§ 391.51 General requirements for driver qualification files.

(a) ExceptEach as provided in subpart G, each motor carrier shall maintain a driver qualification file for each driver it employs. A driver's qualification file may be combined with thehis/her driver's personnel file.
(b) The qualification file for a driver who has been a regularly employed driver of the motor carrier for a continuous period which began before January 1, 1971, must include:
(1) The medical examinerdriver's certificateapplication offor his/heremployment physicalcompleted qualificationin toaccordance drivewith a§ commercial motor vehicle or a legible photographic copy of the certificate391.21;
(2) TheA lettercopy fromof the Regionalmotor Directorvehicle ofrecord Motorreceived Carriersfrom grantingeach adriver's waiverlicensing ofauthority apursuant physicalto disqualification, if a waiver was issued under § 391.4923(a)(1);
(3) The notecertificate relatingof todriver's theroad annualtest reviewissued ofto his/herthe drivingdriver recordpursuant requiredto by § 391.25;
31(4e), Thea listcopy or certificate relating to violations of motorthe vehiclelicense lawsor andcertificate ordinanceswhich requiredthe bymotor §carrier 391.27;accepted and
(5)as Anyequivalent other matter which relates to the driver's qualificationsroad ortest abilitypursuant to drive§ a391.33, commercialor motorthe vehicleoriginal safely.
(c)of Thethe qualificationwritten filestatement forproviding athat regularlythe employedmotor drivercarrier whodetermined hasthe notdriver beenis regularlynot employedrequired by the§ motor391.44(d) carrierto forcomplete a continuousroad periodtest whichpursuant beganto before§ January391.44(d)(3)(ii)(A) 1,and 1971the original, mustor include:
(1)a Thecopy, documentsof specifiedthe indriver's paragraphcertification (b)required ofby this§ section391.44(d)(3)(i);
(24) The motor vehicle record received from each driver's applicationlicensing forauthority employmentto completedthe inannual accordancedriver withrecord inquiry required by § 391.2125(a);
(35) TheA responsesnote ofrelating State agencies and past employers to the motorannual carrier'sreview inquiriesof concerning the driver's driving record andas employmentrequired pursuantby to § 391.2325(c)(2); and
(46)(i) The certificatemedical of driverexaminer's roadcertificate testas issuedrequired toby the driver pursuant to § 391.31 43(eg), or a legible copy of the license or certificate.
(ii) whichFor theCDL motorholders, carrierbeginning acceptedJanuary as30, equivalent2012, toif the driver'sCDLIS roadmotor testvehicle pursuantrecord tocontains §medical 391.33.
(d)certification Thestatus qualificationinformation, filethe formotor ancarrier intermittent,employer casual,must ormeet occasionalthis driverrequirement employedby underobtaining the rulesCDLIS inmotor vehicle record defined at § 391384.63105 of this chapter. That record must include—
(1)be Theobtained medicalfrom examiner'sthe certificatecurrent oflicensing his/herState physicaland placed in the driver qualification tofile. driveAfter January 30, 2015, a commercialnon-excepted, motorinterstate vehicleCDL orholder awithout legiblemedical photographiccertification copystatus ofinformation on the certificate;
(2)CDLIS Themotor certificatevehicle ofrecord driver'sis roaddesignated test“not-certified” issued to theoperate drivera pursuantCMV toin §interstate 391commerce.31(e), orAfter aJanuary copy30, of2015, theand licensethrough orJune certificate22, which2025, thea motor carrier acceptedmay asuse equivalenta tocopy of the driver's roadcurrent testmedical pursuantexaminer's tocertificate §that 391.31;was and
(3)submitted Theto driver'sthe name,State his/herfor socialup securityto number,15 anddays from the identificationdate number,it type,was andissued issuingas Stateproof of his/hermedical commercial motor vehicle operator's licensecertification.
(eiii) AIf usingthat carrier'sdriver qualificationobtained filethe formedical acertification driverbased whoon ishaving regularlyobtained employeda bymedical anothervariance motorfrom carrierFMCSA, and who is employed by the usingmotor carrier inmust accordancealso withinclude §a 391.65copy of thisthe part,medical shallvariance includedocumentation ain copythe ofdriver aqualification certificate,file asin prescribedaccordance bywith §paragraph 391.65(ab)(27) of this part,section;
(7) byA theSkill regularlyPerformance employingEvaluation carrierCertificate thatissued theby driverFMCSA isin fullyaccordance qualifiedwith to§ drive391.49; aor commercialthe motorMedical vehicle.
(f)Exemption Exceptdocument asissued providedby a Federal medical program in paragraphsaccordance (g)with andpart (h)381 of this section,chapter; eachand
(8)(i) driver'sFor qualificationdrivers filenot shallrequired beto kepthave ata theCDL, motora carrier'snote principalrelating placeto verification of businessmedical forexaminer aslisting longon asthe aNational driverRegistry isof employedCertified byMedical thatExaminers motorrequired carrierby and§ for 3 years thereafter391.23(m)(1).
(gii) UponThrough aJune written22, request to2025, andfor withdrivers therequired approvalto ofhave a CDL, thea Regionalnote Directorrelating ofto Motorverification Carriersof formedical theexaminer regionlisting inon whichthe aNational motorRegistry carrierof hasCertified his/herMedical principalExaminers placerequired ofby business,§ the391.23(m)(2).
(c) carrierExcept mayas retainprovided onein orparagraph more(d) of itsthis drivers’section, qualificationeach filesdriver's atqualification afile regionalshall orbe terminalretained office.for Theas addresseslong andas jurisdictionsa ofdriver theis Regionalemployed Directorby ofthat Motormotor Carrierscarrier areand shownfor inthree §years 390thereafter.27 of this subchapter.
(hd) The following records may be removed from a driver's qualification file afterthree 3 years fromafter the date of execution:
(1) The medicalmotor examiner'svehicle certificaterecord ofreceived his/herfrom physicaleach qualificationdriver's tolicensing driveauthority ato commercial motor vehicle or the photographicannual copydriver ofrecord theinquiry certificate as required by § 391.4325(da).;
(2) The note relating to the annual review of his/herthe driver's driving record as required by § 391.25.(c)(2);
(3) The listmedical orexaminer's certificate relatingrequired toby violations§ 391.43(g), a legible copy of motorthe vehiclecertificate, lawsor, andfor ordinanceCDL drivers, any CDLIS MVR obtained as required by §paragraph 391.27.(b)(6)(ii) of this section;
(4) TheAny lettermedical variance issued underby FMCSA, including a Skill Performance Evaluation Certificate issued in accordance with § 391.49; grantingor athe waiverMedical ofExemption letter issued by a physicalFederal disqualification.
(Sec.medical 204,program Interstatein Commerceaccordance Act,with aspart amended,381 (49of U.S.C.this 304)chapter; sec.and
(5) 6,The Departmentnote ofrelating Transportationto Actverification (49of U.S.C.medical 1655),examiner andlisting on the delegationsNational Registry of authorityCertified Medical Examiners required by § 391.23(m).
(Approved by the SecretaryOffice of TransportationManagement and theBudget Federalunder Highwaycontrol Administratornumber 2126-004)
[63 FR 33277, June 18, 1998, as amended at 4966 CFRFR 149874, Oct.48 and1, 3012001; 69 FR 16721, Mar.60 30, respectively)
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