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Current textSource: eCFR

§ 396.13 Driver inspection.

Current wording, effective March 23, 2026.

eCFR (current) ↗
What changedAug. 18, 2020 wording → March 23, 2026 wording (current)+39 added−27 removedHide

Link to an amendment published at 85 FR 50793, Aug. 18, 2020.
Before driving a motor vehicle, the driver shall:
(a) Be satisfied that the motor vehicle is in safe operating condition;
(b) Review the last driver vehicle inspection report if required by § 396.11(a)(2)(i); and
(c) Sign the report, only if defects or deficiencies were noted by the driver who prepared the report, to acknowledge that the driver has reviewed it and that there is a certification that the required repairs have been performed. The signature requirement does not apply to listed defects on a towed unit which is no longer part of the vehicle combination.
(d) The reports required by this section may be created and maintained in electronic format, in accordance with 49 CFR 390.32.
[44 FR 76526, Dec. 27, 1979, as amended at 48 FR 55868, Dec. 16, 1983; 63 FR 33280, June 18, 1998; 85 FR 50793, Aug. 18, 2020; 91 FR 7896, Feb. 19, 2026]

49 CFR § 396.13 — Driver inspection.. Text current through October 22, 2026. This wording effective March 23, 2026 to present. Source: eCFR (current), https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/section-396.13. Retrieved from FMCSR.com, https://fmcsr.com/reg/396.13, on October 26, 2026. Unofficial compilation; verify against the official source.

Before driving a motor vehicle, the driver shall:

(a) Be satisfied that the motor vehicle is in safe operating condition;

(b) Review the last driver vehicle inspection report if required by § 396.11(a)(2)(i); and

(c) Sign the report to acknowledge that the driver has reviewed it and that there is a certification that the required repairs have been performed. The signature requirement does not apply to listed defects on a towed unit which is no longer part of the vehicle combination.

(d) The reports required by this section may be created and maintained in electronic format, in accordance with 49 CFR 390.32.

[44 FR 76526, Dec. 27, 1979, as amended at 48 FR 55868, Dec. 16, 1983; 63 FR 33280, June 18, 1998; 85 FR 50793, Aug. 18, 2020; 91 FR 7896, Feb. 19, 2026]

Amendment history

6 distinct wordings on file since Oct. 1, 1996
  1. March 23, 2026 → presenteCFR, day-precisediff vs. previousviewing
    [44 FR 76526, Dec. 27, 1979, as amended at 48 FR 55868, Dec. 16, 1983; 63 FR 33280, June 18, 1998; 85 FR 50793, Aug. 18, 2020; 91 FR 7896, Feb. 19, 2026]
  2. Feb. 19, 2026 → March 23, 2026eCFR, day-precisediff vs. previous
    [44 FR 76526, Dec. 27, 1979, as amended at 48 FR 55868, Dec. 16, 1983; 63 FR 33280, June 18, 1998; 85 FR 50793, Aug. 18, 2020]
  3. Sept. 17, 2020 → Feb. 19, 2026eCFR, day-precisediff vs. previous
    [44 FR 76526, Dec. 27, 1979, as amended at 48 FR 55868, Dec. 16, 1983; 63 FR 33280, June 18, 1998; 85 FR 50793, Aug. 18, 2020]
  4. Aug. 18, 2020 → Sept. 17, 2020eCFR, day-precisediff vs. previous
    [44 FR 76526, Dec. 27, 1979, as amended at 48 FR 55868, Dec. 16, 1983; 63 FR 33280, June 18, 1998]
  5. Oct. 1, 1998 → Aug. 18, 2020annual editions 1998–2016diff vs. previous
    [44 FR 76526, Dec. 27, 1979, as amended at 48 FR 55868, Dec. 16, 1983; 63 FR 33280, June 18, 1998]
  6. Oct. 1, 1996 → Oct. 1, 1998annual edition 1996
    [44 FR 76526, Dec. 27, 1979, as amended at 48 FR 55868, Dec. 16, 1983]

A new entry appears whenever the regulatory words change between government snapshots. Day-precise from the eCFR (2017 onward); before that, one snapshot per annual CFR edition (revised as of October 1). Bracketed citations are the Federal Register history printed with the section. Set a case date in the header to read any earlier wording.