2022 Changes to Driver Qualification File Rules

FMCSA’s driver qualification file rules have seen some changes for 2022. It’s important to make sure your documents are compliant with the driver qualification file requirement changes.

Road Test Certificate Requirements

Changes to the information required for a road test certificate went into effect on March 22, 2022. These changes were put in place to eliminate the need to capture personal information that many drivers are reluctant to share.

Road test certificates no longer require the following information about the drivers:

Social security number
Driver’s license number
Licensing state

This information is still required for applications or before a driver is dispatched for the first time, but no longer on the road test certificate.

If you have the old format of the road test certificate, you do not have to enter this information on them.

Licensing Authorities

Since some drivers will have residency in Canada or Mexico, but operate within the United States, the FMCSA has made some changes to the wording regarding places that issue driver’s licenses.

These changes went into effect March 22, 2022 and changed the term “state” to “driver’s licensing authority”.

This change was to clarify the requirement of obtaining driving records from states, provinces, or territories based on where the records are kept for their residency.

These language changes were also made to driver applications when asked to list the issuing agency for each unexpired license.

Changes to Annual List of Violations

The most recent change made to the driver qualification file was put in place May 9, 2022. This change eliminated the requirement to request an annual record of violations from drivers.

It’s important to note that any annual violation lists created through May 8, 2022, must remain in the file for three years still.

This change was put in place to reduce redundancy as the information provided is already on the annual motor vehicle record.