Maintenance Records Trucking Companies Must Keep

DOT compliance is not just about keeping trucks in good mechanical condition. It also requires maintaining complete, accurate, and organized maintenance records for every vehicle in your fleet. Inspectors, auditors, and compliance reviews all rely on documentation to determine whether an operation is being managed responsibly. Missing or incomplete records are a fast path to a negative compliance rating — even if the trucks themselves are mechanically sound.

Vehicle Maintenance History

Every commercial vehicle is required to have a documented maintenance history that tracks service dates, mileage or engine hours at the time of service, repairs performed, and parts replaced. A complete maintenance history lets you track the health of each unit, identify recurring problems before they become failures, and demonstrate to inspectors that the vehicle is being properly maintained.

Records should be kept in a format that can be quickly produced during an inspection or audit. Handwritten logs, spreadsheets, or fleet management software all work — what matters is that the records are complete, legible, and retained for the required period. Federal regulations require maintenance records to be kept for at least one year for active vehicles and at least six months after a vehicle leaves the fleet.

Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports (DVIRs)

Drivers operating commercial motor vehicles are required to complete Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports (DVIRs) at the end of each day's work period. A DVIR documents the driver's review of the vehicle's major safety components and notes any defects that need attention. Pre-trip inspections should also be documented when defects are found.

DVIRs must be kept on file for at least three months. Inspectors routinely ask for DVIRs during roadside inspections and audits. A DVIR that shows a reported defect with no follow-up repair documentation is a significant problem — it suggests that defects are being noted but not addressed, which is both a safety concern and a compliance failure.

Annual Inspection Records

Every commercial vehicle is required to have a documented annual inspection performed by a qualified inspector. The annual inspection report must be retained at the vehicle's principal place of business for at least 14 months. A copy of the most recent annual inspection must be available on the vehicle or at the terminal for inspectors to review.

The annual inspection document must include the vehicle's identification information, the date of inspection, the inspector's name and certification, and confirmation of whether the vehicle passed or failed. If defects were found, documentation of the repairs must be connected to the inspection record.

Repair Orders and Parts Documentation

When repairs are performed, keeping the associated repair order and parts documentation creates a chain of evidence that connects a reported defect to the repair that resolved it. This is particularly important when DVIRs note defects — the repair documentation shows that the defect was taken seriously and properly addressed.

For fleets using outside service providers, requesting written documentation of every repair is worth the effort. A repair order that describes what was found, what was done, and what parts were used provides the documentation that makes audits go smoothly.

How Organized Records Protect Your Operation

During a DOT compliance review, auditors assess whether records are complete, consistent, and organized. Gaps in maintenance history, DVIRs referencing defects with no repair follow-up, and missing annual inspection documentation all raise questions that can negatively affect your safety rating.

Lowcountry Diagnostics provides written repair documentation for every job performed on commercial vehicles in the Charleston area. Whether it is a mobile diagnostic call, preventive maintenance service, or a roadside repair, you receive clear documentation of what was found, what was done, and what should be monitored going forward.