Annual MVR Review: What 49 CFR 391.25 Requires

First, at least once every 12 months, the motor carrier must make an inquiry to obtain the motor vehicle record for each employed driver, covering at least the preceding 12 months, from the licensing authority or authorities required by 49 CFR 391.25.

Second, the motor carrier must review that driving record to determine whether the driver continues to meet the minimum requirements for safe driving and is not disqualified from operating a commercial motor vehicle.

During the review, the carrier must consider evidence of violations of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations and applicable motor-vehicle laws, as well as the driver's accident record.

The rule specifically says to give great weight to violations such as speeding, reckless driving, and operating under the influence because they can show disregard for public safety.

49 CFR 391.25 requires a copy of the annual motor vehicle record to be maintained in the driver's qualification file.

It also separately requires a note that includes the name of the person who performed the review and the date of the review. That means simply pulling an MVR and dropping it into a file does not document the second half of the requirement.

The rule is at least once every 12 months, so the next review is tied to the prior review cycle rather than one universal federal calendar date.

A per-driver date is therefore more useful than a company-wide annual reminder when drivers were hired or reviewed at different times.