Qualification documents are essential records that help fleets verify that drivers are legally and safely operating commercial vehicles. Keeping these documents up to date is a federal requirement that protects your business and ensures compliance.
Overview
Qualification documents, especially Driver Qualification Files (DQFs), are a cornerstone of compliance in the transportation industry. They track a driver’s employment, safety, and certification history to help fleets stay audit-ready and maintain high safety standards.
- Stay compliant: Meet FMCSA requirements by keeping DQFs accurate and current. This helps you avoid costly penalties and stay ready for inspections.
- Reduce risk: Maintain records to ensure only qualified, licensed drivers are operating commercial vehicles. This protects your business and reduces accident risk.
- Streamline audits: Keep documentation organized and accessible so audits and inspections are completed quickly and without delays.
- Protect your fleet: Hiring and retaining safe, certified drivers lowers liability and improves operational safety.
Basics
Qualification documents are records fleets must collect and maintain for each driver. The most important of these are DQFs, which are required by the FMCSA for all Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) drivers.
A DQF contains proof that a driver is legally and safely operating a CMV, such as:
- Driver’s license
- Motor Vehicle Record (MVR)
- Medical examiner’s certificate
- Employment application
- Employment history
These files provide a comprehensive record of a driver’s employment, safety, and certification history.
Qualification requirements
Driver Qualification Files (DQFs) are mandatory for drivers who operate:
- Vehicles with a GVW, GVWR, GCW, or GCWR of 10,001 pounds or more
- Vehicles designed to transport more than 15 people, or more than 8 people for compensation
- Vehicles transporting hazardous materials that require placarding
Owner-operators must maintain their own DQF because they are both the carrier and driver.
| Note: While non-regulated drivers are not legally required to maintain DQFs, it’s recommended to track key documents for all drivers to improve safety and readiness. |
Maintaining qualifications
Maintaining complete and current DQFs helps you:
- Ensure your fleet is ready for a DOT audit or inspection at any time
- Hire and retain only qualified, safe drivers
- Reduce liability by keeping thorough records like MVRs and licenses
- Avoid fines, citations, or being placed out of service for non-compliance
Updating qualifications
Federal law requires fleets to update DQFs annually for every employed driver and keep them for three years after employment ends. For new hires with less than three years of driving history, you must also obtain records from their previous employers.
FAQs
What are Qualification Documents?
Qualification documents are any worker-related documents that a fleet manages within Motive. In the trucking industry, the most common application of these documents is maintaining Driver Qualification Files (DQFs). DQFs are an FMCSA-required set of documents for a regulated driver to legally operate a Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV). The FMCSA also recommends that fleets maintain documents for non-regulated drivers. However, it varies by fleet, which documents they choose to track for these drivers.
Who needs to have a driver qualification file?
All drivers operating commercial vehicles that meet FMCSA criteria must have a DQF. Owner-operators must also maintain their own files.
What documents go into a DQF?
A typical DQF includes a current driver’s license, MVR, medical examiner’s certificate, employment application, and employment history.
What happens if my fleet doesn’t keep DQFs up to date?
Your fleet could face fines, citations, or be placed out of service during audits or inspections.
Can I keep digital copies of qualification documents?
Yes. Digital files are acceptable if they are complete, accurate, and readily accessible for inspection.
How often should I update DQFs?
Update each file annually, including obtaining a new MVR and reviewing any new violations or changes.
Are non-CMV drivers required to have DQFs?
No, but maintaining similar records is strongly recommended to ensure safety and readiness.
Can a driver access any other driver’s Qualification Documents in the Motive Driver app?
Drivers only have sole access to their qualification documents and do not have permission to view or manage any other records.
Are there any prerequisites to using Qualification Documents?
- Motive’s Workforce Management feature is a SaaS-only product with no hardware dependency.
- The main requirement for using Qualification Documents is the purchase of a paid Workforce Management license. For pricing details, contact Motive Support.
| Note: The required Driver App version is v79.0 or later to view Qualification Documents |
Will Qualification Documents support Motor Vehicle Record checks/MVR monitoring?
- No, currently, fleets need to execute MVR checks outside of Motive.
- Once they have the Driver’s MVR file, they can upload a PDF or photo into the Motor Vehicle Record document in Motive to store Driver files in one place.
| Note: Motive is going to introduce MVR monitoring soon to streamline driver qualification. |
Can fleets or drivers get notified of upcoming Qualification Document expirations?
- Yes, fleet managers and drivers can be notified of upcoming expirations for Qualification Documents.
- New alerts can be set up to customize notification timing. Fleets can receive notifications via email or in the Notifications tab in the Fleet Dashboard. Drivers can receive notifications via email or in the Notifications section of the Driver App.
| Note: Drivers can see upcoming or expired documents in the Documents widget in the Driver Hub. Make sure that alert settings are configured properly in the Fleet Dashboard to ensure timely reminders. |
What are the default templates for Qualification Documents?
The following qualification templates are available by default:
- Employment Application
- Pre-Employment Drug & Alcohol Test Results
- Inquiry to Previous Employers
- Employment Verification
- Medical Examiner’s Certificate
- Driver License
- Motor Vehicle Record
- Road Test Certificate
Is there a way to bulk upload Driver Qualification Documents?
No, we don’t currently support bulk upload of Qualification Documents. Fleet managers have to manually upload Qualification Documents individually. However, bulk upload support for Qualification Docs is coming soon.
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