Compliance & Audits · Free Reference Guide
DOT Record Retention Quick Reference
Check common federal retention periods and distinguish routine file cleanup from records that must remain protected.
Who It’s For
Fleet owners, safety administrators, and owner-operators organizing compliance records.
How to Use It
Use the two-page guide to build a company retention schedule, then confirm the applicable rule and any longer requirement. These are selected federal minimums, not permission to destroy records. Suspend disposal for claims, investigations, audits, or legal holds.
What’s Included
- Driver, HOS, crash, and maintenance retention table
- Drug/alcohol and Clearinghouse record distinctions
- Record-location and hold review worksheet
Selected federal minimums for U.S. motor-carrier records. Apply any longer legal, state, contractual, insurance, or company requirement. Keep current qualification evidence even when an older record reaches its minimum period.
Put It into Practice
Need help applying this to your operation? Run the DOT Compliance Self-Check.
Related Downloads
Official References
Check the applicable requirements alongside your company procedures.
Using This Download
Is this a fillable PDF?
This is a printable 2-page PDF. Complete it by hand after printing, or add text with a PDF editor. It does not contain interactive form fields.
Can MSM customize it for our company?
Yes. MSM clients can ask their MSM team to adapt the resource to company procedures, reporting contacts, equipment, and branding. The standard public download is available to everyone.
These resources support U.S. trucking safety work. Apply the rules, exceptions, equipment instructions, and state requirements relevant to your operation. A completed form does not by itself establish compliance.