Truckers and Travelers

Who needs the Federal Annual Vehicle Inspection?

If you are going to run a successful trucking business, you must remember to stay on top of  your game.  For instance you have to run the numbers on each load you haul to make sure you are making your required per mile rate to stay profitable.  Annual vehicle inspections are another way you stay DOT compliant and profitable.

Part 396.17 of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations requires that each vehicle or combination vehicle having a GVWR over 10,000# must receive a Federal Annual Inspection as prescribed in that section.
This annual inspection requirement can be accomplished in any one of three ways. 1) Self inspected by the owner of the equipment, 2) Inspected by a third party, or 3) By a mandated State inspection meeting the federal standard.  Keep in mind that any annual inspections performed by any non-State mandated programs must be conducted by properly certified mechanics as prescribed in 49 CFR part 396.

In the Northeast, the mandatory State inspection programs in RI, MA, NH, MD, ME, VT, PA and NY are equivalent to the federal annual inspection requirement.  However, the inspection programs in CT and a couple dozen other states outside the Northeast, do not meet the federal standard so vehicles registered in those states must either be self inspected or inspected by a third party.  Make sure you know  which states do not meet the federal vehicle standards.  How do you find out?  You read and do research.  Every solid trucking business stays informed of any changes in federal standards and DOT compliance issues so they stay profitable.  This is just another way that you stay DOT compliant, loaded, and successful.