A motor vehicle record (MVR) is the state-issued report of a driver's license status and driving history, and it's one of the required documents in an FMCSA Driver Qualification file. Carriers must pull an MVR before a driver's first day, review it at least once a year under 49 CFR §391.25, and keep the review documented and on file for as long as an auditor might ask for it. This guide covers what the MVR contains, how often it's due, and how to get a complete DQ file built around it.
An MVR is issued by a state Department of Motor Vehicles and shows a driver's license number, class, endorsements, restrictions, license status, and driving history — accidents, citations, convictions, suspensions, and revocations recorded against that license. For CDL drivers, it also confirms whether hazmat, tanker, or double/triple trailer endorsements are current.
It is not a criminal background check and it does not include drug test results or employment history — those are separate DQ file items covered in the Driver Qualification File Requirements guide.
Two separate rules in 49 CFR Part 391 ↗ govern the MVR. Under §391.23, a carrier pulls an MVR as part of the pre-employment investigation, from every state where the driver held a license in the past 3 years, before or within 30 days of hire. Under §391.25, the carrier reviews an MVR at least once every 12 months for as long as the driver is employed. Both feed into the DQ file required under §391.51, and both are checked in an FMCSA compliance review.
At least once every 12 months, and that window runs from the date of the driver's last review — not from January 1 or the driver's hire anniversary. A review completed on August 4, 2025 is due again by August 4, 2026. Carriers that batch every driver's review to one date in December create gaps for anyone hired or last reviewed mid-year. Use the MVR Annual Review Calculator to calculate the exact due date for each driver and track a whole fleet at once.
A complete MVR pull for DQ file purposes includes:
Answer three questions about a driver's current MVR to see where the file stands before an audit.
Every DQ file needs a review notation like this attached to the MVR itself — an MVR sitting in a folder with no review record does not satisfy 49 CFR §391.25.
The builder below fills a version of this form for you, attaches it to the driver's uploaded documents, and scores the whole DQ file for missing items — no blank template to track down or format yourself.
Upload the driver's documents, get an instant compliance score, and download a zipped, audit-ready DQF package — cover sheet, checklist, and every file.
Upload driver documents, get an instant compliance score, and generate an audit-ready DQF package — cover sheet, checklist, and every document, zipped.
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JPEG, PNG, WEBP, or PDF — up to 15MB each. Nothing is uploaded until you pay.
Order directly from the state DMV through its online portal, or use a third-party reporting service that pulls from multiple states at once — useful when a driver has held licenses in more than one state. Most states charge a per-report fee in the $5–$20 range and return results the same day online, or in a few business days by mail. FMCSA maintains a directory of state MVR ordering portals at fmcsa.dot.gov ↗.
DQ file opened.
Pulled within 30 days of hire (49 CFR §391.23).
Certificate filed in the DQ file.
Current DOT physical on file.
All required items present.
Due every 12 months from last review (49 CFR §391.25).
A driver who held a license in another state in the past 12 months needs an MVR from that state too. Carriers that check only the current state routinely miss a lapsed or surrendered out-of-state license.
The MVR proves a record was pulled. It doesn't prove the carrier reviewed it. Auditors look for a signed, dated review notation — not just a printout sitting in the file.
The 12-month window runs from each driver's own last review date. A carrier that reviews every driver every December leaves drivers hired mid-year overdue before the batch date arrives.
Monitoring services that flag new violations are useful, but 49 CFR §391.25 still requires a separate, documented annual review — monitoring alerts don't log a review date on their own.
Verify current requirements against the federal source directly.
eCFR (Official Federal Regulations)
eCFR (Official Federal Regulations)
eCFR (Official Federal Regulations)
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
FMCSA — All 50 states + DC
FMCSA — Check a carrier's SMS data
The MVR is one required piece of the DQ file. These cover the rest.
Upload documents and generate a complete audit-ready DQF package.
Calculate exact 49 CFR §391.25 due dates and track a whole fleet.
Every item a DQ file needs under 49 CFR §391.51.
A complete, printable checklist for building a DQ file.
Templates for every required DQ file document.
See a filled-out DQ file, section by section.
Printable DQ file forms in PDF format.
The full carrier compliance checklist beyond the DQ file.
Check a carrier's overall compliance standing.
What the first 12-18 months of FMCSA oversight look like.
State-by-state CDL licensing rules.
July 2026 — verified against 49 CFR Part 391 on eCFR.gov
TruckComplianceHQ Compliance Team
Based on FMCSA regulations and official guidance, cross-checked against eCFR.gov.
This article is for informational and compliance planning purposes and is not legal advice. Verify current requirements at ecfr.gov ↗ and fmcsa.dot.gov ↗. Consult a DOT compliance professional or transportation attorney for carrier-specific determinations.