Preparing your commercial vehicle before its annual DOT inspection can save time and reduce the chance that a defect requires additional attention. The checklist below covers the major vehicle systems and components included in the federal periodic inspection standards.
Last reviewed: September 11, 2026
Before your appointment
Please have the vehicle accessible, operational and ready to inspect. Correct any obvious defects you already know about, make sure required lights and safety equipment are working, and avoid loading or parking the vehicle in a way that prevents access to components that need to be inspected.
What We Inspect
Federal annual inspections under 49 CFR §396.17 must include, at a minimum, the applicable components listed in Appendix A to Part 396. Not every item below applies to every type of vehicle.
1. Brake System
- Service and parking brake operation
- Brake linings, pads, drums and rotors
- Brake chamber pushrod stroke and adjustment
- Brake hoses, tubing, fittings and audible air leaks
- Low-air-pressure warning devices and tractor protection system, when applicable
- Air compressor and related mounting components
- Hydraulic, electric and vacuum brake systems, when equipped
- Applicable ABS malfunction indicators and system components
- Automatic brake adjusters and related components
2. Coupling Devices
- Fifth-wheel mounting, plates, pivots, sliders and locking mechanism
- Kingpin engagement and excessive movement
- Pintle hooks and mounting hardware
- Drawbar and towbar eyes, tongues and latching mechanisms
- Safety chains, cables and other safety devices
- Saddle mounts, when applicable
3. Exhaust System
- Leaks forward of or directly beneath the driver or sleeper compartment
- Secure routing and mounting
- Conditions that could burn or damage wiring, fuel components or other combustible material
- Applicable bus exhaust-system requirements
4. Fuel System
- Visible fuel leaks
- Fuel-tank filler cap present
- Fuel tank securely mounted
- Mounting bolts, brackets and related hardware
5. Lighting Devices
- Required headlights, tail lamps and stop lamps
- Required turn signals and hazard-warning lamps
- Required clearance, identification and side-marker lamps
- Required license-plate lighting
- Required reflectors and reflective devices
6. Safe Loading
- Spare tires, cargo and dunnage secured against falling onto the roadway
- Required cargo-shifting protection
- Intermodal container securement devices, when applicable
7. Steering Mechanism
- Steering-wheel free play
- Steering column and shaft components
- Front axle beam and steering components
- Steering gearbox and mounting
- Pitman arm and power-steering components
- Ball-and-socket joints
- Tie rods, drag links, nuts and fasteners
- Conditions that interfere with free steering movement
8. Suspension
- U-bolts, spring hangers and axle-positioning components
- Leaf, coil, rubber and torsion-bar springs
- Air-suspension condition and leaks
- Displaced, broken or missing spring components
- Torque, radius and tracking components
9. Frame
- Cracked, broken, loose or sagging frame members
- Loose or missing frame and component fasteners
- Adequate tire and wheel clearance
- Adjustable axle assemblies and sliding-subframe locking pins
10. Tires
- Steering axle: at least 4/32 inch tread depth in each major tread groove
- Other tires: at least 2/32 inch tread depth in each major tread groove
- No exposed body ply or belt material
- No tread or sidewall separation
- No cuts exposing ply or belt material
- No flat tire or noticeable air leak
- No improper contact with another tire or vehicle component
- Correct tire type and application where required
11. Wheels and Rims
- Lock and side rings properly seated and undamaged
- No cracked or broken wheels or rims
- No elongated bolt holes
- No loose, missing, broken or ineffective fasteners
- Applicable wheel and rim welds free of disqualifying cracks or repairs
12. Windshield Glazing
- No disqualifying cracks, damage, discoloration or vision-reducing material in the regulated windshield area
- Damage must remain within the exceptions permitted by Appendix A and 49 CFR §393.60
- Required driver visibility must remain unobstructed
13. Windshield Wipers
- Required wipers must operate
- Blades and related parts must be present and effective
- Damaged or missing components cannot render the wiper ineffective
14. Motorcoach Seats
- Applicable passenger seats must be securely fastened to the vehicle structure
- This requirement applies to motorcoaches where applicable
15. Rear Impact Guard
- Required rear impact guard must be present
- Guard and mounting must be secure and free of disqualifying damage
- Required dimensions and positioning depend on vehicle type and date of manufacture
- Applies only to vehicles subject to the federal rear-impact-guard requirements
A SIMPLE WAY TO PREPARE
Fix the obvious things before we arrive.
Walk around the vehicle before your appointment. Check the tires, required lights, obvious leaks, windshield and wipers, loose or damaged components, coupling equipment and anything else you already know needs attention.
Minor issues can often be corrected during the original appointment, and some completed repairs may be documented without another trip. If an on-site reinspection is required, it is scheduled as a new appointment at our regular published pricing.
Federal Sources
49 CFR §396.17 — Periodic Inspection
Appendix A to Part 396 — Minimum Periodic Inspection Standards
49 CFR Part 393 — Parts and Accessories Necessary for Safe Operation
This checklist is intended as a practical preparation guide and does not replace the complete federal inspection criteria. Vehicle configuration, age, equipment and operation can affect which requirements apply. The applicable federal regulations control if there is any difference between this summary and the regulatory text.
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