What changed
In an April 16, 2026 Federal Register notice, FMCSA announced revised DataQs requirements for states that receive Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) grants, setting firm deadlines and a three-stage review for Requests for Data Review (RDRs). States must open an RDR within seven days of an Initial Review request.
Your State must decide the Initial Review within 21 days (the clock pauses if it asks you for more information). You can then request Reconsideration (21 days) and Final Review (45 days), each within 30 days of the prior decision. If the State asks for more information you have 14 days to respond. These stages apply to requests under FMCSA's rules effective September 18, 2026 (source: FMCSA DataQs Help Center FAQs, https://dataqs.fmcsa.dot.gov/HelpCenter/Faqs).
The burden of proof at every stage rests with the requestor, and a Reconsideration or Final Review request must state the factual or legal error it relies on. FMCSA also said it plans DataQs system improvements to support the new process, such as new notification options for requestors and reviewers.
Why this matters
DataQs is FMCSA's system for requesting a review of potentially inaccurate inspection, violation and crash data, including roadside-inspection violations on the SMS / CSA record. Faster turnaround is meaningful because every day the violation sits in SMS contributes to the SMS measures and inspection data that brokers and shippers can see.
Because the requestor carries the burden of proof, clear evidence - dashcam video, ELD records, the inspection report - matters. Make sure attachments keep the visual detail (license plates, lane markings, signage) that is critical to the challenge.
How to use the improvements
When filing a new DataQs request, attach the dashcam video, the original ELD log, and the original inspection report, and state clearly what is wrong with the record so the state can adjudicate quickly.
Watch your DataQs requests - if the state asks for more information you have 14 days to respond, and if you don't, the system closes the request as "Closed—No Requestor Response."
What to do next
Audit the past 12 months of roadside violations. Identify any that are factually challengeable. Our /guides/csa-scores-and-oos-rate page covers DataQ strategy in detail.