Compliance Review

Definition

A compliance review is the on-site investigation FMCSA conducts under 49 CFR §385 to assess whether a carrier's safety management system meets the federal safety rating thresholds. Reviewers spend 1 to 5 days at the carrier's base of operations examining DQ files, HOS records, drug/alcohol program documents, vehicle maintenance records, and accident history. The review concludes with one of three safety-rating outcomes - Satisfactory, Conditional, or Unsatisfactory - that is then published on SAFER. Compliance reviews are typically triggered by elevated CSA BASIC percentiles, a serious accident, or a complaint from a driver, broker, or competitor.