What does 49 CFR 396.17 (Periodic inspection) require?

Short answer

49 CFR 396.17 requires every commercial motor vehicle to be inspected at least once during the preceding 12 months, with documentation of the inspection on the vehicle. The inspection must include the parts and accessories set forth in appendix A to this part.

The rule says

"Every commercial motor vehicle must be inspected as required by this section." (49 CFR 396.17(a))

"The inspection must include, at a minimum, the parts and accessories set forth in appendix A to this part." (49 CFR 396.17(a))

"A motor carrier must not use a commercial motor vehicle, and an intermodal equipment provider must not tender equipment to a motor carrier for interchange, unless each component identified in appendix A to this part has passed an inspection in accordance with the terms of this section at least once during the preceding 12 months and documentation of such inspection is on the vehicle." (49 CFR 396.17(c))

In plain English

This rule means that every commercial vehicle must have a thorough inspection at least once a year, covering all the critical parts and accessories listed in appendix A. The inspection can be done by the motor carrier itself, a commercial garage, or another qualified inspector. The key is to ensure that all vehicles are safe to operate and that any issues are identified and addressed promptly. In practice, this means that motor carriers need to keep track of when each vehicle is due for inspection and make sure that the inspection is done on time.

What to do

• Schedule annual inspections for all commercial motor vehicles.
• Ensure that the inspection includes all parts and accessories listed in appendix A.
• Keep documentation of the inspection on the vehicle.
• Retain records of the inspection for at least 14 months.