DOT Background Check: Everything You Need to Know

Cindy Ellis - September 29, 2023

DOT background checks are performed through the Department of Transportation and are an important part of hiring commercial drivers or other individuals with CDLs. DOT background checks are an essential part of the trucking and transportation history, and if you are running a trucking or logistics business and you need to hire drivers, it’s important that you learn all about this unique kind of background check.

Our article gives you insight into everything you need to know about DOT background checks.

What Is a DOT Background Check and Why Is It Necessary?

A Department of Transportation background check is a specialized background check that ensures commercial drivers and individuals in the trucking and transportation industries are fully qualified for their jobs. DOT background checks are part of a government regulation to ensure that commercial drivers are safe and qualified, and these background checks will typically look at all aspects of an individual’s background report, in addition to reviewing driving history, drug and alcohol use, and physical health.

DOT background checks are necessary to ensure that the drivers working in commercial trucking, freight, and transportation industries are safe on the road – by verifying that drivers are safe and responsible and accidents are reduced. Hiring unqualified drivers or drivers who may have medical issues or substance abuse problems that prevent them from driving in the safest way possible puts the driver and others at risk, in addition to violating federal regulations for the trucking and transportation industry.

Who Is Required to Use a DOT Background Check?

There are two main agencies that regulate the transportation industry in the United States – the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). The FMCSA is part of the Department of Transportation, and its main goal is to regulate and ensure the safety of commercial vehicles, reducing crashes, injuries, and fatalities that involve large commercial trucks and buses.

The FMCSA sets the regulations for who needs to complete DOT background checks in order to boost safe conditions and avoid problems with driver accidents, lawsuits, and legal fees. According to FMCSA regulations, you may need to complete DOT background checks for your business if your business operates any of the following types of commercial vehicles or engages in interstate commerce with these vehicles:

• The vehicle being used as a gross vehicle weight rating or gross combination weight rating of 10,001 pounds or more (use whichever number is greater)
• The vehicle being used is designed to transport between 9 and 15 passengers, including the driver, and is for profit, or the vehicle is used to transport 15 or more passengers, including the driver, without compensation
• A vehicle of any size is used to transport hazardous materials; you can read more about this by referencing the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act

Make sure that you also pay attention to FMCSA and DOT regulations as they pertain to which class of commercial driver’s license your drivers need to obtain. Classes to choose from include A, B, and C, depending on job responsibilities.

What Does a DOT Background Check Look At?

DOT background checks review essential parts of a driver’s history, medical and physical health, and any drug or alcohol issues. These reports also verify past employers and driving history and require a road test to ensure drivers are eligible to work.

We go into more detail on these components of a DOT background check below.

Drug and Alcohol Screening

One of the most important aspects of the DOT background check is that you must work with the FMCSA’s drug and alcohol screening program to ensure that your applicant has not had any legal issues with alcohol or substances within the past three years.

The only exception to this rule is if an applicant can show proof that they completed a drug and alcohol screening within the past six months or if they submitted to random drug testing in the past year.

Physical Exam

The physical exam component of the DOT background check must be completed by a medical professional, which you may find on the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners. This exam is intended to ensure that an applicant doesn’t suffer from a medical condition preventing them from safely driving commercial vehicles and operating vehicles on the road for an extended time.

Past Employment Verification

As part of the DOT background check, you will need to verify an individual’s safety and driving history with their past employers. You must review at least three years of records, and you will be able to use this list of past employers to see which other states an applicant has held a CDL in and whether or not the individual was truthful on their employment application in regard to job experience.

Driving History

After you’ve accessed a list of past employers and states where your applicant held a CDL, you must review their driving history for at least the past three-year period. You will need to do this for every state where your applicant held a CDL.

Road Driving Test

You will need to ensure that your applicant has certificates that show they’ve completed any road tests necessary and that they can safely operate vehicles while under your employment. You may need to ensure that the applicant can pass a road test using one of the commercial vehicles that they will drive while employed.

Other Important Background Information to Review

In addition to the above components of the DOT background check, you may also need to review the important background information below to gain a complete picture of your applicants and ensure they are able to safely complete their jobs once hired.

Driver Safety Performance History

The driver safety performance history is a record of the individual’s safety and performance in regard to their driving history over the past three years. Reviewing this information allows employers to ensure that drivers have a clean driving record and prevents negligent hiring practices that might allow a driver to eventually cause an accident.

Driver Certification of Violations

In previous years, employers were required to request a driver’s certification of violations, which is a report that lists all driving violations of a certain time period. However, the FMCSA has removed this regulation, effective May 9, 2022. Employers should check with updated FMCSA regulations to ensure they are adhering to all necessary pre-hiring practices as they are updated.

How Do You Fail a DOT Background Check?

DOT background checks are very thorough, and they can be failed for a number of reasons. Major disqualifications for drivers include drug and alcohol convictions—especially recent ones, a history of road accidents, fraudulent information about past employers or driving history, and medical conditions that prevent an individual from driving on the road safely.

It’s important that employers carefully review all aspects of an individual’s DOT background check, as some offenses might not necessarily disqualify the driver depending on how much time has passed since the issue occurred. Paying close attention during this process helps to prevent negligent hiring practices and ensures that all drivers are safe and well-equipped to do their jobs.

Running a DOT Background Check

The steps to running a DOT background check tend to take more time than simply running a background check with someone’s name or address. Make sure that you are adhering to all regulations while completing DOT background checks, and review the steps below for a general idea of how to run one of these thorough background check reports.

You should also aim to work with reputable background reporting agencies and the DOT or FMCSA directly to complete these checks.

Obtain Consent

Obtaining consent to complete a DOT background check is one of the most important aspects of this process. In the majority of states, and according to federal regulations, the applicant has to consent to their personal background information being accessed. This is the first step in a DOT background check, and you may need to communicate to your applicant exactly which background information and driving history information is going to be reviewed.

Verify Past Employers

Utilize DOT guidelines to obtain information on past employers and verify this with any information that your applicant provided on their employment application. As you verify past employers, you can confirm whether or not your applicant is being truthful and the states in which you will need to collect driving records.

Collect Driving Records

Work with your applicant, the DOT, and the FMCSA’s Pre-Employment Screening Program to collect all necessary driving records and histories. Remember, you should be reviewing at least three years’ worth of driving history for your applicant in every state where they have held a CDL.

Complete Additional Screening

In addition to obtaining records and consent, you will need to advise your applicant to complete drug and alcohol testing in addition to a medical exam. Make sure that your applicant is utilizing the FMCSA’s resources to get both of these screenings completed, and review the results along with the rest of the information you collected through your DOT background check.

How Long Do DOT Background Checks Take To Complete?

DOT background checks are more thorough, and these reports tend to take longer than a regular background check to complete. In general, you could experience a waiting period of a few days to a few weeks to complete these reports, especially since no two drivers are exactly the same and have the same history. Make sure that you leave plenty of time to complete a DOT background check as part of your hiring process.

Ensuring Your Drivers Are Road-Safe

Ensuring that any of the drivers you hire for your business are road-safe is an essential part of adhering to U.S. Department of Transportation guidelines and FMCSA regulations. Road-safe drivers are more likely to complete their jobs without accidents, legal issues, and injuries or fatalities, something that helps to ensure the efficiency and safety of your trucking or transportation business.