There is no single federal DQ-file form. FMCSA tells you what records have to be collected, and the carrier must assemble them. Answer a few questions and this builds the carrier-created starter forms, an organization checklist, and an action plan. You must still obtain the official records identified in the packet.
Everything is generated in your browser. The company information and driver information entered here are not sent to We Heart Paperwork.
49 CFR 391.51(b) is the list. The trap is retention: three of these items stay in the file for as long as the driver works for you plus three years, and the rest can be purged three years after each one is executed. Mixing those up is how files get thin in the wrong places.
| Section | Document | Retention |
|---|---|---|
| 391.51(b)(1) | Application for employment | Employment + 3 years |
| 391.51(b)(2) | Pre-employment MVR from each licensing authority | Employment + 3 years |
| 391.51(b)(3) | Road test certificate, or the CDL accepted in its place | Employment + 3 years |
| 391.51(b)(4) | Annual MVR | 3 years from execution |
| 391.51(b)(5) | Note of the annual review of driving record | 3 years from execution |
| 391.51(b)(6) | Medical certification — the paper certificate for non-CDL drivers, the CDLIS motor vehicle record for CDL holders | 3 years from execution |
| 391.51(b)(7) | Medical variance, SPE certificate or exemption, if any | 3 years from execution |
| 391.51(b)(8) | National Registry verification note — non-CDL drivers only | 3 years from execution |
A complete packet will not perform the required Clearinghouse queries or drug test. These are separate actions for drivers subject to Part 382.
§382.701(a). A full query, with the driver's specific electronic consent given inside the Clearinghouse, is required before they perform any safety-sensitive function.
§382.701(b)(1). Query at least once every twelve months for every driver subject to Part 382 testing. A limited query may be used with general written consent.
§382.711(b). The employer must be registered in the Clearinghouse to perform its required actions.
§382.301(a). The employer must receive the verified negative pre-employment controlled-substances result before the driver first performs a safety-sensitive function.
This is the change most likely to be sitting wrong in a file right now, because the instruction that was correct for years stopped being correct in June 2025.
The examiner issues a paper certificate, Form MCSA-5876. You keep a legible copy in the file under §391.51(b)(6)(i), plus a note verifying the examiner is on the National Registry under §391.23(m)(1). Both are in your packet.
Since June 23, 2025 the examiner transmits results electronically to FMCSA, which passes certification status to the state. No paper card is issued. You document medical certification by pulling the CDLIS motor vehicle record, §391.51(b)(6)(ii). The National Registry note is no longer required for these drivers.
The application, road-test record, and previous-employer investigation are generally initial tasks. But the motor vehicle record, driver's license, and medical qualification require continuing attention. For drivers subject to Part 382, the Clearinghouse query repeats annually too.
We Heart Paperwork tracks the dates that apply to each driver and tells you before they hit.