InstituteDriver qualificationsDrivers qualification (DQ file)Driving RecordsUSAEnglishAnalysisFocus AreaIn Depth (Level 3)
How long must records be kept?
['Driver qualifications']
- Records must be made available to DOT auditors within 48 hours of a request.
Driver qualification (DQ) files must be kept for the duration of the driver’s employment, plus three years afterwards. Records may be kept at the main office or at a regional or local location, but must be made available to a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) auditor at the main office or other location within 48 hours after an official request has been made.
Carriers may remove certain outdated materials from the DQ file, such as materials that must be reviewed or updated periodically. Items that may be removed from the file after three years from the date they were created include:
- Medical examiner’s certificate or, for CDL drivers, any driving record obtained to verify medical qualification status;
- Until June 23, 2025, or the date by which each CDL/CLP driver’s licensing authority transitions to the direct update process, whichever is later, verification notes for the medical examiner being listed in the National Registry;
- Annual driving records obtained from the driver licensing authority(s);
- Annual driving record review notes; and
- Documentation of any medical variance.