Driver Qualification Files
Driver qualification file software built for DQF management
Build and maintain a complete driver qualification file for every driver, including the application, MVR, annual review, medical certificate, and safety performance history, with expiration tracking and audit-ready organization under 49 CFR 391.51.
What a driver qualification file contains
A driver qualification file (DQF) is the record a motor carrier keeps for each driver to show they are qualified to operate a commercial motor vehicle. The required contents are set out in 49 CFR 391.51, and missing or expired items are among the most common findings in a DOT compliance review. TruckFlow gives every driver a structured file so each required record has a place and a status.
Required DQF records
- Driver's application for employment: the completed application required under 391.21.
- Motor vehicle record (MVR): pulled from each state where the driver held a license in the past three years.
- Annual review of driving record: the carrier's yearly evaluation under 391.25.
- Driver's annual list of violations: the driver's certification under 391.27.
- Medical examiner's certificate: current medical card with National Registry verification.
- Road test certificate or equivalent: road test, or an accepted CDL in lieu of road test.
- Safety performance history: records of the investigation into prior employers under 391.23.
Tracking expirations
Several DQF records expire or must be refreshed on a schedule: the medical certificate, the annual MVR, and the annual review of driving record. TruckFlow stores each record with its date and a color-coded status, so a medical card coming due or an overdue annual review surfaces on the dashboard and in expiration reports before it lapses.
Audit preparation
When a DOT review or new-entrant audit comes up, an auditor expects to open any driver's file and find the required records, current and complete. Because each DQF is organized the same way and missing items are flagged, you can review a driver's file at a glance and export it rather than assembling paperwork from binders and shared drives.
Every driver's file, current at a glance
See your whole roster with the records that matter most: license, medical card, MVR, and annual review, each with a color-coded expiry status, so the files that need attention are obvious before an inspection or audit.
- CDL by class & state
- Medical certificates
- Annual MVRs
- Annual reviews
| Driver Name | DL Expire | Medical | Annual Review |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marcus Webb | Mar 14, 2027 | Sep 02, 2026 | Jan 12, 2027 |
| Dale Hopkins | Jun 02, 2026 | Jul 21, 2026 | Feb 03, 2027 |
| Rosa Alvarez | May 09, 2026 | May 30, 2026 | Jun 28, 2026 |
| Tyrell Jackson | Nov 12, 2027 | Dec 01, 2026 | Mar 19, 2027 |
FAQ
Driver qualification file questions
What is a driver qualification file (DQF)?
A driver qualification file is the set of records a motor carrier must keep for each driver under 49 CFR 391.51. It includes the employment application, motor vehicle records, the annual review of driving record, the driver's annual list of violations, the medical examiner's certificate, the road test or equivalent, and safety performance history from prior employers.
What records are required in a DQF?
A complete DQF generally contains the driver’s application for employment, a motor vehicle record from each licensing state, the annual review of driving record, the driver’s certification of violations, the medical examiner’s certificate and National Registry verification, the road test certificate or accepted CDL, and the safety performance history investigation records under 391.23.
How long must a driver qualification file be kept?
The DQF must be maintained for the duration of the driver’s employment and for three years after the driver leaves. Records such as the annual MVR and annual review are refreshed each year, and TruckFlow retains the prior versions alongside the current ones.
Can TruckFlow flag incomplete files?
Yes. Each driver’s file shows which required records are on file, which are missing, and which are coming due. The dashboard and expiration reports surface refresh-due and missing items so a file is corrected before an inspection or audit, not during one.
Keep every driver qualification file complete
Request a walkthrough built around how your operation maintains DQFs.