The facts about DQ files

Driver Qualifications (DQ) Files Can Be Tricky

We Want To Help You Know Exactly What Needs To Be In Them

We have been getting tons of questions about driver files, so we thought we would take a moment and explain exactly what you need and how long you need to keep it. The federal government did a great job when they wrote the regulations for Commercial Motor Vehicles (CMVs). We are going to make it super clear.

Here’s What You Need In Every Driver File:

1. Driver Application (391.21)
   • See the notes below
2. Annual Driver Review (391.25(a))
   • Must be completed within the first year
   • Completed annually
   • Keep the original
   • Retain for the last 3 years
3. Certificate of Violations
   • Must be completed within the first year
   • Completed annually
   • Keep the original
   • Retain for the last 3 years
4. Driver License
   • Keep the original
   • Retain for the last 3 years
5. Medical Card
   • The National registry number needs to be verified and documented: FMCSA National Registry
   • Keep the original
   • Retain for the last 3 years
6. Motor Vehicle Report
   • Must be pulled within 30 days of employment
   • Pulled annually
   • Also must be pulled within 15 days of medical card being renewed
   • Keep the original
   • Retain for the last 3 years
7. Previous Employment Verification (Last 3 Years)
   • The best practice is to pull for every employer for the last 3 years, even if they marked a non-DOT position
8. Road Test
   • A CDL can be used as a road test, except when:
     • Required when employees will be operating tankers
     • Required when employees will be operating doubles or triples
   • All NON-CDL drivers must have a road test
9. Entry Level Driver Training
   • Required for all drivers that come to your company with no experience
   • Best practice is to cover all employees
10. Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse Results (Effective 1/6/2020)
    • Must be pulled prior to allowing the driver to operate the CDL vehicle
    • Pulled annually
    • Keep the original
    • Retain for the last 3 years

There you go; that’s all you need, right? Not quite. It’s a bit more complicated than that, but don’t stress, we aren’t done yet.