30-Point Compliance Checklist

Tick what you have. Your progress is saved in this browser.

Vehicles (8 items)

Annual DOT inspection on file for every truck and trailer
Daily DVIRs for the last 12 months
Preventive maintenance records (oil, brakes, tires) by VIN
Repair invoices retained for 12 months minimum
Current registration and IRP/apportioned plates
DOT and MC numbers visible on both sides of each tractor
Working ELD installed and connected for every commercial unit
Tire condition and brake adjustments verified within last 90 days

Drivers (8 items)

Driver application on file for every driver
Annual MVR pulled and reviewed
Current DOT medical card / long form
Pre-employment drug test result on file
Random drug & alcohol testing program enrollment
FMCSA Clearinghouse registered and queries run
Road test certificate completed in-house or transferred
Annual driver review (3 years for new hires) signed

Records & Operations (8 items)

ELD records for the last 6 months exportable on demand
Supporting documents (BOLs, fuel receipts) cross-referenced with logs
Accident register maintained (even if zero accidents)
IFTA returns filed quarterly and reconciled
UCR registration current for the year
BOC-3 (process agent) on file with FMCSA
MCS-150 biennial update submitted on schedule
Written safety policy + supervisor training documented

Insurance (6 items)

Primary liability ($750K minimum, $1M+ for hazmat) active
Cargo insurance matches the freight you actually haul
Form E / BMC-91 filed with FMCSA
Bobtail or Non-Trucking Liability if leased to a carrier
Workers' comp or Occupational Accident for every driver
Declarations page reviewed within the last 12 months

What This Means for Your Insurance

Your DOT readiness directly impacts what underwriters quote you.

25-30

Green — Audit Ready

You're DOT-ready. Underwriters see clean files and reward you.

Estimated rate impact: -10% to -20%

15-24

Yellow — Gaps to Close

You'd survive an audit, but expect citations. Insurance is standard market.

Estimated rate impact: Baseline

0-14

Red — High Risk

Major exposure. Carriers may decline or push you into the surplus market.

Estimated rate impact: +25% to +60%

Compliance Partner

Get a Real Mock DOT Audit

Self-scoring is a great start. For a deep, line-by-line audit of every driver and vehicle file, we recommend our compliance partner — TruckerNavi runs full mock audits with the same checklist DOT investigators use.

Visit TruckerNavi for Mock Audit

Independent compliance partner. Mock audit reports are accepted by most insurance underwriters as evidence of good standing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a higher score guaranteed to lower my premium? ▼

Underwriters look at many factors — CSA scores, accident history, equipment, driver experience. A clean compliance file is one of the strongest. Most owner-operators who go from "yellow" to "green" see double-digit savings at renewal.

How long does a real DOT audit take? ▼

A New Entrant Safety Audit typically takes 1-3 hours, often performed remotely. A Compliance Review (the deeper kind) can take 1-2 full days on-site, and the investigator will request 6-12 months of records.

What's the most common audit failure? ▼

Drug & alcohol program gaps. Specifically: missing pre-employment tests, no Clearinghouse query, and inadequate random testing rates. These are easy to fix but cause an outsized number of failures.

Are my checklist answers stored anywhere? ▼

Only in your browser, using localStorage. We don't have a database, no account, no tracking. Clear your browser data and the score resets.

Can SafeBridge actually re-quote me at a lower rate? ▼

If your operation has improved (clean MVRs, good CSA, no claims), yes — there's almost always room to shop. SafeBridge represents 30+ commercial trucking carriers and can quote in minutes. Call (315) 871-0833.

Ready to Reduce Your Premium?

Strong compliance plus the right carrier can cut your insurance bill significantly. Get a free quote — no obligation.

Reduce Your Premium

Or call (315) 871-0833 — Mon-Fri 9am-7pm ET.

Pass your next DOT audit.Save thousands on insurance.