Straight answer
What does a DOT compliance service actually do?
It keeps the records a DOT auditor will ask for, in the format they expect, before they ask. Driver qualification files, drug and alcohol testing records, Clearinghouse queries, hours-of-service logs, DVIRs, maintenance files and your annual registrations. Published industry pricing for outsourced DOT compliance runs roughly $150 to $300 a month. We charge $99 for a single truck because the workload on one truck genuinely isn't three hundred dollars of labour.
The reason this matters is the New Entrant Safety Assurance Program. As a new authority you will be audited, and the audit is a records audit. The truck can be spotless and you can still fail it.
Scope
What we maintain
Driver qualification files
Application, annual MVR on file, PSP report, road test or CDL equivalent, medical certificate with expiry tracking, previous employer checks, annual violation review.
Drug & alcohol program
Consortium enrollment, random selection pool management, pre-employment and post-accident test coordination, Clearinghouse annual and pre-employment queries, records retained.
Hours of service & DVIR
ELD log review for violations, unassigned driving time cleared, DVIR collection and retention, supporting document filing for the required period.
Registrations & renewals
UCR annual, HVUT Form 2290, IRP renewal support, IFTA decal renewal. Calendar tracked so nothing lapses and puts you out of service.
IFTA quarterly filing
Mileage by jurisdiction compiled from your ELD, fuel receipts reconciled, return prepared and filed with your base state each quarter.
New entrant audit prep
Full file review against the audit checklist, gaps identified and closed, and a walkthrough of what the auditor will ask before they ask it.
The point
Why carriers fail the new entrant audit
It is almost never a safety problem. It is an incomplete driver qualification file, a missing annual MVR, a Clearinghouse query that was never run, unassigned ELD driving time nobody cleared, or DVIRs that were never collected. All of it is paperwork that accumulates quietly for eleven months and then gets requested in one email.
- DQ file missing the annual violation review or the previous employer safety history
- Medical certificate expired and not re-filed with the state licensing agency
- Pre-employment Clearinghouse query never run before the driver's first dispatch
- No documented random testing pool, or a pool the carrier never actually joined
- Supporting documents for HOS not retained for the required period
Market comparison
How our price compares
Market figures are published 2026 US industry ranges, not our own estimates.
| Option | Typical cost | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| DIY | $0 + your time | Works until the audit letter arrives |
| Truck Dispatching USA | $99/mo (1 truck) | Full DQ files, Clearinghouse, audit prep included |
| Compliance firms | $150 – $300/mo | Published 2026 market range |
Answers
DOT compliance management — questions
How much does DOT compliance service cost?
We charge $99 per month for a single truck and $79 per truck per month for fleets of two to five. IFTA quarterly filing is $65 per truck per quarter. Published 2026 market rates for outsourced DOT compliance generally run $150 to $300 per month, so we sit below market on single trucks.
What is the New Entrant Safety Audit?
A records audit that FMCSA conducts on new carriers, generally within the first twelve months of operation. The auditor reviews driver qualification files, drug and alcohol testing records, hours-of-service logs, vehicle maintenance and inspection records, and your registrations. Carriers usually fail on missing paperwork rather than on safety performance.
What has to be in a driver qualification file?
At minimum: the employment application, an MVR pulled at hire and annually after, the road test certificate or CDL equivalent, a current medical examiner's certificate, previous employer safety performance history, the annual review of driving record, and the annual list of violations. Requirements are set out in 49 CFR Part 391 and you should confirm the current text applies to your operation.
Do I need Clearinghouse queries if I'm an owner-operator with no employees?
Owner-operators who hold a CDL and operate under their own authority generally still have Clearinghouse obligations and must designate a consortium or third-party administrator to perform the queries, because you cannot query yourself. Confirm your specific situation against current FMCSA guidance — this is one people get wrong.
Want this handled?
Tell us where you are — brand new authority, adding a truck, or drowning in paperwork. We'll tell you which of these you actually need and which you don't.