49 CFR Part 391 · Driver qualification
Every driver file complete. Every day.
DotFleet builds, fixes, and maintains audit-ready driver qualification files for fleets of 1–50 trucks — the applications, MVRs, safety histories, road tests, and medical certifications FMCSA expects to see. $30 per driver per month, month to month.
- No contracts — month to month
- All 50 states, fully remote
- Response within 1 business day
- Employment application§391.21 Complete
- MVR — 2 licensing authorities§391.23(a) Complete
- Safety performance history§391.23(d) Complete
- Road test certificate§391.31 Complete
- Medical certification§391.45 Recert in 43 days
- Annual review of driving record§391.25 Complete
- Application §391.21
- MVRs §391.23(a)
- Safety history §391.23(d)
- Road test §391.31
- Medical cert §391.45
- Annual review §391.25
Why files fail
Driver files are the first thing an auditor pulls
Driver qualification deficiencies are among the most consistently cited findings in FMCSA compliance reviews — and they happen to fleets running good trucks with good drivers. Three reasons files fall apart:
The rules move
The annual list of violations was required for decades — then eliminated in May 2022. Medical certification for CDL drivers went electronic in 2025. Files built on an old checklist carry stale paperwork and miss what’s actually required now.
Deadlines compound per driver
Every driver adds an annual MVR pull, a documented driving-record review, and a medical certificate with its own expiration date. At 8 drivers, that’s a rolling calendar of deadlines — and one missed date is a violation.
One gap is all it takes
A single incomplete file found in a review can drive violations, civil penalties, and a downgraded safety rating that brokers, shippers, and insurers all see. The paperwork risk is real even when the operation is safe.
What we handle
Part 391, done completely — nothing else, done vaguely
We specialize in one regulation: driver qualification. Every service below is included for every driver, at one per-driver rate.
New-driver file build
Every new hire gets a complete driver qualification file before first dispatch: employment application, motor vehicle records from each licensing authority, the safety performance history investigation, road test documentation, and medical certification — assembled correctly the first time.
See the detailsExisting-file audit & remediation
We review every current driver file against today’s Part 391 requirements — not an outdated checklist — document each gap, and fix what’s missing. You get a written gap report showing exactly where each file stood and what we corrected.
See the detailsOngoing maintenance & expiration tracking
The part most fleets miss. We pull the annual MVR for every driver, complete and document the annual review of the driving record, and track every medical certificate expiration with lead time to recertify — so a file that was complete at hire stays complete.
See the detailsRecordkeeping & audit readiness
Files organized and retained the way the regulation requires — for the duration of employment plus three years — and ready to produce quickly if FMCSA requests your records. If a review notice arrives, your Part 391 documentation is already in order.
See the detailsHow it works
Onboarded in about five business days
Free file review
Send us your roster. We review your situation, identify every Part 391 gap, and report it in writing — no cost, no obligation.
Build & fix
We build complete files for every driver and remediate existing ones: applications, MVRs, safety histories, road tests, medical certification.
We maintain
Annual MVRs pulled, driving-record reviews completed and documented, medical certificates tracked with lead time — every month, every driver.
Stay audit-ready
Records organized and retained per §391.51, ready to produce if FMCSA ever asks. You see the status of every file, any time you want it.
Pricing
Two numbers. That’s the whole price list.
No tiers, no hourly billing, no add-ons. For context, a full-time safety manager runs $70–90K a year — a 10-driver fleet gets its Part 391 program handled for $300 a month.
See pricing details- Ongoing service
- $180/month
- 6 drivers × $30/driver/month
- One-time file setup
- $450 once
- 6 files × $75/driver, built or remediated
FAQ
Questions fleet owners ask us most
Something else on your mind? Email clay@dotfleetcompliance.com — a specialist responds within 1 business day.
Driver qualification files under 49 CFR Part 391 — building files for new hires, auditing and fixing existing files, annual MVRs and driving-record reviews, medical certificate tracking, and recordkeeping. We deliberately do one thing well. We don’t administer drug and alcohol testing (Part 382), hours of service, vehicle maintenance files, or permits — and we’ll tell you plainly what you still need to cover elsewhere.
Two numbers: a one-time $75 per driver to build or remediate each file, then $30 per driver per month for ongoing maintenance. A 6-driver fleet is $450 to set up and $180 a month after that. When your roster changes, your monthly rate changes with it. No tiers, no hourly billing, no surprise fees.
No. Service is month-to-month — cancel anytime with 30 days’ notice. Your files and records are yours, and we hand everything over in an organized format if you leave.
More carriers than most people think. In interstate commerce, FMCSA rules generally apply to vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating or gross combination weight rating of 10,001 lbs or more, vehicles designed to carry 9 or more passengers for compensation (16 or more not for compensation), or any placarded hazmat load. That’s a much lower bar than the 26,001-lb CDL threshold — many non-CDL trucks still require full DQ files. Intrastate-only carriers should check their state’s rules, which often mirror the federal ones.
Almost always, yes. Most dump trucks, flatbeds, and construction haulers exceed 10,001 lbs GVWR, so interstate operators need compliant DQ files even when the driver doesn’t hold a CDL. If you have a USDOT number, assume Part 391 applies until you’ve confirmed otherwise.
Most fleets are fully onboarded within 5 business days. We start with a free file review, report every gap in writing, then build or remediate each file and take over ongoing maintenance.
Free file review
Find out where your files stand
We’ll review your Part 391 situation at no cost and put every gap in writing — before an auditor finds it. The report is yours to keep either way.
- No contracts, no commitment
- Written gap report, yours to keep
- All 50 states, any fleet size 1–50
Prefer to start reading? Download the free DQ File Starter Packet — the current Part 391 checklist, timelines, and retention rules in one PDF.
Don’t let a paperwork gap become a safety rating problem
Get a free driver file review. We’ll show you exactly where your fleet stands — at no cost, with no obligation.
Get a free file review