How to Do a DOT Annual Inspection, Step by Step

What you are doing and why

Under 49 CFR 396.17, a commercial motor vehicle may not be used unless each component in Appendix A to Part 396 has passed an inspection at least once in the preceding 12 months and documentation of that inspection is on the vehicle. The carrier can do the inspection itself or have a commercial garage, leasing company, truck stop or similar business do it as its agent. When a fleet brings you a truck for its "DOT annual," this is the inspection it means.

The work below is a shop workflow, not a substitute for the regulation. Keep the current eCFR text of Appendix A at the inspection station.

Step 1: Confirm the inspector

Only a person who meets 49 CFR 396.19 should perform and sign the inspection. That person must understand Part 393 and Appendix A, have mastered the methods and tools, and qualify through a federal or state training program or certificate, or at least one year of training or experience such as work as a mechanic at a commercial garage. If brake work follows, the person doing it should also meet 396.25. Keep the qualification record on file and be ready to give it to the carrier, which must keep evidence under 396.19(b). Details: who can perform a DOT annual inspection.

Step 2: Intake and identification

Open a repair order or inspection order before anyone touches the truck. Record:

• the motor carrier's legal name and address (the report must identify the carrier);
• unit number, VIN, make, model and year;
• odometer or engine hours;
• whether this is a power unit, semitrailer, full trailer or converter dolly. Each unit in a combination is inspected and documented separately under 396.17(a);
• the customer's approval limit for repairs found during the inspection.

That last item saves the most time. Ask the fleet up front: repair failures under a set dollar amount without calling, or quote every failure first? Write the answer on the order.

Step 3: Set up safely

Position the vehicle on level ground, chock the wheels and follow your shop's lockout and lifting procedures. For air brake stroke checks, Appendix A says to measure with the engine off and reservoir pressure of 80 to 90 psi, with the brakes fully applied. Have a stroke gauge or ruler, tread depth gauge, tire pressure gauge, flashlight and a copy of the chamber size tables ready.

Step 4: Work in a fixed order

Use the same path around every vehicle so nothing is skipped. A common order that matches Appendix A:

1. Cab and controls (power units): steering wheel free play against the Appendix A table, column security, wipers, windshield glazing, horn and warning devices, parking brake application.
2. Lighting walk-around: every lamp and reflector required by Part 393, with someone working the switches.
3. Front axle and steering: axle beam and steering components for cracks or welded repairs, gear box mounting, pitman arm, ball and socket joints, tie rods and drag link, nuts.
4. Tires, wheels and rims: tread depth (4/32 inch minimum on power unit steering axle tires, 2/32 inch on others, measured in a major groove), exposed ply or belt, separations, cuts, contact with the vehicle, mismatched bias and radial on an axle, regrooved steer tires, rings, cracks, elongated bolt holes, loose or missing fasteners, and prohibited welded repairs.
5. Brakes at each wheel end: operation, missing or loose components, audible chamber leaks, pushrod stroke against the readjustment limit, lining or pad thickness, contamination, drums and rotors, hoses and tubing, and steering axle chamber or slack adjuster mismatch.
6. Suspension: axle positioning parts, springs, air suspension, torque, radius and tracking components.
7. Frame: cracked, broken, loose or sagging members and missing fasteners.
8. Fuel and exhaust: leaks, filler cap, tank mounting, exhaust leaks under or ahead of the cab or sleeper, exhaust near wiring or fuel.
9. Coupling devices: fifth wheel mounting, pivot and slider movement, locking mechanism and kingpin engagement; pintle hooks, drawbars and safety devices.
10. Safe loading and rear impact guard: securement, front-end structure where required, and guard dimensions and attachment on trailers that need one.

Our DOT annual inspection checklist lists the reject points for each area.

Step 5: Record every component, not just failures

Section 396.21(a) requires the report to identify the vehicle components inspected and describe the results, including the components that do not meet Appendix A. A list of failures alone does not meet that. Mark every component as passed, failed or not applicable. Photograph failures and measurements that were close to the limit, such as a pushrod stroke near the readjustment limit or a steer tire near 4/32 inch. Photos protect the shop if the result is questioned later.

Step 6: Handle failures before you certify

A vehicle with any Appendix A defect does not pass. You have three paths:

• Repair now, within the approval limit, then reinspect the failed component and record both the failure and the repair.
• Quote and wait for approval when the repair exceeds the limit. Send a clear estimate with the failed item, the Appendix A area, photos and the price. See how to send estimates customers approve.
• Return the vehicle with a failed report when the customer declines. Do not issue a passing decal. Give the customer a written report showing what failed.

Brake repairs should be done by a technician who meets 396.25.

Step 7: Complete and sign the report

The 396.21 report must:

1. identify the individual who performed the inspection;
2. identify the motor carrier (or intermodal equipment provider);
3. identify the date;
4. identify the vehicle;
5. identify the components inspected and the results, including failures; and
6. certify that the inspection is accurate and complete and complies with the section.

Whatever form you use, check that all six elements are present.

Step 8: Put documentation on the vehicle

Under 396.17(c), proof must be on the vehicle. It can be the report itself or a sticker or decal showing the date of inspection, the name and address of the entity where the report is kept, information identifying the vehicle if it is not clearly marked, and a certification that the vehicle passed under 396.17. Fill the decal from the report so the two always match.

Step 9: Deliver records and set the next due date

• Give the carrier the original or a copy of the report. The responsible party keeps it fourteen months from the report date (396.21(b)).
• Keep your own copy linked to the unit so you can resend it on request.
• Invoice the inspection and any repairs on separate lines with dates and plain descriptions; the carrier's 396.3 maintenance records rely on them.
• Set a reminder before the 12 month deadline. The fleet needs a new pass within 12 months, and a reminder sent ahead of that is the easiest way to keep the work.

Pricing an annual inspection

There is no federal price for an annual inspection, and published prices vary by shop, region and vehicle type. Common approaches are a flat price per unit type (tractor, straight truck, trailer) with repairs billed separately, or a lower inspection price bundled with a PM service. Whichever you choose, state on the estimate what the inspection includes and how repairs found during it are approved and billed.

How software helps

The inspection itself is hands-on work. Software helps with the parts that are easy to get wrong: a consistent checklist, every component marked, photos attached, the report tied to the unit, and the next due date tracked. MetaFleet lets you build a digital inspection from your existing PDF form, have technicians complete it in a phone browser, turn failures into estimate lines, and schedule PM and inspection reminders. Fleet customers can request inspections and approve estimates through the customer portal. See inspections and DVIRs or get a walkthrough.

This guide reflects 49 CFR 396.17, 396.19, 396.21, 396.25 and Appendix A as shown on eCFR on October 30, 2026. It is not legal advice.