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Driver qualification file checklist
A driver qualification file is the record FMCSA requires a motor carrier to keep for each driver it employs, under 49 CFR 391.51: the employment application, motor vehicle records, road test certificate, medical examiner's certificate and the annual review. Record the date of each document on this checklist, then print it or save it as a PDF for the driver's file.
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Driver qualification file checklist
Driver
At hiring (dates)
Medical (dates)
Every year
| Year | Annual MVR, 391.25(a) | Annual review note, 391.25(c)(2) | Annual Clearinghouse query, 382.701(b) | Reviewed by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Missing or to follow up
Review
File reviewed by
Signature
Clearinghouse queries apply to drivers subject to drug and alcohol testing under part 382, and query records are kept for 3 years (382.701(e)). Canadian carriers: NSC Standard 15 lists the driver records checked in a facility audit, including a driver abstract issued within the last 12 months; check your province's rules. This checklist is not legal advice.
Sources: FMCSA, 49 CFR 391.51 (law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/49/391.51) and 49 CFR 382.701 (law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/49/382.701); CCMTA, NSC Standard 15, Facility Audit, December 2003 (ccmta.ca). Checked November 5, 2026.
What goes in the file, and for how long
Under 49 CFR 391.51(c), the file is kept for as long as the driver is employed by the motor carrier and for three years after. Some records may be removed three years after the date they were made: the annual motor vehicle records, the annual review note, the medical examiner's certificate (or, for CDL drivers, the CDLIS motor vehicle record), any medical variance, Skill Performance Evaluation Certificate or Medical Exemption letter, and the National Registry verification note. The file may be combined with the driver's personnel file.
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Get a quoteFour tips for driver qualification files
Start the file before the driver's first trip: the application, the motor vehicle records from hiring and the road test certificate come first.
Note the medical certificate's expiry date the day you file it, so the renewal is planned before it lapses.
Do the annual motor vehicle record inquiry and the annual review at the same time, and date both on the same row.
Keep the file for three years after the driver leaves, and check 391.51(d) before removing any record from it.
Questions about driver qualification files
- What documents go in a driver qualification file?
- Under 49 CFR 391.51(b): the employment application, the motor vehicle record from each licensing authority at hiring, the road test certificate or an accepted equivalent, the annual motor vehicle record, a note of the annual review, the medical examiner's certificate, any Skill Performance Evaluation Certificate or Medical Exemption document, and a note verifying the medical examiner on the National Registry.
- How long must a driver qualification file be kept?
- Under 49 CFR 391.51(c), for as long as the driver is employed by the motor carrier and for three years after. Some records may be removed three years after the date they were made, as 391.51(d) lists: the annual motor vehicle records, the annual review note, the medical examiner's certificate, any medical variance and the National Registry verification note.
- Are Clearinghouse queries part of the driver file?
- They are a separate requirement. For drivers subject to drug and alcohol testing, 49 CFR 382.701 requires a full pre-employment query of the FMCSA Clearinghouse before the driver performs safety-sensitive functions, and a query at least once a year. Employers must keep a record of each query and the information received for 3 years. This checklist has a line for each date.
- Is anything I type sent to High Point GPS?
- No. The checklist runs entirely in your browser, and nothing you type is sent to us. Your entries stay in this browser on this device until you clear them. When it is done, print it for signatures or save it as a PDF, and clear the form if you use a shared computer.
- Do Canadian carriers need a driver file?
- In Canada, the National Safety Code's Standard 15 describes the facility audit used by Canadian jurisdictions. It lists the driver records auditors look for, including the driver's licence number and class, a driver abstract issued within the last 12 months, and convictions and reportable accidents from the past 2 years. Check your own province's rules, because each one applies the code.