Annual Review
The annual review of each CDL driver's driving record required by 49 CFR Part 391, which must be conducted at least once every 12 months and documented in the DQ file.
The annual review requires obtaining a current MVR and reviewing it for disqualifying violations or safety concerns. It must be signed by the reviewing officer or manager.
Annual review process and documentation
The annual review must be completed within 12 months of the previous one. The carrier must: obtain a current MVR; review it for disqualifying violations or patterns of concern; and complete a written certification signed by a reviewing officer or manager. Both the written certification and the MVR are retained in the DQ file. If the MVR reveals a disqualifying violation, the driver must be removed from service immediately — the review is not a paperwork exercise.
Annual review vs. annual Clearinghouse query
These are two separate annual requirements that are often confused. The annual review (MVR plus written certification) satisfies 49 CFR Part 391. The annual Clearinghouse limited query satisfies Part 382. Both are required; one cannot substitute for the other. Many carriers run both together on a shared schedule — often the driver's hire anniversary date — but document them separately. Aligning the schedule simplifies tracking but is not required by regulation.
Last updated: June 4, 2026
When this definition matters
This term usually matters when a driver, owner-operator, or small carrier is deciding whether a federal rule applies, preparing a compliance file, or checking a state CDL step. Use this definition as a starting point, then confirm the controlling requirement in the official source listed below before making a licensing, hiring, dispatch, or recordkeeping decision.
The related terms above are included because they often appear in the same compliance workflow. Reviewing them together can prevent common mix-ups, such as treating a state licensing step as a federal carrier obligation or confusing a driver record with a separate employer record.