DOT inspection requirements in Maryland

Compare Maryland with other states on the state requirements hub, or see which states run their own inspection programs.

The Maryland State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division enforces motor carrier safety and runs the state's main truck weigh and inspection facilities. It also enforces the Preventive Maintenance Program. The MDOT Motor Vehicle Administration handles registration and runs school vehicle inspections.

Yes. Maryland adopts federal Part 396, with state amendments and exemptions, in COMAR 11.21.01.10. Coverage starts at 10,001 lb for trucks, combinations and buses, with the federal passenger triggers and placarded hazmat at any weight. Maryland has its own exemptions and special vehicle classes.

The federal annual covers every covered truck, tractor, trailer, converter dolly and bus at least every 12 months. Maryland adds its Preventive Maintenance Program for Maryland-registered vehicles, which doesn't replace the federal annual, and a separate school vehicle inspection program.

Read what 49 CFR 396.17 requires.

The federal annual can be done by an inspector qualified under 49 CFR 396.19: a qualified carrier employee, a commercial garage, a fleet lessor, a truck stop or a similar business. That's the model Bright Inspect is designed for.

For the Preventive Maintenance Program, the owner must inspect and maintain the vehicle or have it done, and Maryland doesn't require a licensed state inspection station. The form must be acceptable to the State Police. We're still confirming that a technology-based inspection and our form are accepted for the program. Check with the Maryland State Police CVED directly, or ask us before relying on our report for it.

For school vehicles, the owner or the owner's representative may do the Type A inspection, and Type B for vehicles not owned by or contracted to a Board of Education. Vehicles over 12 years old need their Type A from a licensed inspection mechanic at an authorized station.

Keep the federal annual report 14 months, with proof on the vehicle. For the Preventive Maintenance Program, keep vehicle identification and inspection, repair and maintenance records with dates and mileage for 2 years, and carry evidence of the current inspection in or on the vehicle. A Maryland title-transfer safety certificate doesn't automatically count as the federal annual.

Maryland's regulations set the Preventive Maintenance interval at 25,000 miles. If you see a different mileage figure in MVA registration material, check with the State Police directly.

More on how long to keep DOT inspection records.

See rules for church, charter and party buses and school bus inspection requirements.

Maryland State Police officers, hazardous materials inspectors and Public Service Commission inspectors can inspect commercial vehicles and Preventive Maintenance records. Federal rules let an officer cite you under 49 CFR 396.17(c) when proof of a current annual inspection isn't on the vehicle; it carries a CSA severity weight of 4. The officer gives the driver an inspection report. The carrier must certify that listed violations were corrected and return it within 15 days, and keep a copy for 12 months (49 CFR 396.9). Fines are set by state law. A roadside inspection doesn't replace the annual unless it meets 49 CFR 396.23.

We're still confirming roadside fines for a missing annual inspection in Maryland. Check with the Maryland State Police CVED directly.

Stopped without proof of a current annual? See what to do when your inspection expired or failed at roadside and what happens if your annual inspection is expired. Nobody can promise to remove a violation or change a safety score; what fixes the problem going forward is a current inspection and a complete record.