DVIR Log (Driver Vehicle Inspection Report)

Drivers must inspect their vehicle and be satisfied it's in safe operating condition before driving (pre-trip), and under 49 CFR 396.11 must prepare a post-trip DVIR reporting any defect or deficiency affecting safety or likely to cause a breakdown. If a defect is reported, the motor carrier must repair it and certify the repair before the vehicle is operated again. The driver reviewing a prior DVIR must also confirm any noted defects were addressed. It's a closed loop: inspect, report defects, repair, certify, verify — designed to keep unsafe vehicles off the road.

Pre-trip is the driver's inspection before operating — confirming the vehicle is safe to drive that day (brakes, tires, lights, steering, coupling, etc.). Post-trip is the inspection after the day's driving, documented in the DVIR, reporting any defects discovered during operation. Both matter: pre-trip catches problems before they cause trouble on the road; post-trip captures what developed during the day so it's fixed before the next driver (or trip). The DVIR formally documents the post-trip, but pre-trip diligence is equally a legal and safety duty.

The vehicle must not be operated until the defect is repaired and the repair certified (by the carrier or its mechanic) — that's the legal requirement for defects affecting safe operation. Minor defects not affecting safety may not require taking the vehicle out of service, but safety-critical ones (brakes, steering, tires below limit, lighting in some conditions) do. The log's 'OUT OF SERVICE' status marks these, and 'repaired & certified' closes the loop. Operating a vehicle with a known, reported safety defect that hasn't been repaired is a serious violation — and a liability catastrophe if it contributes to a crash.

Because the record is the proof, and it's examined when it matters most. FMCSA requires DVIRs to be retained (generally three months), and in a DOT audit or crash investigation, the inspection records are scrutinized — a complete record showing systematic inspections and timely defect resolution demonstrates a real safety program, while gaps suggest inspections weren't happening. The records also reveal patterns (a vehicle with recurring defects needs deeper attention; a route or shift with no defects ever logged may not be inspecting). DVIRs done but not recorded leave you with the safety benefit but none of the compliance or liability protection — keep the record.