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Driver Qualification Files

Starter page for driver qualification file preparation and future checklist tools.

What Is a Driver Qualification File?

Under 49 CFR Part 391, every motor carrier must keep a Driver Qualification File (DQF) for each driver it employs. The DQF is the paper (or electronic) trail that shows a driver was properly vetted before being put behind the wheel and has stayed qualified ever since — valid license, clean-enough driving record, current medical certification, and a documented employment history check. It's one of the first things an FMCSA auditor or investigator asks to see during a new entrant safety audit or a compliance review, and missing or incomplete files are among the most common violations found.

What Belongs in Every DQF

  • ✓ Driver's employment application, completed per §391.21
  • ✓ Initial motor vehicle record (MVR) from each state where the driver was licensed in the past 3 years, obtained per §391.23
  • ✓ Road test certificate per §391.31, or an accepted equivalent (license/certificate) under §391.33, or a written statement of exemption
  • ✓ Annual MVR inquiry, obtained each year per §391.25(a)
  • ✓ Annual review of the driver's driving record — a signed note documenting the review, per §391.25(c)
  • ✓ Current medical examiner's certificate per §391.43(g)
  • ✓ Documentation that the examining medical examiner was listed on FMCSA's National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners at the time of the exam
  • ✓ Medical variance documents, if applicable (Skill Performance Evaluation certificate or medical exemption letter)

Keeping Files Current

A DQF isn't a one-time setup — it has to be actively maintained. The annual MVR pull and driving-record review are the two pieces carriers most often let lapse, along with tracking medical certificate expiration dates before they run out. For CDL holders, medical certification status also has to be linked to the driver's record through the state licensing agency (CDLIS), so an expired medical card can affect license status, not just the DQF. Files must be retained for as long as the driver is employed, plus 3 additional years after separation, though some medical and pre-employment inquiry records may be removed sooner once they're 3 years old.

49 CFR Part 391 — Qualifications of Drivers (ecfr.gov)

Frequently Asked

Do owner-operators need a Driver Qualification File?
Yes. Anyone who drives a commercial motor vehicle in interstate commerce under a motor carrier's authority needs a compliant DQF, whether they're a company driver or an owner-operator leased to the carrier. The carrier operating under the DOT number is responsible for maintaining the file.
What disqualifies someone from being hired as a driver?
Part 391 sets minimum qualifications — including age, English proficiency, driving experience, and physical qualification standards — and disqualifying items like certain criminal or driving-record history. The specific disqualifying conditions and physical qualification standards are detailed in §391.11 and §391.41; review them directly for your hiring situation.
How far back does the employment history check need to go?
The application and safety performance history inquiry generally need to cover the prior 3 years, per §391.21 and §391.23, though carriers should confirm current requirements since employment verification rules have been updated over time.

Related Topics

Drug & Alcohol Testing Hours of Service Compliance Reviews New Entrant Program

This page is general information, not legal advice, and Driver Qualification File requirements are set out in 49 CFR Part 391 and subject to change — confirm current requirements at ecfr.gov or fmcsa.dot.gov before making compliance decisions.

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