Checklists

One page each, built from the text of the regulation rather than from somebody's summary. Print them or save them as PDFs and walk one file at a time.

Driver Qualification File49 CFR 391.51The eight items the regulation requires in the file, what is due before the driver starts and what recurs every 12 months, how long each is kept — and three things commonly on these lists that do not belong.
Driver Application for Employment49 CFR 391.21The twelve items that make an application compliant, plus the written notice that is not a field on any form. Check your own form or your vendor’s packet against it.

General compliance information for motor carrier employers, not legal advice. Every item on these pages was checked against the regulation text in July 2026.