DOT Compliance Binder Index & Dividers (Free Printable)
A compliance review or New Entrant audit is a document exercise: the investigator asks for a record, and either you can put your hand on it or you cannot. A binder (paper or a mirrored folder structure on a drive) organised the way investigators think — by regulatory part — turns a stressful day into a short one. This index gives you twelve tabs, the contents of each, and how long each record must be kept. The Word download includes a printable divider page per tab. Free — just tell us where to send it.
⬇ Download the binder index and dividers (Word)
The twelve tabs at a glance
| Tab | Contents | Keep for |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Company registration | USDOT registration confirmation; MC authority certificate; BOC-3; UCR receipt (current year); MCS-150 confirmations | Current + prior filings |
| 2. Insurance | Liability policy and certificate; MCS-90 endorsement; cargo policy; proof of FMCSA filings (BMC-91/91X) | While in force + prior policies |
| 3. Vehicle registration & taxes | Titles; IRP cab cards; IFTA licence copy and decal numbers; Form 2290 Schedule 1; state permits | Current + prior year |
| 4. IFTA / IRP records | Quarterly IFTA returns; trip records; fuel receipts; IRP distance summaries | 4 years (IFTA); per IRP plan for IRP |
| 5. Driver qualification files | One folder per driver — see below | Employment + 3 years |
| 6. Drug & alcohol program | Policy; consortium agreement; test results; Clearinghouse queries; supervisor training certificates | 1–5 years by record type |
| 7. Hours of service | ELD records and supporting documents; malfunction logs; exemption records | 6 months |
| 8. Vehicle maintenance | Per-unit file: identification, maintenance schedule, repair records | 1 year + 6 months after disposal |
| 9. Inspections | Annual inspection reports; DVIRs; roadside inspection reports | 14 months / 3 months / 12 months |
| 10. Accident register | Register per 49 CFR 390.15 plus reports | 3 years from accident |
| 11. Hazmat (if applicable) | PHMSA registration; training records; security plan; shipping papers | Per Part 172 (training 3 yrs; papers 2 yrs) |
| 12. Audit & correspondence | FMCSA letters; audit results; corrective action plans; policies and training logs | Permanently |
Tab 5 — Driver qualification file (49 CFR 391.51), one folder per driver
- Employment application (391.21) and record of the previous three years of employers, with the safety-performance history inquiries (391.23) and responses.
- Motor vehicle record from each state where the driver held a licence in the past three years, obtained at hire.
- Road test certificate (391.31) or the CDL copy accepted in lieu (391.33).
- Medical Examiner's Certificate and the National Registry verification note (391.51(b)(7)); for CDL holders, the state MVR showing medical status.
- Annual review of driving record (391.25) — a fresh MVR and the reviewer's note, every 12 months.
- Any variance/waiver or Skill Performance Evaluation certificate; entry-level driver training verification where required.
- Clearinghouse pre-employment full query and annual limited query results (keep with Tab 6 if you prefer, but be able to show them per driver).
Tab 6 — Drug and alcohol retention (49 CFR 382.401)
- 5 years: positive and refusal results, alcohol results of 0.02 or greater, SAP reports, annual MIS summaries, evaluation and referral records.
- 2 years: records of the collection process and of supervisor/driver training.
- 1 year: negative and cancelled drug tests; alcohol results under 0.02.
- Keep the random-selection records from the consortium showing the pool and the draws.
Tabs 7–9 — the rolling records
- ELD / hours of service: six months of RODS and supporting documents (up to eight per day: bills of lading, fuel receipts, dispatch records, toll receipts, etc.). Back them up off the ELD provider.
- DVIRs: three months; every report noting a defect needs the mechanic's certification and the next driver's acknowledgement.
- Annual inspections: report kept 14 months; inspector qualification evidence kept while they inspect for you plus one year.
- Roadside inspection reports: driver hands them in within 24 hours; you sign, correct any violations, and return the signed copy to the issuing agency within 15 days; keep for 12 months.
- Maintenance file per unit (396.3): company number, make, serial/VIN, year, tire size; owner if not you; schedule of inspections and maintenance; record of what was done and when.
Setting up the binder
- Print the divider pages from the download; put the retention period on each so the person filing knows when to purge.
- Mirror the structure in a cloud folder — investigators accept electronic records if you can produce them on request.
- Name one person as owner of the binder; add a "last reviewed" line to each divider and walk it quarterly.
- Pair it with the deadline calendar — the binder holds the proof, the calendar tells you when the next proof is due.
Free: Want your real deadlines, not a generic list? Run the free USDOT compliance check — your MCS-150, UCR and IFTA dates straight from the FMCSA registry. Then track them: your first compliance item is free →
Never let a deadline take a truck off the road
Enter your dates once — FleetClear computes every DOT/FMCSA deadline, alerts you at 60/30/7 days, and drafts the renewal notice. Your first compliance item is free.
Start free — no card requiredGeneral guidance for motor carriers, not legal advice. FMCSA rules, fees and state procedures change — verify current requirements with FMCSA (fmcsa.dot.gov) and your state agencies before relying on any item here. FleetClear is not affiliated with the FMCSA or any government agency.