DQ File (Driver Qualification File)
A Driver Qualification (DQ) File is the federally mandated set of records a motor carrier must maintain on every CDL driver it employs, organized per the contents list at 49 CFR §391.51 and produced on demand to FMCSA auditors.
What it is
The DQ File contains, at minimum: a completed driver application (§391.21), the inquiry to previous employers covering the past three years (§391.23(a)(2)), the §391.23 MVR and CDLIS results, the §391.25 annual MVR reviews, the road-test certificate or equivalent (§391.31), the medical examiner's certificate (§391.43), the certificate of safety performance history (§391.23(d)), and the annual list of violations from the driver (§391.27). Each item has its own retention rule - some kept for the life of employment plus three years, some for one year, some for three years.
How it applies
Every motor carrier subject to FMCSA jurisdiction must keep a DQ File on each driver. Owner-operators with their own authority must keep one on themselves. Carriers leasing drivers from a staffing agency are still responsible for the file unless the lease agreement clearly assigns it. The file lives at the carrier's principal place of business and must be made available to a Federal or state inspector within the audit window. Many carriers keep electronic DQ Files now - FMCSA accepts electronic recordkeeping as long as the file can be produced and printed on demand.
Why it matters
Missing DQ File documents are the most-cited finding in compliance reviews. Each missing document is a separate violation, and §391.51 violations roll up into the carrier's FMCSA Safety Management score. A pattern of incomplete files can downgrade a carrier's safety rating from Satisfactory to Conditional, which restricts who will broker freight to them and can affect insurance premiums.
Related terms
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