Public Resource Page

Accident Register

What your accident register must include under 49 CFR 390.15, and how long to keep it.

What the Rule Requires

Federal regulation requires every motor carrier to maintain an accident register covering the past 12 months, listing the date, location, driver, injuries, fatalities, and any hazardous materials release for each qualifying accident. Copies of any accident reports required by state or insurers must also be kept.

Any Format Works — As Long As It's Complete

There's no federally mandated form. A spreadsheet, a binder, or software all satisfy the rule, as long as every required element is captured for every qualifying accident. Missing or incomplete entries — not the format you chose — are what investigators flag.

Free Resources

  • 49 CFR 390.15 — Accident Recordkeeping eCFR

    The official regulation text: what must be recorded for each accident, and the 3-year retention requirement.

  • Accident Register (Blank Template) FMCSA / CSA Safety Planner

    A ready-to-use spreadsheet template with the required fields already built in — there's no mandated format, but this saves you building one from scratch.