What is a driver vehicle inspection report (DVIR)?

Key Takeaways

A Driver Vehicle Inspection Report (DVIR) is the daily record commercial drivers use to document vehicle condition. Under National Safety Code (NSC) Standard 13, trucks, tractors, and trailers over 4,500 kg registered Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) need a Schedule 1 inspection every 24 hours, and the report must state the result either way: defects found, or none. Canadian requirements continue to require the applicable inspection report to record when no defects are detected, so cross-border fleets running on U.S.-only practice may have a compliance gap on Canadian lanes. This guide covers Schedule 1 requirements, the Canada-U.S. difference, retention and forwarding rules, and how electronic DVIRs close the gap that paper circle checks leave open.