CDL & Compliance Deadline Tracker for Owner Operators
Track all compliance deadlines in one place. Color-coded alerts save you from violations.
Auto-calculate your MCS-150 deadline
FMCSA sets your biennial update from your USDOT number: the last digit is the month, and the second-to-last digit's odd/even sets the year. Enter yours and we'll work it out. FMCSA has temporarily paused enforcement of biennial updates while it moves to its new Motus system. Read the rules.
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What compliance deadlines does a trucking business need to track?
A single-truck operation has at least eight deadlines that repeat. They are the CDL and medical card, the annual MVR review, the annual Clearinghouse query and the annual DOT inspection. Add UCR each year, IFTA each quarter, the heavy vehicle use tax each year and the MCS-150 update every two years. Miss one and it can put a driver or truck out of service. Track them by date, not by memory. They run on different cycles that don't line up.
- Track CDL expiration and medical certificate expiration separately. A medical card often expires before the CDL does.
- Schedule an annual MVR review for every driver, even if nothing has changed.
- Track the annual DOT inspection due date per vehicle, 12 months from the last one.
- Renew UCR registration every year, based on your vehicle count.
- File IFTA returns each quarter: most years, by April 30, July 31, October 31 and January 31. Check the exact date each year, since a weekend can shift it.
| Requirement | Cycle |
|---|---|
| CDL renewal | Set by your state, commonly every 4 to 8 years |
| DOT medical certificate | Up to every 24 months; shorter if your examiner sets conditions |
| Annual MVR review | Every 12 months, per driver |
| Annual DOT vehicle inspection (49 CFR 396.17) | Every 12 months, per vehicle |
| UCR registration | Every calendar year |
| IFTA fuel tax return | Quarterly |
State rules can add deadlines on top of these federal ones. Confirm your state's CDL renewal cycle and any state-specific inspection or registration dates in addition to this federal baseline.
Last reviewed October 2026. Sources: eCFR: 49 CFR 396.17, Periodic inspection; UCR Plan: frequently asked questions; FMCSA: when am I required to file a biennial update?; UCR Plan: fee brackets and registration; eCFR: 49 CFR 382.701, annual Clearinghouse queries.
Frequently Asked Questions - CDL & Compliance Deadline Tracker
What are the main trucking compliance requirements to track?
How do I stay on top of DOT compliance deadlines?
What are CSA scores and why do they matter?
How long do violations stay on my record?
When is my MCS-150 update due?
When do I have to register for UCR?
Related Trucking Tools
DOT Audit Readiness Checklist
An interactive compliance checklist to get ready for a DOT compliance review.
Annual DOT Inspection Checklist
Every item from the federal minimum periodic inspection standards as a checklist, with your next due date and what the report must show.
UCR Fee Calculator
See your Unified Carrier Registration fee for 2026 and for 2027, by fleet size, and how much it goes up.
IFTA Tax Calculator
Figure your quarterly IFTA fuel tax across all US states and Canadian provinces.
Go Further With CDL & Compliance Deadline Tracker
Guides, services and reference pages that go with this tool.
- Driver road test rulesThe road test record stays in the driver file for as long as the driver works for you and 3 years after.
- Motor carrier compliance serviceSee how our compliance service helps keep these renewals current.
- Regulations referenceLook up the rule behind each deadline.
- Safety ratings and DataQsCheck your inspection and crash data now and then. Here is how to correct it.
- USDOT number and biennial updateHow your USDOT number sets your update month, and what FMCSA has paused.
- Hazmat basics for carriersHazmat registration renews every July 1. See the hazmat deadlines.
- Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse guideThe yearly Clearinghouse query is a deadline too. See how it works.
- DOT physical and medical card rulesMedical certificates expire. See how often you need a DOT physical.
- UCR registration, explainedWho has to register, what it costs, and why it's checked at roadside.
- California Clean Truck CheckCalifornia trucks and out-of-state trucks in California need a Clean Truck Check test and fee every six months. Add it to your dates.
- USDOT number, explainedYour USDOT number needs an update every 24 months. See what it is and who needs one.
- ELD exemption, explainedSee which drivers may use paper logs instead of an ELD.
- TWIC card, explainedPort work needs a TWIC. See the cost, the validity and the lead time.
- CDL disqualification offensesA disqualified driver cannot drive a CMV. See what a conviction costs, and what drivers must tell employers.
- Cell phone, texting and seat belt rulesAdd driver conduct to your compliance routine. See what carriers may not allow or require.
- Form 2290 heavy vehicle use taxForm 2290 is due the month after you first use a truck. See the dates and rates.
- ELD buyer's and compliance checklistTrack deadlines, and check that your ELD is legal to use.
- Hazmat endorsement, explainedThe H endorsement must be renewed every 5 years or less. See the TSA steps.
- FMCSA safety rating, explainedSee how a safety rating is set and how a carrier can ask to change it.
- English language proficiency for truck driversDriver qualification includes English. See the rule and the August 2026 proposal.