Quick answer
A driver vehicle inspection report (DVIR) is a written post-trip report on each vehicle a driver operated that day. Under 49 CFR 396.11 it is required when a defect is found or reported, must cover 11 listed items, and must be signed. The carrier repairs and certifies before the vehicle runs again, keeps reports for 3 months, and may keep them electronically. One-truck carriers are exempt.
Two inspections, two different rules
People say "DVIR" for both the pre-trip and the post-trip, but the regulations treat them separately.
- Pre-trip is governed by 49 CFR 396.13. Before driving, you must be satisfied the vehicle is in safe operating condition, review the last DVIR if it listed defects, and sign to acknowledge you reviewed it and that repairs were certified.
- Post-trip is governed by 49 CFR 396.11. At the end of each day's work, you prepare a written report on each vehicle you operated, listing any defect that would affect safe operation or cause a breakdown.
The pre-trip check is about you deciding the truck is safe today. The post-trip report is how a problem you found gets to whoever fixes it, and how the next driver knows it was fixed.
When a post-trip report is required
Since a December 2014 final rule, property carriers' drivers no longer have to file a post-trip report when they find no defects. The current text of 396.11(a)(2) reads the same way: drivers are not required to prepare a report if no defect or deficiency is discovered by or reported to them. If you find a defect, or someone reports one to you, a report is required, and you must sign it. If you drove two trucks that day, each one needs its own report.
Three kinds of operations are outside 396.11(a) entirely:
- A motor carrier operating only one commercial motor vehicle.
- Driveaway-towaway operations.
- Private motor carriers of passengers (nonbusiness).
The first one matters to owner-operators. A one-truck carrier is not required to prepare the written post-trip report. You are still responsible for the pre-trip check under 396.13 and for keeping the truck in safe condition. Many single-truck operators keep DVIRs anyway because it gives them a dated repair history if an inspector or insurer asks.
What the post-trip report must cover
396.11(a)(1) lists the minimum parts and accessories:
| Item | What drivers typically look for |
|---|---|
| Service brakes, including trailer brake connections | Air leaks, damaged gladhands, brake adjustment |
| Parking brake | Holds the vehicle |
| Steering mechanism | Excess play, loose components |
| Lighting devices and reflectors | Every lamp working, reflectors present and clean |
| Tires | Tread depth, cuts, inflation |
| Horn | Works |
| Windshield wipers | Work and clear the glass |
| Rear vision mirrors | Secure, not cracked |
| Coupling devices | Fifth wheel, kingpin, safety chains |
| Wheels and rims | Cracks, loose or missing lug nuts |
| Emergency equipment | Fire extinguisher, warning triangles |
The right column is common practice. The left column is the legal minimum. Your carrier can require more.
Fixing defects and certifying repairs
Under 396.11(a)(3), before the vehicle runs again the carrier must:
- Repair any listed defect that is likely to affect safe operation.
- Certify on the report that the defect was repaired, or that repair is unnecessary.
Then the next driver closes the loop. Under 396.13, that driver reviews the report and signs to acknowledge the review and the repair certification. One example: a driver notes a cracked mirror bracket at the end of a shift. The shop replaces it overnight and signs the certification. The morning driver reads both entries and signs before rolling. If the next morning's driver is the same person, that driver still signs.
How long to keep DVIRs
Carriers keep the original DVIR, the certification of repairs, and the driver's review signature for three months from the date the report was prepared. This is separate from the 6-month retention for logs. If you get a roadside inspection report, 396.9(d) gives you 15 days to certify corrections, and since July 22, 2026 you return the form to the issuing state only if that state asks for it. Keep your copy for 12 months either way.
Electronic DVIRs are explicitly allowed
FMCSA has long accepted electronic records under 49 CFR 390.32, but the DVIR sections did not say so directly. A final rule effective March 23, 2026 (91 FR 7893) added that language to 396.11 and 396.13: the reports may be created and maintained in electronic format. Electronic signatures count too, provided the records can be retained and reproduced when someone entitled to them asks.
DVIR in the DocuDrive app
DVIR is part of the DocuDrive driver app, alongside HOS logs, IFTA mileage, and roadside Inspection Mode, all included in the $20 per truck monthly plan. Drivers complete the inspection report on the phone they already use for logs, which makes it harder to forget at the end of a long shift. See the ELD mandate for the logging side, pricing for what is included, or get started with a 14-day free trial.
Sources
- 49 CFR 396.11, Driver vehicle inspection report(s)
- 49 CFR 396.13, Driver inspection
- 49 CFR 396.9, Inspection of motor vehicles in operation
- 49 CFR 390.32, Electronic documents and signatures
- Federal Register, 91 FR 7893 (Feb. 19, 2026): Electronic Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports
- Federal Register, 91 FR 37053 (June 22, 2026): Completed Inspection Report Disposition
- Federal Register, 79 FR 75437 (Dec. 18, 2014): Removal of the no-defect DVIR requirement for property carriers
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules change; check the source before you rely on a figure.