Abbreviation: PSP
Pre-employment Screening Program
An FMCSA program giving employers access to a CDL driver's 5-year crash history and 3-year inspection data for pre-employment screening.
PSP data comes from FMCSA's Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS). Employers must obtain written driver consent before accessing PSP data. The report costs a small fee per inquiry. PSP is a voluntary tool and is separate from MVR records and Clearinghouse queries. Using PSP is considered a best practice for small fleet hiring.
What a PSP report shows
A PSP report shows: the last 5 years of DOT-recordable crash data (date, state, severity, driver's role) and the last 3 years of roadside inspection data (inspections, violations, and any out-of-service orders). This data comes from state agencies via FMCSA's MCMIS system. PSP does not show driving violations from state courts — that requires a separate MVR.
Using PSP in the hiring process
PSP requires a signed driver consent form before the employer can order the report. It must be obtained from PSP Online (psp.fmcsa.dot.gov). Using PSP does not relieve the employer of obtaining an MVR or conducting a Clearinghouse query — all three are separate and serve different purposes. If a PSP report is used to make an adverse employment decision, adverse action notice requirements under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) apply.
Last updated: May 29, 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.