FMCSA 396.11 Driver Vehicle Inspection Report. Required at the end of each driving day (post-trip) per regulation, but most carriers also run a pre-trip on the same form. Built to FMCSA Part 396 Appendix G inspection criteria.
Sections
7
Fields
42
Equipment
CDL Truck
FREE PRINTABLE SAMPLE · NO EMAIL · THE FULL, CUSTOMIZABLE INSPECTION RUNS IN-APP
WHAT IT IS
The cdl truck pre-trip (dvir) inspection checklist is the daily cdl truck inspection built to FMCSA 396.11. It runs 7 sections and roughly 42 pass / fail / N A checkpoints — covering Engine Compartment, Cab & Controls, Brake System, Lights, Signals & Reflectors, Tires, Wheels & Suspension, Coupling & Cargo Securement, and Documents & Permits. Download the free printable sampleto put on a clipboard today — it's a basic quick-reference. The real power is running it in the DigiDocs app, where this becomes a fully customizable, 42-point digital inspection: every failure auto-creates a deficiency routed to your mechanic, photos attach on the spot, the operator e-signs, and each completed inspection becomes a signed, timestamped audit-trail record your auditor will accept without a fight.
CHECKLIST · STRUCTURE
This template is organized into 7 sections totaling roughly 42 Pass / Fail / N/A items. Clone it and tune fields to match your exact equipment configuration.
AUTHORITATIVE · STANDARD
FMCSA 396.11
Engine Compartment
SECTION · 01 · OF · 7
Cab & Controls
SECTION · 02 · OF · 7
Brake System
SECTION · 03 · OF · 7
Lights, Signals & Reflectors
SECTION · 04 · OF · 7
Tires, Wheels & Suspension
SECTION · 05 · OF · 7
Coupling & Cargo Securement
SECTION · 06 · OF · 7
Documents & Permits
SECTION · 07 · OF · 7
CREW · WHO RUNS THIS
Owner-operators, fleet drivers, motor carriers under FMCSA jurisdiction — Class A and Class B CDL holders running tractors, straight trucks, vocational trucks (dumps, mixers, vacuums), and tankers. Construction trades hauling equipment on goosenecks. Anyone whose vehicle requires a CDL to drive needs the DVIR record at the end of each driving day under 396.11.
FIELD · INTEL
Pulled from competent-person write-ups in the field — not from a regulation digest. These are the items that fail the daily check more than any others.
Brake-system air pressure leakdown rate exceeds 3 psi/min (tractor) or 4 psi/min (combination)
Slack-adjuster stroke at full brake exceeds re-adjustment limit (typically 1.75-2 inches)
Tire tread depth below 4/32" (steer) or 2/32" (drive/trailer) at any single position
Coupling securement: kingpin not fully seated, fifth-wheel lock not engaged
Cargo securement straps under DOT spec count or rated working-load limit
OSHA · ENFORCEMENT
FMCSA assesses civil penalties for 396.11 violations — typical fines start at $1,584 per violation and can reach $17,640 per violation for repeat offenders (2026 maxima). State-level enforcement adds CSA points and out-of-service orders. DOT roadside inspections that find DVIR violations can place the driver and/or vehicle out of service on the spot.
Read FMCSA 396.11 on osha.govSERIOUS · MAX
$16,131
PER · VIOLATION · 2026
WILLFUL · OR · REPEAT
$161,323
THE PAPER SAMPLE VS · THE REAL THING
A printable checklist still relies on someone remembering to do it, store it, and find it when an auditor or insurer asks. The same cdl truck pre-trip (dvir)inspection in DigiDocs runs on the phone already in your operator's pocket — and turns a checkbox into a defensible compliance record the moment it's signed. Every field is yours to customize.
Every line item, not just sections
The full template carries all ~42 checkpoints with the OSHA / FMCSA / ASME citation on each — the sample only shows the section headers.
Photo proof on every failure
Operators attach a photo the instant something fails, so the defect is documented at the point of inspection — not reconstructed later.
Failures become mechanic work orders
Every Fail auto-creates a deficiency routed to your mechanic dashboard, with repair notes and auto-verify on the next inspection.
Red-tag / operability built in
Operator marks Operable / Non-Operable per OSHA 1926.1417; critical fails can lock the asset out of service automatically.
Signed, timestamped, permanent
Operator e-signature on submit; every completed inspection becomes an audit-trail PDF and a shareable, revocable customer link.
Make it yours
Rename fields, add sections, set conditional logic, schedule recurrences, and white-label it — no two fleets inspect exactly alike.
NO CREDIT CARD · ALL 44 CHECKLISTS INCLUDED
FREQUENTLY · ASKED
FMCSA 396.11 requires the report at the end of each driving day for each vehicle operated. The pre-trip walk-around at the start of the next day is mandated by 396.13 — the driver has to confirm the prior DVIR was reviewed and any defects were corrected (or noted as not corrected with reason).
FMCSA Part 396 is DOT — public-road safety, applies to CMVs on highways. OSHA 1926.602 / 1910.178 are workplace safety — applies to vehicles on jobsites. Many vocational trucks (dumps, vacuum trucks) meet both — drivers run a single inspection that satisfies both rule sets.
Yes — FMCSA 396.11(b)(3) requires the carrier to retain the DVIR for at least 3 months from the date prepared. If a defect was noted, the corrected/not-corrected certification has to be retained with the report. DigiDocs keeps every DVIR indefinitely.
Drivers are not required to submit a DVIR if no defects or deficiencies are discovered (49 CFR 396.11(a)(2)). However, most fleets require a 'no-defect' record anyway for liability and CSA-score reasons — proving inspection occurred is easier with a record than without one.
The driver of the vehicle, end of driving day. The driver must hold the proper CDL for the vehicle. Mechanics may also document repairs to defective items on the DVIR, but the inspection itself is a driver responsibility.
READY · TO USE
Download the free PDF, or start a 14-day Professional trial — no credit card. All 44 inspection checklists included; clone, customize, and deploy to your crew the same hour.