Free download · Romeoville, IL
DOT inspection checklist PDF: the 2-page pre-inspection walk-around
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What's inside the two pages
- Every truck and trailer system in [49 CFR 396 Appendix A](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-III/subchapter-B/part-396/appendix-Appendix%20A%20to%20Part%20396) as checkbox items, brakes through the rear impact guard, in 12 groups, plus a separate air-system block for build-up, low-air warning and leak-down
- Measurement boxes with the limit printed beside them: pushrod stroke by chamber type from [393.47(e)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/section-393.47), tread depth from [393.75](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/section-393.75), steering wheel free play by wheel diameter, fifth-wheel movement and rear impact guard dimensions
- The driver pre-trip and emergency-equipment items from [392.7](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/section-392.7) and [393.95](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/section-393.95): extinguisher rating, triangles or fusees, DVIR sign-off and proof of the last periodic inspection
- A what-fails-most sidebar from [CVSA's 2026 International Roadcheck results](https://cvsa.org/news/2026-roadcheck-results): brake systems, tires, 20% defective brakes, cargo securement and lights
- Unit, VIN, odometer, date, checked-by and annual-due lines in the header, and a found-a-defect box with the shop's address and number
- Page 1 covers brakes, air, coupling, exhaust, fuel, lights and the load; page 2 covers steering, suspension, frame, tires, wheels, glass and the cab items. Print one copy per unit, because a tractor and its trailer are inspected and reported separately
Fleet managers who batch units by sticker month, owner-operators doing their own yard check before the [annual DOT inspection](/services/dot-inspections), and drivers who would rather have the [pre-trip](/blog/annual-dot-inspection-checklist) on paper than in their head.
The checklist, system by system
Version 1.0, October 2026. Every item on the printed pages, so you can read it before you download it.
Brake system
49 CFR 393.40–.55; App. A §1
- Service brakes at every wheel; parking brake holds when set
- No missing, broken or loose shoes, springs, pins, pushrods
- No audible air leak at any chamber on full application
- Pushrod stroke per chamber: engine off, 80–90 psi, brakes on — Type 30: 2 in. (long 2-1/2); 24/20/16: 1-3/4 (long 2); else 80% rated
- Auto slack adjusters all brakes, matched per axle, no manual
- Lining/pad thickness above minimum; attached, not oil-soaked — Air drum shoe 1/4 in. (steer strip lining 3/16); disc pad 1/8 in.
- Drums/rotors: no crack or missing piece; wear within limit
- Air hoses/tubing: no bulge, chafe, splice, crimp, heat, leak
- ABS lamp self-check, both units; compressor belt/mount tight
Air system check
CDL manual §5; 393.51; App. A §1(f)
- Build-up: engine running; write cut-in and cut-out psi — Compare with the normal range in your state CDL manual, Section 5
- Low-air warning on at 55 psi (or half cut-out if less) — Engine off, fan the pedal; write the psi when it came on
- Spring brakes apply as pressure keeps falling; write the psi — Expected range: your state CDL manual, Section 5
- Static leak-down: engine off, park brake off, wheels chocked — Write psi lost in 1 min after initial drop; limit in CDL manual §5
- Applied leak-down: full pedal held 1 min after initial drop — Write psi lost; a reading over the CDL manual limit is a leak
- Gladhand seals intact, no leak; lines not chafed or kinked
- Tractor protection valve closes with trailer supply pulled
- Air tanks drained, trace water/oil only; dryer purge works
Coupling devices
49 CFR 393.70–.71; App. A §2
- Fifth wheel mount: no missing fasteners, movement or cracks
- Pivot/slider play 3/8 in. max; no cracks; latch pins engaged — 3/8 in. at the pivot pin and at the slider; write the larger reading
- Coupler halves play 1/2 in. max; no daylight; handle locked — Check with trailer brakes set and a gentle tug test; no plate cracks
- Jaws close fully on kingpin; no broken parts; release secure
- Kingpin: no crack, bend or wear step; upper plate not warped
- Pintle/eye: no crack or weld; wear <20%; slider 1/4 in. max
- Safety chains/cables: secure, no link wear, no makeshift fix
- Lines not stretched or rubbing on a full turn; 7-way latched
Exhaust system
49 CFR 393.83; App. A §3
- No leak ahead of or under cab/sleeper; no soot at any clamp
- No exhaust part able to burn or char wiring or fuel lines
- Hangers, clamps, flex intact; pipe not resting on frame/cab
- DPF/SCR: no V-band soot, straps tight, no bypass, sensors in
- Tailpipe/stack not cracked or venting under cab; rain cap OK
Fuel system
49 CFR 393.65–.67; App. A §4
- No fuel leak or wet spot: seams, crossover, filters, lines
- Filler cap on every tank, seals; vent clear
- Tank straps and brackets tight, liners in, tank not shifted
- Lines not chafing, clear of exhaust heat, crossover shielded
Lighting devices
49 CFR 393.9, .11, .25; App. A §5
- Headlamps low and high beam, both sides
- Tail, stop, plate lamps on last unit; both stop lamps light
- Turn signals/hazards all units; amber front, red/amber rear
- Clearance, marker, ID lamps incl. cab-roof and rear clusters
- Reflectors and conspicuity tape present, clean, not peeled
- No lamp or reflector hidden by load, tarp, mud or mud flap
- 7-way plug: all circuits live, pigtail wiggled; pins clean
- No lens cracked, missing, faded or wet inside; grounds tight
Safe loading
49 CFR 393.100–.136; App. A §6
- No load, dunnage, spare tire or part can fall onto the road
- Front-end structure where required; cargo blocked forward
- Tiedown WLL at least half the load weight; count per 393.110
- Straps/chains: no cuts, knots, welded links; edge protectors
- Container twist-locks, pins and clamps engaged, none cracked
- Tarps and straps secure; nothing flapping, dragging or loose
- Doors latched, sealed; cargo not on doors; liftgate stowed
Steering
49 CFR 393.209; App. A §7
- Steering wheel lash in limit for wheel size, engine running — 18/20/22 in.: power 4-3/4, 5-1/4, 5-3/4; manual 2-1/4, 2-1/2, 2-3/4
- Column U-bolts tight; U-joints not worn/welded; wheel secure
- Gear box bolts tight, no cracks; pitman arm tight on shaft
- Drag link, tie-rod ends: 1/4 in. max play; nuts, pins tight
- Kingpins: no play, wheel lifted and rocked; no crack or weld
- Power steering: no leak; fluid at mark; belt good; ram tight
- Wheel turns stop to stop: no binding, catch or effort change
Suspension
49 CFR 393.207; App. A §8
- No cracked/loose/missing U-bolt or hanger; axle in position
- Leaf springs: no broken or missing leaf; no leaf shifted
- Air bags hold height overnight; no leak; not chafed; level
- Torque/radius rods: none cracked or loose; bushings seated
- Shocks present, not leaking; mounts and bushings tight
- Walking beam: no crack; center bushing seated; caps tight
Frame
49 CFR 393.201; App. A §9
- No cracked, broken, loose or sagging rail or crossmember
- Frame bolts tight: engine, trans, steering, suspension, body
- No body/frame contact with a tire or wheel assembly, loaded
- Slider subframe pins fully engaged in rail; handle stowed
- No unapproved holes/welds in flanges; repair plates tight
- Landing gear: legs straight, crank both speeds, braces tight
Tires
49 CFR 393.75; App. A §10
- Steer tires: 4/32 in. min at any point in a major groove — Away from tie bars, humps, fillets; write shallowest per tire
- All other tires: 2/32 in. min in a major groove — Write the shallowest reading per position
- No exposed ply or belt, cut to cord, separation or bulge
- No flat tire; no leak you can hear or feel
- Cold inflation at or above load requirement; duals matched — Write cold psi; allow 5 psi heat build-up, 15 if rated over 4,000 lb
- No regrooved steer tire; none marked 'not for highway use'
- Duals not touching each other or vehicle; no bias/radial mix
- No boot/patch on steer tires; valve stems straight, capped
- Load per tire within sidewall limit; soft tire is overloaded
Wheels and rims
49 CFR 393.205; App. A §11
- Lock rings not bent, cracked, sprung, mismatched or unseated
- Wheels and rims: no cracks, no elongated bolt holes
- Fasteners: none loose, missing or stripped; no rust streaks
- No crack at disc-to-rim weld; no weld repair on steer wheels
- Hub oil at sight-glass line; no leak at cap/seal; drum dry
- Wheel bearings: no play when rocked; no roar on a slow roll
- Hubs same temperature across an axle after a run
Windshield, wipers, rear guard
49 CFR 393.60/.78/.86; App. A §§12,13,15
- Windshield: no crack >1/4 in., chip >3/4 in. or haze in view
- Tint: windshield, front doors pass 70% light; no added film
- Wipers work every speed; blades clear glass; washers spray
- Mirrors both sides secure, uncracked; defroster clears glass
- Rear guard (1998+ trailer ≥10,000 lb GVWR) secure, no cracks
- Guard: ≤4 in. of sides, ≤12 in. of rear, ≤22 in. off ground — Member at least 4 in. tall; measure unloaded, level; write clearance
- Guard not bent forward or down; nothing hanging below design
Pre-trip & emergency equipment
49 CFR 392.7, 393.95, 396.11, 396.13
- 392.7 driver pre-trip: all items satisfied before unit moves
- Extinguisher 5 B:C (10 B:C if placarded): charged, mounted
- 3 triangles (FMVSS 125) or 6 fusees; no fusees on flammables
- Horn works; seat belt latches, retracts; washer fluid full
- Last DVIR signed; every defect fixed or signed off (396.13)
- Periodic inspection report/decal on unit, within 12 months
- Docs: reg, insurance, IFTA/IRP, CDL, med card, RODS, hazmat
How to use it
- Print one sheet per unit; under [49 CFR 396.17](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/section-396.17) the tractor, the semitrailer and any dolly are each inspected on their own. Fill the header: unit number, last six of the VIN, odometer, date, who is checking and the month the annual is due.
- Chock the wheels and run the air-system block first: build-up with the engine running, then engine off for the low-air warning, spring-brake and leak-down readings. Then release the parking brakes, have a helper hold a full service application, and measure pushrod stroke at every chamber with the engine off and 80–90 psi in the reservoir, the way the [air brake leak test](/blog/air-system-leak-diagnosis-trucks) walks through it.
- Walk the unit in the printed order, front of the tractor to the rear of the trailer, and write a number in every measurement box. For this sheet a reading at the limit counts as a fail; the limit is where the inspector stops, not where you want to be.
- Do the lamps with a second person on the switches, then go underneath with a light and a pry bar for the slack adjusters, springs, hangers and frame.
- Repair anything marked fail before the inspection date, then file the sheet with the unit's DVIRs. It is a maintenance record for the [fleet file](/services/fleet-maintenance), not the 396.17 report, which only a qualified inspector can complete.
What fails most
CVSA International Roadcheck 2026 results (54,575 inspections across North America) ↗
- Brake systems: 24.3% of vehicle out-of-service violations
- Tires: 20.9%
- 20% defective brakes (a fifth or more of the brakes): 14.9%
- Cargo securement: 12.4%
- Lights: 11.9%
- Driver side: no medical card 27.0%, hours of service 23.4%
Bring the unit to the shop before the inspection date when the sheet shows a pushrod stroke at or past the [393.47(e)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/section-393.47) limit, an audible leak at a chamber, lining at the minimum, a steer tire under 4/32 in. or any other tire under 2/32 in. ([393.75](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/section-393.75)), a stop or tail lamp that a new bulb did not fix, a cracked leaf or hanger, play in the fifth wheel, or anything at all on the frame. Those are the findings that turn an annual report into a fail and a scale-house stop into an out-of-service order. Truck Clinic has one shop, at 565 Anderson Dr Unit B in Romeoville, just off I-55 at the Weber Rd exit; we do not come to the truck, so call (815) 887-0212 with the unit number and what you found, or [send it through the contact page](/contact). The defect is quoted in writing before anything is opened or ordered, and when a bay is open the repair and the [annual DOT inspection](/services/dot-inspections) can happen on the same visit. Brake adjustment and lining, [tire replacement](/services/tire-service) and chasing a dead lamp back to a corroded pigtail under [electrical repairs](/services/electrical-repairs) are the repairs this sheet turns up most, because brake systems, tires and lights sit at the top of CVSA’s 2026 Roadcheck out-of-service list.
DOT inspections at Truck Clinic · The annual, roadside and out-of-service guide · Fleet maintenance
Questions
DOT inspection checklist questions
How much do DOT annual inspections cost?
There is no flat number, because the inspection and any repair are two different line items. The inspection is quoted by unit type (tractor, trailer or combination) and by the condition it arrives in; a unit that needs a brake adjusted or a lamp replaced to pass under 49 CFR 396.17 gets that repair quoted in writing first, and nothing is opened or ordered until you approve it. Running this checklist the day before is the surest way to keep the second line item short. Call (815) 887-0212 with the unit list and we will quote the inspection before you book. See DOT inspections in Romeoville.
Where do you go to get a DOT inspection?
Not to the DOT. The annual inspection under 49 CFR 396.17 is the carrier's responsibility and can be done by anyone who meets the inspector qualifications in 396.19: a repair shop, a fleet leasing company, a truck stop with a proper facility, or the carrier's own mechanic. Government inspectors do the roadside inspections at scale houses, which is enforcement, not the annual. Truck Clinic does the annual in the bay at 565 Anderson Dr Unit B, Romeoville, IL 60446, Mon–Fri 7:00 AM–5:00 PM and Sat 7:00 AM–12:00 PM; the truck or trailer comes to the shop. See Directions to the Romeoville shop.
What documents are needed for a DOT inspection?
For the annual: the unit's identification (VIN and unit number), the previous inspection report or decal, and the recent driver vehicle inspection reports so the inspector sees what has been written up. For a roadside inspection the driver needs the CDL, medical card, record of duty status, registration, proof of insurance, IFTA and IRP credentials, proof of the annual inspection, and shipping papers for the load. Under 49 CFR 396.21 the carrier keeps the annual report for fourteen months, so a copy should ride with the unit or be reachable from the cab. See Medical card and DOT physical prep.
Can I do a DOT inspection myself?
The daily pre-trip, yes; the annual, only if you qualify. 49 CFR 392.7 and 396.13 make the driver responsible for being satisfied the truck is safe before it moves, and 396.11 requires the written report when the day's work is done; this checklist is built for those. The annual periodic inspection under 396.17 can be done in-house, but the person signing it has to meet the inspector qualifications in 396.19 (training, or at least a year of relevant experience) and, for the brake items, the brake inspector rules in 396.25. An owner-operator who passed the CDL air brake test meets the brake-inspector requirement for air brake inspections, but not automatically the 396.19 requirement for the rest of the report. See Annual vs roadside inspection checklist.
Is this checklist the same as the annual inspection report?
No. This is a preparation aid you fill in the yard. The annual inspection report is the document a qualified inspector completes under 49 CFR 396.21: it identifies the inspector, the carrier, the date and the vehicle, lists every Appendix A component inspected with the result, and states that the inspection was complete and accurate. The carrier keeps that report, or a copy, for fourteen months where the vehicle is housed or maintained, and the decal or report copy on the unit is what a roadside inspector asks to see. Keep this sheet with the DVIRs; it shows the work behind a clean report. See Fleet maintenance records.
What fails a DOT inspection most often?
Brakes, then tires, then load securement and lights. In CVSA's 2026 International Roadcheck, brake systems were 24.3% of vehicle out-of-service violations, tires 20.9%, 20% defective brakes 14.9%, cargo securement 12.4% and lights 11.9%; on the driver side the top finding was no medical card. Almost every vehicle item on that list is something this sheet measures the afternoon before: pushrod stroke, lining, tread depth, a chamber leak you can hear, a stop lamp that does not light. See What fails a DOT inspection most often.
Quote first, then the work.
Tell us what the truck is doing.
A no-start, a derate counting down, a brake out of adjustment the week before an inspection, or a fleet that needs a maintenance schedule someone actually follows — send the fault code and the engine, or call (815) 887-0212, and you get a straight answer: bay today, part first, or tow. The diagnosis and the price come to you in writing, and nothing is opened up until you approve it.
(815) 887-0212Monday - Friday: 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday: 7:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Sunday: Closed
Shop-based only — we don't run roadside or mobile service, so the truck comes to Romeoville. Same-day whenever a bay is open.
Need your truck fixed ASAP?
Don’t let downtime hold up your next load. Leave your number and tell us what you need—we’ll call to discuss the next available service time.