Certification Policy for Employees Who Perform Inspections, Investigations and Safety Audits

 This document updates the operational procedures for certification of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) employees and non-FMCSA employees. This includes inspectors, investigators, and auditors who are funded through the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP), and other non-FMCSA employees who enforce Federal commercial statutes and regulations, and/or upload data into FMCSA information systems. As required by Section 211 of the Motor Carrier Safety Improvement Act (MSCIA) of 1999, certification is required for all motor carrier safety auditors, including private contractors, who conduct safety inspection audits and reviews.

In addition, as required by Section 5202 of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act of 2015, this policy also adopts the roadside inspectors’ certification standards as developed and maintained by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) Operational Policy 4 – Inspector Training and Certification (Attachment A). Where CVSA requirements do not exist, this policy establishes initial and maintenance of certification requirements for employees performing inspections, investigations, and safety audits (Attachment B).

FMCSA’s Certification Policy for Employees Who Perform Inspections, Investigations and Safety Audits includes the following attachments:

Attachment A: CVSA’s Operational Policy 4: Inspector Training and Certification, revised March 30, 2020 (as implemented April 2020);

Attachment B: Certification of Safety Inspectors, Safety Investigators, New Entrant Safety Auditors, Commercial Enforcement Specialists[,] Safety Investigators Who Perform Cargo Tank Facility Reviews, and Other Employees Who Maintain Certification (as amended March 2019);

Attachment C: Acknowledgement of Initial Certification Completion and Maintenance Requirement; and

Attachment D: Employee Certification Status.