The FMCSA violations inspectors cite most
Roadside inspectors recorded more than 4.5 million violations on trucks in 2025. A short list of them shows up over and over, and most can be caught in the yard before the truck leaves.
Written by Gabriel Gonzalez
Truck inspections in 2025
The FMCSA violations cited most on trucks in 2025 were ignoring traffic control devices, false logs, ELD form errors, missing medical certification, speeding, and no valid CDL on the driver side, and missing annual inspection proof, brakes out of adjustment, dead lamps, and underinflated tires on the vehicle side.
I have spent more than 22 years at Simplex, nearly 16 of them as COO, and I read violation data the way I read a cost report. Every citation lands on your safety record, and the out-of-service ones stop a truck that should be earning.
The useful part of FMCSA's own numbers is how predictable they are. Many of the most common citations are paperwork and walk-around items that a routine catches before dispatch.
The full briefing, read aloud
8 chapters. Select one to jump to it.
Generated with AI text-to-speech from this article's key insights, in order, rather than reading it word for word. Chapter times come from a transcript of the audio. The article itself was written and reviewed by Gabriel Gonzalez.
Key takeaways
Traffic and log violations lead the driver side
Traffic control devices, false logs, ELD form errors, medical certification, and speeding were the top driver citations on trucks in 2025.
Annual inspection proof leads the vehicle side
Inspectors cited a missing periodic inspection record 232,241 times in 2025, under two violation codes.
Nearly 1 in 4 vehicle inspections parks the truck
The vehicle out-of-service rate for trucks was 23.5% in 2025, against 7.25% for drivers.
Four driver codes caused over half of driver OOS
Missing medical certification, no valid CDL under two codes, and the wrong log method made up 53% of driver out-of-service violations.
Weights depend on the BASIC
No valid CDL weighs 8 in Driver Fitness and a false log weighs 7 in HOS, while ELD form errors weigh 1.
In this articleContents
What counts as an FMCSA violation?
An FMCSA violation is any breach of the federal safety rules, or of a state traffic law, that an inspector records on your roadside inspection report. State laws come in through 49 CFR 392.2, which requires every commercial vehicle to obey the laws where it operates.
Most violations count in one of the seven CSA BASICs for 24 months, whether or not the officer writes a ticket. What happens to your record after a citation is covered in our guide to what happens when you get a DOT violation.
Volume is lopsided. In 2025, inspectors recorded 3,382,214 vehicle violations in 2,039,633 vehicle inspections of trucks, about 1.7 per inspection. Drivers drew 1,178,588 violations in 3,073,300 driver inspections, about 0.4 per inspection.
Which driver violations are cited most?
Traffic offenses and logbook errors lead the driver list. These were the ten most cited driver violation codes on trucks in 2025.
| Violation (rule) | Citations | BASIC |
|---|---|---|
| Failed to obey a traffic control device (392.2) | 64,278 | Unsafe Driving |
| False record of duty status (395.8(e)) | 59,256 | HOS Compliance |
| ELD form and manner (395.24) | 56,880 | HOS Compliance |
| No valid medical certificate in possession or on file with the state (391.41(a)) | 53,842 | Driver Fitness |
| Speeding 6 to 10 mph over (392.2) | 53,797 | Unsafe Driving |
| Did not review and certify ELD records (395.30(b)) | 48,354 | HOS Compliance |
| Lane restriction (392.2) | 42,677 | Unsafe Driving |
| No valid CDL (383.23(a)(2)) | 41,203 | Driver Fitness |
| Log not kept by the required method (395.8(a)(1)) | 41,017 | HOS Compliance |
| No record of duty status when required (395.8(a)) | 32,040 | HOS Compliance |
Weights vary widely inside that list. A false log carries a severity weight of 7 and no valid CDL carries 8, while an ELD form error or an uncertified log carries 1. In the HOS, Vehicle Maintenance, and Driver Fitness BASICs, a violation that puts the driver or truck out of service adds 2 more.
Seat belts came next, at 31,785 citations with a weight of 7. Speeding, traffic devices, lanes, and seat belts all fall in Unsafe Driving, which our Unsafe Driving BASIC guide covers in depth.
Which vehicle violations are cited most?
Missing annual inspection proof is the single most cited vehicle violation, ahead of brakes, lamps, and tires. All of these count in the Vehicle Maintenance BASIC.
| Violation (rule) | Citations | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| No documentation of a periodic inspection (396.17(c)) | 171,615 | 4 |
| Brake out of adjustment (393.47(e)) | 133,062 | 4 |
| Inoperable required lamp (393.9) | 127,854 | 2 |
| Tire leaking or under 50% of maximum inflation (393.75(a)(3)) | 104,094 | 8 |
| Identification lamps inoperative (393.9(a)) | 71,261 | 2 |
| Warning devices missing or improper (393.95(f)) | 63,450 | 2 |
| Defective brakes on 20% or more of service brakes (396.3(a)(1)) | 62,109 | 0 |
| No proof of a periodic inspection (396.17(c)) | 60,626 | 4 |
| Air brake hose or tubing damaged or not secured (393.45(b)(2)) | 60,135 | 4 |
| Trailer ABS malfunction lamp defective (393.55(e)) | 57,604 | 4 |
The annual inspection rule appears twice, under two codes, for 232,241 citations combined. Under 49 CFR 396.17, every vehicle in a combination, trailer included, needs an inspection in the last 12 months and documentation on the vehicle: the report itself or a decal based on it.
The 20% brake row carries a weight of 0 in Appendix A, but it is an out-of-service condition: 61,877 of its 62,109 citations parked the truck. Brake data gets a closer look in our post on brake violations and out-of-service orders.
Which violations put a truck out of service?
Tires and brakes park the most trucks, and credentials park the most drivers. In 2025, 23.5% of truck vehicle inspections and 7.25% of driver inspections ended with at least one out-of-service violation.
- Tires leaking or under 50% of maximum inflation: 102,826 out-of-service violations, 14% of the 720,423 vehicle total
- Brakes defective on 20% or more of the service brakes: 61,877, or 9%
- Medical certification missing: 51,916, or 18% of the 283,768 driver total
- No valid CDL: 40,779 under one code and 20,354 under another, 22% combined
- Wrong log method: 38,303, or 13.5%
Those last four driver codes made up 53% of all driver out-of-service violations. They are file and credential problems, not driving skill.
An out-of-service order means the truck stays put. Under 49 CFR 396.9, nobody may drive a vehicle marked out of service until the repairs are done, and it can only be towed away by crane or hoist. For a small fleet, that is a load running late and a truck earning nothing.
What are driver fitness violations?
Driver fitness violations show the driver was not qualified to operate the truck: no valid CDL or endorsement, no valid medical certification, or failing the English language proficiency check. They count in the Driver Fitness BASIC, where the intervention threshold is the 80th percentile for most carriers, 75th for hazmat, and 65th for passenger carriers.
The CDL-related codes carry a weight of 8. Medical certificate violations carry 1, but one that puts the driver out of service, as most did in 2025, adds 2. English proficiency failures carry 4 and drew 47,256 citations in 2025 under their two most cited codes; our English proficiency FAQ covers that rule.
The medical rule trips carriers because proof works differently by license. Since June 23, 2025, CDL and CLP holders with a current certificate no longer need to carry it, and FMCSA's electronic record controls over a paper copy, under 49 CFR 391.41. Drivers without a CDL who need a certificate must still carry it.
Will the CSA update change how violations count?
Yes, once it launches, but it has not launched. FMCSA approved the change in November 2024, and as of October 19, 2026, its preview site still says "Coming Soon" and tells carriers to keep using the current SMS.
The approved method folds more than 2,000 violation codes into about 100 violation groups, so one underlying problem cited several ways in one inspection is not counted several times. Weights drop to 1 or 2, with 2 for out-of-service violations outside Unsafe Driving and for driver-disqualifying violations within it. The Driver Fitness threshold for most carriers rises to 90%.
Our post on where the CSA update stands tracks its status. Either way, the violations in this guide stay violations.
How to prevent the most common FMCSA violations
Each step targets violations from the tables above.
Step 1: Check credentials before dispatch
Confirm every CDL driver's class, endorsements, and medical status on the state driving record, and that non-CDL drivers carry a current certificate. Our driver compliance tracking guide sets up the expiration alerts.
Step 2: Make log certification a daily habit
Drivers must certify each 24-hour record under 49 CFR 395.30. Keep portable ELDs mounted where the seated driver can see them, and keep 8 days of blank graph-grid logs in the cab, per 49 CFR 395.22.
Step 3: Put annual inspection proof on every unit
Track the inspection date of every tractor and trailer, and check for the report or decal whenever equipment changes hands.
Step 4: Walk the lights, tires, brakes, and triangles
Most of the vehicle top ten can be found in a careful walk-around, including the three reflective triangles, or fusees, required by 49 CFR 393.95. Our pre-trip inspection guide walks through it.
Step 5: Close out every inspection report
Certify the repairs within 15 days, review which drivers and units keep drawing the same codes, and challenge errors through DataQs.
How Simplex helps you cut repeat violations
Most repeat citations come from the same few gaps. We help you find yours and close them.
CSA monitoring and violation alerts
Our compliance programs include inspection and violation alerts, CSA monitoring and reporting, annual inspection tracking, and DataQs requests.
Driver files that stay current
We build and maintain driver qualification files, including CDL and medical certification records, so credential gaps show up before a roadside stop.
A plan for a high BASIC
If one BASIC is climbing, our CSA program helps you trace it to the drivers and violations behind it.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common FMCSA violations?+
What are driver fitness violations?+
What are the FMCSA BASICs?+
Which violations put a truck out of service most often?+
How long do FMCSA violations count against a carrier?+
Where this information comes from
The figures below come from FMCSA's roadside inspection data, its Safety Measurement System documents, and federal regulation, checked on October 19, 2026.
-
1
FMCSA A&I — Driver violations, trucks, 2025
Driver violation counts, out-of-service counts, and totals for calendar year 2025.
-
2
FMCSA A&I — Vehicle violations, trucks, 2025
Vehicle violation counts, out-of-service counts, and totals for calendar year 2025.
-
3
FMCSA A&I — Out-of-service rates, trucks, 2025
Driver and vehicle out-of-service rates for truck inspections.
-
4
FMCSA — SMS Methodology, version 3.21
BASIC definitions, time weights, the out-of-service weight, and intervention thresholds.
-
5
FMCSA — SMS Appendix A violation list
The BASIC and severity weight assigned to each violation code.
-
6
FMCSA — Approved Changes to the SMS Methodology
Violation groups, the 1-or-2 weights, and new thresholds in the approved CSA update.
-
7
eCFR — 49 CFR 396.17
Annual inspection of each vehicle, with documentation kept on the vehicle.
-
8
eCFR — 49 CFR 391.41
Medical certification, and when drivers must carry the certificate.
Written by
Gabriel Gonzalez
Chief Revenue Officer, Simplex Group
Chief Revenue Officer at Simplex Group, with more than 22 years at the company, including nearly 16 years as Chief Operating Officer. His background combines revenue strategy with deep operational experience, giving him a strong perspective on how compliance, risk, permits, cash flow, and operational readiness affect a carrier's ability to grow profitably.
Published · Updated
Related articles and services
The most common violations are the most preventable
FMCSA's data points at the same few gaps every year: credentials, logs, annual inspection proof, and the walk-around. Closing them protects your BASICs and keeps trucks moving.
If you want a second look at where your violations come from, talk to our team.