| State programs | A state, Canadian or Mexican inspection that meets the same standard counts for 12 months from the last day of the month it was done | 396.17(f) |
| Keep the report | 14 months from the report date, where the vehicle is housed or maintained | 396.21(b)(1) |
What the inspection report has to show
The inspector's report identifies the inspector, the motor carrier, the date and the vehicle. It lists the components inspected and the results, including any that didn't meet the standard, and certifies that the inspection was accurate and complete (396.21(a)). The report has to be available when a federal, state or local official asks for it.
If someone else did the last one
When you didn't perform a vehicle's last annual inspection, say on a leased trailer, you are still responsible for getting the original or a copy of that report when an official asks for it (396.21(b)(3)).
Your other maintenance records
Separate from the annual inspection, 49 CFR 396.3 asks carriers to inspect, repair and maintain their vehicles systematically. For each vehicle you control for 30 days in a row, keep its identification (company number, make, serial number and year, plus who furnished it if you don't own it), a way to show the nature and due date of each inspection and maintenance job, and a record of the inspections, repairs and maintenance done, with dates. Keep those records where the vehicle is housed or maintained for a year, and for six months after the vehicle leaves your control.
Skipping it
A carrier can't use a vehicle unless it passed within the last 12 months with the documentation on board, and a carrier that fails to do the annual inspection properly is subject to penalties under 49 U.S.C. 521(b).
Annual inspections in Magnus Fleet
Add the annual inspection as a service with a one-year interval. Magnus Fleet counts from the last one logged, marks the truck Due Soon ahead of time and Overdue after, and keeps each inspection in the Work Log with the date, who did it and a photo of the report.
Book a DemoRule text: 49 CFR 396.3, 396.17 and 396.21, read November 14, 2026. Check the current eCFR before you rely on it for compliance.