Electronic DVIR software with the evidence to back it
Driver pre-trip and post-trip inspection reports with photo evidence and a clear defect-noted, repaired and certified cycle — built to 49 CFR 396.11 and 396.13, retained for the required period, and part of one compliance system of record.
Complys is launching for US carriers.
The DVIR isn’t the form — it’s the loop
A Driver Vehicle Inspection Report only does its job if a reported defect actually closes: someone repairs it, someone certifies the repair, and the next driver can see it was done before the wheels turn. That loop is what 49 CFR 396.11 and 396.13 describe, and it’s where paper and generic checklists fall down. Complys treats a defect as a state that has to be resolved, not a box that was ticked.
Report a defect
The driver logs a safety-affecting defect with structured detail and timestamped photos.
Repair & certify
The repair is recorded and certified, so the fix is evidenced — not assumed.
Confirm before driving
The next driver reviews the last report and confirms the vehicle is safe (49 CFR 396.13).
Property vs passenger — and why it matters
For property-carrying operations, the federal rule is a “no-defect, no-report” one: a written DVIR is required when a defect that would affect safety is found or reported. Passenger-carrying operations have stricter daily inspection duties. Rather than flatten that into “everyone files a DVIR every day,” Complys lets you set the policy that fits your operation — and, where you want a daily record regardless, captures the clean check as evidence too.
Whatever the policy, a reported defect and its certification of repair are retained for at least three months (49 CFR 396.11(c)), and the inspection records themselves stay on file against the vehicle.
How to read these requirements
Complys keeps the distinction clear between what federal law requires, what a state adopts, what regulators guide, what insurers require, and what’s your own policy — so nothing is over-stated as a legal duty.
49 CFR 396.11. For property carriers this is a 'no-defect, no-report' rule — a written report is required when a defect that would affect safety is found or reported. Passenger-carrying operations have stricter daily duties; verify the passenger requirement for your operation.
49 CFR 396.13. The driver reviews the last report, confirms any required repairs were made and certified, and signs.
49 CFR 396.11(c). The report, the repair and the certification are retained together for at least three months from the date it was prepared.
Photos, structured defect lists and a clear repaired-and-certified state are strong practice and make audits and disputes easier, though the rule specifies the report content, not the app.
Some shippers, brokers or insurers require documented daily inspections beyond the federal minimum — contractual, not federal law.
What’s ready, honestly
Complys is launching for US fleets and carriers. Here is exactly where the capabilities on this page stand — labeled at the feature level, never marketed as available before they ship.
Digital inspections with timestamped photos held against each vehicle. Included in Complys Self-Drive from launch.
Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports with the defect-noted, repaired and certified cycle (49 CFR 396.11/.13); the underlying inspection records and audit trail are in the first release. Being built now; arriving in the release after launch.
Record defects and place a vehicle out of service until it is repaired and certified. Included in Complys Self-Drive from launch.
One record per vehicle: registration and plates, annual DOT inspection, insurance, and documents with expiry dates. Included in Complys Self-Drive from launch.
Every action recorded with who did it and when; export the evidence on demand. Included in Complys Self-Drive from launch.
Sources
- • eCFR — 49 CFR 396.11 (driver vehicle inspection report)
- • eCFR — 49 CFR 396.13 (driver inspection before driving)
- • eCFR — 49 CFR Part 396 (inspection, repair and maintenance)
- • FMCSA — Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations
Last reviewed: 21 September 2026. This page describes current US federal requirements in general terms and is not legal advice; check the primary sources above and your state’s rules.
DVIR software — FAQs
What is a DVIR?
A Driver Vehicle Inspection Report — the record a driver makes of a commercial motor vehicle's condition. Under 49 CFR 396.11, a property-carrying driver must file a written report when a safety-affecting defect is found (a 'no-defect, no-report' rule for property carriers), and under 396.13 a driver must be satisfied the vehicle is safe before driving and review the last report. Passenger-carrying operations have stricter daily duties.
Does every driver have to file a DVIR every day?
For property carriers, a written post-trip report is required when a defect is found or reported — not necessarily a form for a clean truck. Passenger-carrying operations face stricter daily requirements. Complys lets you run either as a matter of policy, and captures a clean check as evidence when you want the daily record.
How long do DVIRs have to be kept?
A DVIR that lists a defect, together with the certification that the repair was made (or wasn't necessary), is kept for at least three months from the date it was prepared (49 CFR 396.11(c)). Complys retains them to that period automatically.
Is Complys DVIR an ELD?
No. A DVIR is an inspection report, not an hours-of-service log. ELDs record driving time and are supplied by telematics providers; Complys is not an ELD — it is a system of record for inspections, maintenance and evidence. The two sit alongside each other.
What makes an electronic DVIR better than paper?
The defect doesn't get lost. A reported defect creates a clear repaired-and-certified cycle with timestamped photos, so it's obvious a vehicle shouldn't run until the fault is fixed and certified — and the whole trail is on file if anyone asks you to prove it.
When does this launch?
The inspection records, photo evidence and audit trail are in the first release. The full DVIR defect-to-repair-to-certify workflow tuned to 49 CFR 396 is launching next — labelled honestly on the readiness panel below rather than implied to be available today.
Explore Complys fleet & vehicle compliance
The US hub — vehicles, drivers, inspections, maintenance and evidence in one system of record.
FMCSA / DOT compliance for interstate and intrastate carriers, scoped federal vs state.
Preventive maintenance and §396.3 records, retained the way the rule requires.
Run car and vehicle rental with US identity, consent-based MVR and condition evidence.