The Truck Checklist

Seven items to make the truck legal. IRP registration is the longest wait. Everything else takes a day. Once setup is done, truck compliance is a 15-minute daily inspection and a calendar with three annual items.

Complete these 7 items before the truck moves

1. File for IRP registration. Apportioned plates for interstate operation. Apply through your base state’s IRP office. You need your USDOT number, vehicle title, proof of insurance, and HVUT Form 2290 stamped Schedule 1. First-year fees use the APVD chart since you have no mileage history. Budget $500-$3,000+ depending on how many states. Processing time varies by state — Florida and Michigan offer same-day walk-in service with complete paperwork. Texas and Arizona run 4-6 weeks by mail. Find your state’s IRP office at the IRP Jurisdiction Directory and call before you apply — one phone call tells you walk-in or mail-in, required documents, and expected wait time. What you get: cab card and apportioned plates. Photograph the cab card.

2. Get trip permits if plates are not issued same-day. $15-$50 per state for 72 hours. In walk-in states you may not need these. In mail-in states, they let you haul freight during the 4-6 week wait. What you get: trip permit PDFs with states, dates, and vehicle info.

3. Install your ELD. Plug into the diagnostic port, pair with your phone or tablet. Must be on the FMCSA registered ELD list. See the comparison table below. What you get: photograph the installed device and screenshot the connected app.

4. Mark the truck. Legal name + “USDOT” + your number on both sides of every power unit. Not “DOT” — “USDOT.” Readable from 50 feet. Contrasting color. Must match your MCS-150. Vinyl lettering or magnetic signs, $50-$300. Inspectors cite this literally. What you get: photograph both sides of the truck.

5. Mount a fire extinguisher. 5 B:C minimum (10 B:C for hazmat). Charged, mounted in the cab, accessible. $25-$75. What you get: photograph showing the gauge in the green zone.

6. Stow reflective triangles. Set of 3, bidirectional, meeting FMVSS No. 125. $20-$40. What you get: confirmed present.

7. Carry spare fuses. One per type and size on the vehicle. Under $10. What you get: confirmed present.

Total setup cost: $645-$4,125 (IRP registration creates the widest range). Total setup time: one day of work plus 2-8 weeks waiting for IRP.

Pick your ELD once — the three-year cost difference is $1,000

Watching every dollar? Garmin. Want zero upfront? Matrack. Want IFTA mileage tracking and the best feature set? Gomotive.

Five things to verify before buying:

1. On the FMCSA registered ELD list — not on the list means not compliant
2. No long-term contract lock-in
3. Easy installation — plug into diagnostic port, pair with phone
4. Responsive support — when data will not transfer at a roadside inspection, you need someone immediately
5. IFTA mileage tracking — automatic state-by-state miles eliminates manual tracking for quarterly filings

Keep blank paper logs in the truck. ELD failure requires paper reconstruction for the current day and previous 7 days. Have the forms ready.

Pre-trip and post-trip inspection is your daily 15-minute ritual

Two inspections. Every day. This is the habit that keeps your truck legal between annual inspections.

Pre-trip (before driving)

1. Review the previous day’s DVIR
2. Walk around — tires, lights, mirrors, coupling, fluid levels
3. Check brakes (air pressure, listen for leaks)
4. Verify all prior defects have been addressed
5. Sign off and go

Post-trip / DVIR (end of day)

• Inspect for defects found during the day
• Written defect report required only if defects are found
• If defects exist, carrier must repair or certify repair before the truck operates again
• Keep DVIRs for 3 months

The pre-trip catches problems before they become violations. The DVIR creates the paper trail that proves you maintain the vehicle. Together they take 15 minutes. Inspectors ask for your most recent DVIR — having one ready signals a professional operation.

The annual DOT inspection covers everything that moves or stops you

Every CMV must pass an annual inspection covering all Appendix A items: brakes (including measurements), exhaust system, fuel system, lighting and reflectors, steering mechanism, suspension, frame, tires and wheels, windshield and glazing, coupling devices.

A qualified inspector performs the check, completes the report, and applies the inspection sticker showing month and year of the next required inspection.

Cost: $50-$200 at a certified shop.

Retention: Keep the inspection report for 14 months.

Timing: Schedule 2-3 months before your sticker expires. Shops get backed up, and an expired sticker is an instant citation at any weigh station.

Roadside inspections

When an inspector pulls you for a Level I roadside inspection, they check a subset of the same items. Out-of-service conditions (bad brakes, bald tires, inoperable lights) mean your truck does not move until repaired. Retain every roadside inspection report and fix cited defects promptly.

Maintenance records prove you run a systematic operation

49 CFR 396.3 requires a systematic maintenance program. Track every service:

• Date and mileage at time of service
• Description of work performed
• Parts replaced
• Who performed the work

You do not need fleet software. A spreadsheet or notebook works. Auditors look for evidence of a process — oil changes, tire rotations, brake adjustments, fluid replacements, and any repair. Keep receipts.

Retention: Duration of vehicle ownership plus 1 year after disposal.

The question the auditor asks is not whether you followed a perfect schedule. The question is whether you have a system at all.

The truck calendar — what recurs and when

Annual ongoing cost: $50-$920 (inspection + ELD subscription + IRP renewal). The truck bucket has the highest one-time cost but low recurring expense once established.