Truck maintenance records DOT rules: what to keep and how long

Truck maintenance records DOT auditors ask for are one of the easiest files to get right, and one of the easiest to forget. You fix your truck all the time. But if the work is not written down in the right way, it does not count when someone asks to see it. Here is what the federal rule asks you to keep, how long to keep it, and how to build the file without a lot of extra work.

What the rule says

The rule is 49 CFR 396.3. It says every motor carrier must systematically inspect, repair and maintain the vehicles it controls. It also says the carrier must keep records of that work.

The records apply to each truck or trailer you control for 30 days in a row or more. That includes trucks you own and units you lease, if you control them that long.

What goes in your truck maintenance records

For each vehicle, the rule asks for three things:

1. What the vehicle is. The company unit number, if you mark one on it. The make. The serial number (the VIN). The year. And the owner's name, if you are not the owner.
2. What is due and when. A way to show what kind of inspection or maintenance the vehicle needs and the date it is due. A simple schedule works: oil change every so many miles, brake check, tire check, the annual inspection date.
3. What was done. A record of each inspection, repair and maintenance job, with the date and what was done.

That is it. The rule does not ask for a special form. A folder for each truck, a spreadsheet or a maintenance app can all work, as long as the three parts are there and easy to show.

How long to keep maintenance records

Keep the records for 1 year where the vehicle is housed or maintained. And when a truck leaves your control, because you sold it or ended a lease, keep its records for 6 more months after that.

So do not throw away a truck's file the day you sell it. Put it in a "sold units" folder with the date it left, and keep it at least 6 months.

Two other records that sit next to this file

Your maintenance file works together with two other records that have their own rules:

• The annual inspection. Every truck and trailer needs a passed periodic inspection at least once every 12 months. Our article on the annual DOT inspection explains how the 12 months are counted.
• Driver vehicle inspection reports (DVIRs). These are the reports drivers write about defects they find. Our guide to the DVIR explains when you need one.

Keep copies of both in each truck's file. Then everything about that unit is in one place.

How to build the file, step by step

1. Open one folder per unit. Write the unit number, make, VIN, year and owner on the front page.
2. Write the schedule. List each service and when it is due, in miles or dates.
3. Save every invoice. Each time the truck is serviced or repaired, put the shop invoice in the folder. Make sure it shows the date and what was done.
4. Log your own work. If you change a part yourself, write it down: date, mileage, what you did, and the part. Keep the parts receipt.
5. Check it once a month. Look at the schedule and see what is due next.

Why it matters

Auditors ask for this file. In a new entrant safety audit or another DOT review, missing maintenance records is a finding even if the truck runs fine. A clean file shows you take care of the truck, and it is much easier than rebuilding a year of repairs from memory. Our guide to DOT audit preparation shows the other files they look at.

Mistakes to avoid

• Keeping only receipts with no dates or no unit number. The record has to show which truck and when.
• No schedule. Without it, you cannot show what is due next.
• Throwing away the file of a sold truck too soon. Keep it 6 months after it leaves.
• Leaving out the work you do yourself. It counts too, if you write it down.

When to call us

Have an audit coming, or just want your truck files checked? Call TCZ Permits at 956-526-6727. We help you put your maintenance file and the rest of your paperwork in order.

Common questions

Do I need a special DOT form for maintenance records? No. The rule lists what the record must show, not a form. A folder, spreadsheet or app works if it has all three parts.

I only have one truck. Does this apply to me? Yes. The rule applies to each vehicle a carrier controls for 30 days in a row or more, even if it is your only truck.

How long do I keep the records? 1 year where the vehicle is kept or maintained, and 6 months after the vehicle leaves your control.