Driver qualification file software
that tells you before something expires
Keep every driver's CDL, medical card, MVR and Clearinghouse query in one place. You'll see who's missing what at a glance, and you'll get an email before a document runs out, not after an inspector finds it.
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What goes in a driver qualification file (§391.51)
FMCSA says you have to keep a DQ file for every CDL driver. Here's what goes in it. Most of these documents expire, and an expired one can take a driver off the road at a roadside inspection. If you want the full list with retention rules, read our DQ file checklist.
CDL
Upload the front and back. We keep track of the expiry date and remind you before it runs out.
Medical examiner's certificate
Works for 2-year, 1-year and shorter cards. An expired med card is one of the most common reasons drivers get put out of service at roadside.
Employment application
The signed application with the driver's employment history. It doesn't expire, but the matrix shows it as missing until it's on file.
Motor vehicle record (MVR)
You need one at hire and a fresh one every 12 months. Put in the date the next one is due and you'll get a reminder before then, like any other document.
Drug & alcohol and Clearinghouse
Pre-employment results and the annual Clearinghouse query. Query reminders start 60 days early, because you need the driver's consent before you can run it.
Road test certificate
The road test certificate, or a copy of the CDL you accepted in its place. You file it once at hire and it stays with the driver.
Find out before the inspector does
Here's how it usually happens. A medical card runs out on a Tuesday, nobody notices, and three weeks later an officer at a weigh station does. The driver is out of service, the load sits there, and you take a hit on your CSA scores. Renewing it would have taken one appointment.
MyCarrierVault watches the dates for you, so a renewal doesn't slip through just because you were busy.
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30d30 days out, it turns yellow The document shows up as "expiring soon" on your dashboard and in the DQ matrix. That's usually enough time to book a DOT physical or order an MVR.
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DailyAn optional morning digest If you turn it on, you get one email each morning listing everything due in the next 30 days, across all your drivers and trucks.
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7d7 days out, it turns red and the emails start You'll get an email about that document every day until it's renewed. Upload the new one and the emails stop.
Every driver on one screen
The DQ matrix shows each driver down the side and each required document across the top, coloured by status. You can see who's missing what without opening a single folder.
| Document | How it goes wrong | What MyCarrierVault does |
|---|---|---|
| CDL | It expires and nobody notices | Tracks the expiry date and reminds you |
| Medical card | A short-term card runs out much sooner than expected | Reads the actual expiry off the card |
| Annual MVR | 12 months go by without a new one | Reminds you when the next one is due |
| Clearinghouse query | The annual query gets forgotten | Warns you 60 days ahead |
| Application and road test | They never made it into the file | Shows as missing until uploaded |
Why the spreadsheet stops working
With two drivers, a spreadsheet is fine. With eight, things start falling through the cracks. We wrote more about this in why spreadsheets fail for DQ files.
It only works if you open it
A spreadsheet can't email you. If you don't open it during the week something's due, you won't find out until it has already expired.
Typing dates is where mistakes happen
One wrong year on a med card and the sheet looks fine while the driver is actually out of compliance. Vault AI reads the dates straight off the document instead.
The documents are somewhere else
The sheet says you have an MVR on file, but the PDF is buried in someone's email. Here, every document is attached to the driver, so pulling it for an auditor takes one click.
Common questions
What is driver qualification file software?
It's a place to keep each driver's DQ file online instead of in a filing cabinet or a spreadsheet. You upload the documents FMCSA requires under 49 CFR 391.51, the software keeps track of their expiry dates, and it tells you when something is missing or about to run out.
Do I have to type in every expiry date myself?
Usually not. When you upload a CDL, medical card or MVR, Vault AI reads the dates off the document and fills them in. You check them over and save.
When will I get reminders?
A document turns yellow on your dashboard 30 days before it expires and red at 7 days. During that last week you get an email about it every day until it's renewed. You can also turn on a morning digest that lists everything due in the next 30 days. Clearinghouse queries start warning 60 days out, since you need time to collect the driver's consent.
Does this make me audit-ready?
It keeps the paperwork organized and current, which is most of what an auditor checks in a DQ file. You still have to do the work itself, like pulling the annual MVR and running the Clearinghouse query. The software makes sure you don't forget.
How much does it cost?
Everything is free for 30 days, and you don't need a credit card to start. After that, plans are priced by how many drivers you have. See pricing.
More of what MyCarrierVault does
Get your DQ files out of the spreadsheet
Add your drivers and upload what you already have. Vault AI fills in the dates, and you'll see exactly where your fleet stands in about half an hour.
Start your free trial30 days free. No credit card needed.