Electronic DVIR requirements (49 CFR 396.11)

A driver vehicle inspection report, or DVIR, is the written record a driver makes about the condition of a vehicle. Section 396.11 sets out what it must contain and what the carrier must do with it.

What the report must cover

At the end of each day’s work, the driver prepares a report for each vehicle operated. It must identify the vehicle and list any defect or deficiency the driver found or was told about. The rule lists these parts and accessories, so a report should cover each of them:

• Service brakes, including trailer brake connections
• Parking brake
• Steering mechanism
• Lighting devices and reflectors
• Tires
• Horn
• Windshield wipers
• Rear vision mirrors
• Coupling devices
• Wheels and rims
• Emergency equipment

The driver signs the report. Since FMCSA’s 2014 change, a driver doesn’t have to submit a report when no defects are found, though many carriers still collect one every day because it shows the inspection happened.

What the carrier must do

• Certify repairs. If the report lists a defect that affects safe operation, the carrier must certify that the defect was repaired, or that repair was not necessary, before the vehicle is driven again.
• Pass it on. The next driver reviews the last report and signs it if a defect was noted.
• Keep it. Keep the original report, the repair certification and the driver’s review for three months from the date of the report.

Can a DVIR be electronic?

Yes. FMCSA permits electronic DVIRs, including electronic signatures, as long as the signature requirements are met and you can produce the records when asked. An electronic form has to capture the same things as a paper one: the vehicle, the date, any defects and the driver’s signature.

What a good electronic DVIR captures

• The driver’s name, filled in from their account.
• The date and time, recorded automatically.
• The vehicle, chosen from your roster rather than typed.
• The odometer reading.
• A check of each required part.
• Either a clear “no defects” or each defect with a description and, ideally, a photo.
• The driver’s signature, tied to their account.

Common problems

• Defects with no repair record. A defect is reported, the truck keeps running and nobody certifies it.
• Reports kept in the cab. Paper reports get lost. An electronic record is stored the moment it is submitted.
• Out-of-service defects that keep rolling. If a safety-critical defect hasn’t been repaired and certified, the vehicle shouldn’t be dispatched.
• Records thrown away too soon. Keep every report and certification for three months.

Where the pre-trip inspection fits

The DVIR records an inspection. The driver’s obligation to inspect the vehicle before driving is in 49 CFR 396.13. These are separate duties, and an auditor may check both.

DotReady includes a DVIR form built for a phone: large tap targets, photo capture for defects, and it works without signal and syncs when the driver is back online.