Written by the America’s Driving Force team · Reviewed by Joel Curtis, retired professional truck driver · Published October 5, 2026 · Last reviewed October 5, 2026 · Sources are listed at the end
A commercial pre-trip inspection means confirming the vehicle is safe before you drive. Federal rules list the parts you must be satisfied are in good working order, such as brakes, steering, tires, lights and coupling devices, require a written defect report with repairs certified, and make the pre-trip inspection the first segment of the CDL skills test.
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What a pre-trip inspection is
For commercial drivers, a “pre-driving check” means the pre-trip inspection: looking over the truck or bus before it moves to confirm it is safe to drive. It is not a quick glance at the lights. Federal rules name the parts you must be satisfied are in good working order, require a written report of defects, and make the check part of the CDL skills test.
This guide is based on the federal regulations as they appeared on eCFR on October 5, 2026. It replaces an older version of this page that described checks for an ordinary passenger car, including tire tread measurements and coin tests that do not come from the federal commercial driver rules. If you drive a commercial motor vehicle (CMV), use the rules below and your employer’s procedures instead.
The parts you must check under federal rules
49 CFR 392.7 says no CMV shall be driven unless the driver is satisfied that certain parts and accessories are in good working order, and that the driver must also use them when and as needed. The list is:
- service brakes, including trailer brake connections
- parking (hand) brake
- steering mechanism
- lighting devices and reflectors
- tires
- horn
- windshield wiper or wipers
- rear-vision mirror or mirrors
- coupling devices
- wheels and rims
- emergency equipment
Drivers who prepare to transport intermodal equipment must also inspect components such as brake components that are readily visible, lighting devices and markers, wheels, rims, lugs and tires, air line connections, hoses and couplers, the king pin upper coupling device, rails or support frames, tie down bolsters, locking pins, clevises, clamps or hooks, and sliders or sliding frame locks. Drivers who operate intermodal equipment over the road are deemed to have confirmed those components were in good working order when they accepted the equipment.
What drivers must do before driving
Under 49 CFR 396.13, before driving a motor vehicle the driver shall be satisfied that the vehicle is in safe operating condition, review the last driver vehicle inspection report if one is required by 396.11(a)(2)(i), and sign the report to acknowledge that the driver has reviewed it and that there is a certification that the required repairs have been performed. The signature requirement does not apply to listed defects on a towed unit that is no longer part of the vehicle combination. These reports may be created and maintained in electronic format.
That means a pre-trip is not only about what you see on the walk-around. It also includes checking what the previous driver reported and confirming that the repairs were certified.
The driver vehicle inspection report
The driver vehicle inspection report (DVIR) is covered by 49 CFR 396.11. The main points for vehicles provided by a motor carrier are:
- When it is required. Every motor carrier must require its drivers to report, and every driver must prepare a report in writing at the completion of each day’s work on each vehicle operated. The report covers at least the same list of parts as 392.7: service brakes including trailer brake connections, parking brake, steering, lighting devices and reflectors, tires, horn, windshield wipers, rear vision mirrors, coupling devices, wheels and rims, and emergency equipment.
- What it says. The report must identify the vehicle and list any defect or deficiency discovered by or reported to the driver that would affect safety or result in a mechanical breakdown. Drivers are not required to prepare a report if no defect or deficiency is discovered or reported. If you drive more than one vehicle in a day, you prepare a report for each one that has a defect.
- Signature. The driver must sign the report. In two-driver operations only one driver needs to sign, provided both agree on the defects.
- Repairs. Before requiring or permitting a driver to operate a vehicle, the motor carrier or its agent must repair any listed defect likely to affect the safety of operation, and must certify on the report that the defect has been repaired or that repair is unnecessary.
- Retention. The carrier keeps the report, the certification of repairs and the certification of the driver’s review for three months from the date the report was prepared.
- Exceptions. The section does not apply to a private motor carrier of passengers (nonbusiness), a driveaway-towaway operation, or any motor carrier operating only one commercial motor vehicle.
Section 396.13 now ties the driver’s review to the situations where a prior report is required, and this wording was changed in a February 2026 amendment (91 FR 7896), so older advice that says you must file a “no defects” report every day may be out of date. Check with your employer’s safety department for how they handle reports.
The pre-trip inspection on the CDL skills test
If you are getting a CDL, the pre-trip inspection is the first segment of the skills test. 49 CFR 383.113(a) says applicants must be able to identify each safety-related part on the vehicle and explain what needs to be inspected to ensure a safe operating condition. The areas are the engine compartment, cab and engine start, steering, suspension, brakes, wheels, the side of the vehicle, the rear of the vehicle and any special features of a tractor-trailer, school bus or coach/transit bus used for the test.
For air-brake test vehicles you must also locate and name the air brake controls and monitoring devices, check that the brake system is properly adjusted and air connections are secure, test the low pressure warning devices, confirm the system maintains an adequate air supply with the engine running, check that air pressure build-up time is within acceptable limits and that alarms and emergency devices deactivate at the proper pressure, and operationally check the brakes. The full CDL skills test is covered in 49 CFR Part 383.
A practical pre-trip routine
Putting the federal requirements together, a commercial pre-trip routine usually includes these steps, in an order that matches your employer’s procedure:
- Review the last driver vehicle inspection report, if one is required, and confirm repairs were certified.
- Walk around the vehicle and look at the 392.7 list: tires, wheels and rims, lights and reflectors, coupling devices, mirrors and emergency equipment.
- Check the engine compartment and cab: start the engine, check the horn, wipers, gauges and warning devices, steering and parking brake.
- Check the brakes, including trailer brake connections and, for air brakes, the air system checks listed above.
- Be satisfied the vehicle is in safe operating condition, as 396.13 requires, before you drive.
- At the end of the day, write the report if you found a defect, sign it and give it to the carrier.
What does a driver do about a defect? The regulations place the repair duty on the motor carrier, but they also say you must not drive unless you are satisfied about the parts on the 392.7 list. Talk to your employer’s safety director about specific situations. For related guides, see our guides on doing a detailed pre-trip inspection, getting a CDL and trucking companies by state. Regulations change, so confirm current details with FMCSA.
Frequently asked questions
What parts must be checked before driving a commercial vehicle?
Under 49 CFR 392.7: service brakes including trailer brake connections, parking brake, steering mechanism, lighting devices and reflectors, tires, horn, windshield wipers, rear-vision mirrors, coupling devices, wheels and rims, and emergency equipment.
Is a pre-trip inspection required by law?
Yes. 49 CFR 392.7 says no CMV shall be driven unless the driver is satisfied the listed parts are in good working order, and 396.13 requires the driver to be satisfied the vehicle is in safe operating condition before driving.
Do I have to write a report if I find no defects?
Under 49 CFR 396.11, drivers are not required to prepare a report if no defect or deficiency is discovered by or reported to the driver. A written report is required when a defect or deficiency is found.
How long do carriers keep driver vehicle inspection reports?
Three months from the date the written report was prepared, along with the certification of repairs and the certification of the driver's review, according to 49 CFR 396.11.
Is the pre-trip inspection part of the CDL test?
Yes. The pre-trip vehicle inspection is the first of three segments of the CDL skills test, and applicants must identify each safety-related part and explain what needs to be inspected, per 49 CFR 383.113.
Related guides
About the reviewer
Joel Curtis is a retired professional truck driver with more than 30 years of over-the-road experience in Canada and the United States. He reviews our guides for practical accuracy from a driver’s point of view. Every guide is built from the official sources listed below.
Sources
- 49 CFR 392.7: Equipment, inspection and use, Electronic Code of Federal Regulations
- 49 CFR 396.11: Driver vehicle inspection report(s), Electronic Code of Federal Regulations
- 49 CFR 396.13: Driver inspection, Electronic Code of Federal Regulations
- 49 CFR 383.113: Required skills, Electronic Code of Federal Regulations
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. Rules, fees and requirements change, so confirm current details with the agencies listed above and your state before you act.