Annual inspection due
Can I keep driving?
Check the decal date. If it has not passed, book a bay below. If it has, the vehicle should not be in service until it is inspected.
Do this first
- Find the date, on every unit. The tractor and each trailer carry their own inspection; a tractor with a current decal pulling a trailer with an expired one is an expired combination. The decal or the report may be in the cab, on the frame, or in the carrier's file; it has to be available to an inspector.
- Do your own walk-around against the list. The inspection covers brakes, steering, suspension, frame, tires, wheels, lighting, coupling devices, exhaust, fuel system, windshield and wipers, and a few more. Walk the truck with that list and fix what you can see, because an inspection you fail is an inspection you pay for twice.
- Bring the paper. Previous inspection report, any recent repair orders, and the vehicle's registration. A shop that can see what was done last year inspects faster.
What it usually costs and how long it takes
An inspection is cheap; the repairs it finds are the bill:
- The inspection itself. A fixed price at most shops, often bundled with a lube or PM service. Expect a bay for a couple of hours, longer if the shop is busy or the truck needs adjustment.
- The common fails. Brake stroke out of adjustment, brake lining below minimum, tires under tread depth or with sidewall damage, lamps out, leaking wheel seals, cracked air lines, loose or missing fasteners on suspension and coupling components, and windshield damage in the wiped area. Most are small; they add up.
- The expensive fails. A cracked frame or crossmember, a steering component with play, or a brake drum beyond its wear limit. These are the ones that turn an inspection into a multi-day stay.
A shop that lists annual inspection with brakes and PM can do the fixes in the same visit, which is why those shops are marked in the list.
Where to get it fixed
Cities with the most shops listing annual inspection:
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is allowed to do the annual inspection?
A qualified inspector, which the federal rules define by training or experience with the systems being inspected, working for the carrier or for a shop. Most carriers use an outside shop so the report is independent. The inspector's qualification has to be on file; a reputable shop will have it.
Does a roadside inspection count as my annual?
A roadside inspection by an authorized officer that covers the required items can satisfy the periodic inspection requirement for that vehicle for twelve months, and the report has to be kept with the vehicle. Many carriers still schedule their own so the date is under their control.
Is the trailer's inspection separate from the tractor's?
Yes. Every unit has its own twelve-month clock and its own decal or report. Dropped trailers are the ones that get missed.
What fails most often?
Brakes, lights and tires, in that order, in most shops' experience. All three are things a careful pre-trip catches. Brake stroke and lining thickness are the two numbers worth knowing before you arrive.
Can I combine it with a PM service?
Usually, and it is the efficient way to do it: the truck is already on the rack with the wheels off. Shops that list both are marked in the list on this page.
What if the truck fails?
The shop lists the defects; the vehicle is not put back in service until they are corrected and the inspection is completed. A shop that can do the repairs in the same bay saves a second trip.
How long is the report kept?
The carrier keeps the inspection report for fourteen months from the report date, and a copy or the decal rides with the vehicle. If you are an owner-operator, that file is yours to keep.
- Who is allowed to do the annual inspection?
- A qualified inspector, which the federal rules define by training or experience with the systems being inspected, working for the carrier or for a shop. Most carriers use an outside shop so the report is independent. The inspector's qualification has to be on file; a reputable shop will have it.
- Does a roadside inspection count as my annual?
- A roadside inspection by an authorized officer that covers the required items can satisfy the periodic inspection requirement for that vehicle for twelve months, and the report has to be kept with the vehicle. Many carriers still schedule their own so the date is under their control.
- Is the trailer's inspection separate from the tractor's?
- Yes. Every unit has its own twelve-month clock and its own decal or report. Dropped trailers are the ones that get missed.
- What fails most often?
- Brakes, lights and tires, in that order, in most shops' experience. All three are things a careful pre-trip catches. Brake stroke and lining thickness are the two numbers worth knowing before you arrive.
- Can I combine it with a PM service?
- Usually, and it is the efficient way to do it: the truck is already on the rack with the wheels off. Shops that list both are marked in the list on this page.
- What if the truck fails?
- The shop lists the defects; the vehicle is not put back in service until they are corrected and the inspection is completed. A shop that can do the repairs in the same bay saves a second trip.
- How long is the report kept?
- The carrier keeps the inspection report for fourteen months from the report date, and a copy or the decal rides with the vehicle. If you are an owner-operator, that file is yours to keep.
This page is general guidance for professional drivers and is not legal advice. Periodic inspection requirements are set by federal and state rules and change over time; confirm the current requirements for your operation. Shop listings are provided by Trucker Path users and the businesses themselves; availability and pricing are confirmed by the shop, not by Trucker Path.