Driver Qualification File: Starter Checklist

This page is a starter checklist, not a downloadable driver packet. A qualification file is a set of records that the motor carrier maintains for each employed driver; a single blank form does not complete the file.

Start with the required record categories

49 CFR 391.51 lists the core DQ-file contents. These include the driver’s employment application; driving records from licensing authorities; a road-test certificate or permitted equivalent; annual driving-record inquiry and review; and applicable medical-certification or variance records. Which document satisfies a requirement can depend on the driver’s license and medical-certification situation, so use the current rule rather than an old packet.

Keep it current

A DQ file is not finished on hire day. Assign someone to obtain annual records, document the annual review, track expirations, and follow up on missing items. The federal rule generally requires the file while the driver is employed and for three years afterward, but it allows specified older update records to be removed three years after execution. Check the exact retention paragraphs before disposing of anything.

Where to get examples and help

The FMCSA Forms Library provides an example Driver Qualification File Checklist and related forms. FMCSA says these are guidance examples; its exact template is generally not mandatory. For ongoing collection, follow-up, date tracking, and file organization, see LBC Fleet’s driver-qualification file management service. Keep applicant and medical information in an appropriately controlled record system, not in a public form or ad platform.