DOT Driver Qualification Files (DQF) Program — 49 CFR 391 Compliant
The driver qualification program required by FMCSA 49 CFR 391. Covers every document the eight paragraphs of 49 CFR 391.51(b) require, indexed as 15 individual records, plus the MVR review procedure, medical certification tracking, and crosswalks to 49 CFR 382 (drug & alcohol) and 49 CFR 395 (hours of service).
When this template is required
Required of every motor carrier subject to FMCSA jurisdiction — interstate commercial motor vehicle operations; vehicles with a GVWR/GCWR, or an actual gross weight, of 10,001 lbs or more (whichever is greater); vehicles transporting hazardous materials in placardable quantities; vehicles transporting 9+ passengers (including driver) for compensation; or 16+ passengers (including driver) not for compensation.
Why this template
Every document 391.51(b) requires
49 CFR 391.51(b) is written as eight paragraphs, several carrying sub-parts and alternatives. Missing any one is an FMCSA audit finding. The master index breaks them into the 15 individual records a file actually holds, and names the three records that must be kept out of it — 391.53 investigation history, part 382 testing records, part 395 records of duty status.
Medical certification tracking
DOT medical certificates expire (typically every 24 months, some shorter). Drivers whose medical certificate expires can no longer legally operate CMVs. The program includes the tracking system to prevent expired certificates.
MVR review process
Annual MVR review (49 CFR 391.25) is required for every DOT driver. The procedure documents how to pull MVRs, what to look for, and the threshold for disqualification.
Crosswalks to drug/alcohol and HOS
DOT compliance has three pillars: 391 (driver qualification), 382 (drug & alcohol), 395 (hours of service). The program is focused on 391 but includes crosswalks to the other two so you can see the full compliance picture.
What you receive
- DOT DQF Program (Word .docx)
- Master DQF index covering every document the eight paragraphs of 391.51(b) require, indexed as 15 individual records
- Driver application form (391.21)
- Inquiry to previous employers (391.23)
- Inquiry to state agencies (391.23) — 3-year MVR check
- Annual MVR review (391.25)
- Annual review note naming the reviewer and the date of the review (391.25(c)(2))
- Driver acknowledgment of the MVR review (optional company practice — not required by 391.25)
- Medical examiner's certificate tracking (391.43)
- Road test certificate or equivalent (391.31)
- Drug & alcohol pre-employment + random testing crosswalk (382)
- DQF retention schedule (driver employment + 3 years)
How you get it
This document is written and reviewed against the standard it cites, and it is ready now. The download link is emailed as soon as your payment clears.
Revisions included — if something about your operation changes what the document should say, reply to the delivery email and we will amend it.
Who buys this
- Interstate trucking companies (any size)
- Hazmat transportation companies
- Passenger transport (buses, shuttles, certain vans)
- Construction companies with commercial motor vehicles
- Waste haulers with CMVs
- Any motor carrier subject to FMCSA
Frequently asked
Who's subject to FMCSA driver qualification rules?
Motor carriers operating commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce. Per 49 CFR 390.5 a CMV is: (1) a vehicle with a GVWR/GCWR, or an actual gross weight, of 10,001 lbs or more, whichever is greater; (2) a vehicle transporting hazardous materials in quantities requiring placarding; (3) a vehicle designed or used to transport more than 8 passengers including the driver for compensation; (4) a vehicle designed or used to transport more than 15 passengers including the driver, not for compensation. Per 49 CFR 383.5 a CDL is required at a GVWR/GCWR of 26,001 lbs or more, and for a vehicle of any size designed to carry 16 or more passengers including the driver or used to transport placardable quantities of hazardous materials.
What documents must be in the driver qualification file?
49 CFR 391.51(b) is written as eight paragraphs, not a list of twelve: (1) the driver's employment application (391.21); (2) the motor vehicle record from each driver's licensing authority (391.23(a)(1)); (3) the certificate of driver's road test (391.31(e)), or a license or certificate accepted as equivalent (391.33), or the written statement and driver certification under 391.44(d)(3); (4) the motor vehicle record from the annual inquiry (391.25(a)); (5) the note of the annual review (391.25(c)(2)); (6) the medical examiner's certificate or a legible copy — for CDL holders, the CDLIS motor vehicle record from the current licensing State — plus a copy of any FMCSA medical variance; (7) a Skill Performance Evaluation Certificate (391.49) or a part 381 Medical Exemption document; and (8) for drivers not required to hold a CDL, the note verifying the medical examiner's National Registry listing. Three records that older checklists put in this file do not belong here: previous-employer safety performance replies go in the separate, access-controlled driver investigation history file (391.53(a)); the pre-employment controlled substances result stays in the part 382 files (382.401(a)); and the driver's annual list of violations is no longer required at all, because 49 CFR 391.27 now reads [Reserved].
How often must MVRs be pulled?
Annually per 49 CFR 391.25(a). The carrier reviews each driver's MVR for the past 12 months and determines whether the driver continues to be qualified. Pre-employment MVR (3-year history) is also required per 391.23. Some carriers pull MVRs more frequently (quarterly) as a best practice.
What's a Medical Examiner's Certificate (MEC)?
DOT requires CMV drivers to be medically qualified per 49 CFR 391.41, examined by a medical examiner listed on the FMCSA National Registry, with certification valid for up to 24 months (shorter for certain medical conditions). What the file holds depends on the driver. For drivers not required to hold a CDL or CLP, it holds the paper certificate (Form MCSA-5876) plus the National Registry verification note under 391.51(b)(8)(i) — on or after June 23, 2025 an examiner issues a paper certificate only to these drivers (391.43(g)(2)(ii)). For CDL and CLP holders, it holds the CDLIS motor vehicle record from the current licensing State showing medical certification status and the self-certified type of operation (391.51(b)(6)(ii) and 391.23(m)(2)); where a paper certificate and the FMCSA electronic information conflict, the electronic information controls (391.23(m)(4)). A driver who is not currently certified cannot legally operate a CMV.
Does this cover drug and alcohol testing?
Drug and alcohol testing under 49 CFR 382 is a separate compliance program. The DQF program includes the crosswalk and states where each record belongs: 49 CFR 391.51(b) does not put the pre-employment controlled substances result in the qualification file, and 49 CFR 382.401(a) requires part 382 records to be kept in a secure location with controlled access. The full drug/alcohol program (random selection, testing procedures, refusal handling, return-to-duty) remains a separate compliance area. Most carriers contract with a Consortium/Third Party Administrator (C/TPA) for drug/alcohol testing administration.