DOT Required Equipment: Essentials to Carry in a CMV
Read time: 7 minutes
Every commercial motor vehicle needs certain essential items to stay compliant with Department of Transportation regulations and safe on the road. These items help truck drivers handle dangerous situations, roadside emergencies, and inspections.
Keeping everything organised and easy to reach makes your vehicle safer and protects your business.
Below is a complete overview of the paperwork, safety equipment, and emergency equipment a driver must carry and keep readily accessible in a commercial truck.
Paperwork All Commercial Vehicles Should Carry
Every CMV should have a permit book or document folder that holds the required paperwork for inspections. Having this paperwork ready helps prevent delays and keeps vehicle safety checks simple.
Essential items include:
- Certificate of Insurance
- Motor Carrier Authority
- Truck and trailer registration (cab cards)
- IFTA license for the current year
- At least 8 days of paper logs in case the ELD fails
- ELD instruction sheet
- Annual inspection report
- CDL
- Driver Qualification File (Appendix B only)
- Medical certificate and long-form physical if required
- Lease agreement, if applicable
- Oregon permit or HUT permit for commercial vehicles that need them
- Hazmat permits for vehicles that transport hazardous materials and require placarding
- Current bill of lading
These documents help you stay compliant with Department of Transportation rules and are often required during audits and roadside checks.
Required Decals on a Commercial Motor Vehicle
Regulations in §390.21 require certain decals to be displayed on both sides of the power unit. The letters must be easily readable in daylight from 50 feet.
Common decals include:
- Company name (must match the legal name or single trade name as listed on your most recent MCS-150)
- USDOT Number
- IFTA stickers for the current year
- Heavy Vehicle Use Tax (HVUT) stickers, if applicable
- MC number
- Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of the CMV
- KYU number, if applicable
These decals must have a sharp contrast with the truck’s paint so other drivers and enforcement officers can identify the vehicle clearly.
How Do USDOT Numbers Need to Be Displayed?
As mentioned above, USDOT number decals or stickers should be placed anywhere on each side of the CMV that is visible from at least 50 feet away during daylight hours. The number lettering should be a minimum of 2 inches, and the color of the decal should greatly contrast with the vehicle’s color and be legible. If your truck is white, the lettering should be black or a dark color.
Your regulation numbers can be placed on the CMV’s doors, on the sides of the cabin, or anywhere police officers or scale operators have easy visual access. It is very important to display your numbers to make the inspection process easier and keep you on the road.
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What Safety or Emergency Equipment Should be Carried?
DOT Required Equipment and Emergency Supplies
DOT required equipment rules are found in 49 CFR 393.95. These rules apply to trucks, truck tractors, buses, and any vehicle that must be equipped with emergency equipment for safe operation.
Commercial trucks must be equipped with specific safety tools to protect the driver, the cargo, and other people on the road. Below is the recommended safety equipment that every power unit should carry.
Fire Extinguishers
Every power unit must be equipped with a fire extinguisher that meets Underwriters Laboratories standards.
- Vehicles that transport hazardous materials or flammable liquids need a minimum rating of 10 B:C.
- Other commercial vehicles must carry a 5 B:C extinguisher or two extinguishers rated 4 B:C.
- The fire extinguisher must be mounted in an upright position and secured to prevent sliding or vertical movement relative to the vehicle.
- It must allow visual determination of charge level and use extinguishing agents that are safe under toxicity provisions.
- The fire extinguisher must be inspected monthly and serviced annually.
- The UL symbol, UL No., and Fourth Edition markings must be visible on the label.
A fire extinguisher required for DOT rules must also be easy for the driver to reach at all times.
Warning Devices for Stopped Vehicles
When a CMV stops on the roadside, truck drivers must deploy the required warning devices to alert other drivers.
Commercial vehicles must carry:
- Three bidirectional emergency reflective triangles
- At least six fuses or three liquid burning flares
- As many additional fusees as needed to meet safety rules
- Other warning devices, such as red flags, road flares, or emergency reflective triangles
The signal produced by burning flares or fusees must burn continuously for at least 60 minutes. Vehicles using compressed gas as motor fuel may face limits on flame-producing devices.
Spare Fuses and Other Electrical Items
Drivers must carry at least one spare fuse for each type and size of fuse needed for the vehicle. Keeping a fuse for each type helps prevent electrical failures that can take a vehicle out of service.
First Aid and Medical Supplies
A good first aid kit is an important part of fleet safety. Many carriers and shippers require an aid kit even though it is not federally required for all trucks.
A basic first aid kit should include:
- Bandages, gauze, and wipes
- Burn treatments
- Tape and trauma pads
- CPR mask
- Pain relief medicine
Kits should be secured so they will not move during travel and should be easy to reach in an emergency.
For vehicles that transport hazardous materials, an expanded kit may be needed to handle chemical exposure or dangerous situations.
Additional Recommended Safety Equipment
Commercial vehicles benefit from carrying extra essential items to stay ready for roadside issues.
Helpful emergency equipment includes:
- Safety vest for high visibility
- Wheel chocks to prevent sliding
- Flashlight with spare batteries
- Basic hand tools
- Cargo securement equipment, such as straps or chains
- Enough fuel to avoid preventable breakdowns
- Extra gear for winter or low-light conditions
These items help keep standards adequate for daily operations and support safe transportation.
Special Notes for Certain Operations
- Vehicles transporting hazardous materials require placarding and may have extra rules for warning devices.
- Driveaway towaway operations have specific exceptions for the driven unit.
- Vehicles carrying flammable gas or flammable liquid must follow stricter rules regarding flame-producing devices.
These adjustments help ensure safety for the driver, cargo, and other drivers on the road.
Stay Prepared and Stay Compliant
Keeping the right tools and equipment in your commercial truck helps you stay safe, meet DOT rules, and avoid violations. Having emergency equipment that is readily accessible and organised protects both your business and the people who share the road with you.
Before trips, review your safety equipment, check your fire extinguishers, confirm that all warning devices work, and make sure your truck carries enough fuel. Staying prepared helps reduce risk and keeps commercial vehicles in good condition.
FAQ: DOT Required Equipment for Commercial Motor Vehicles
DOT requires commercial vehicles to carry a fire extinguisher, three bidirectional emergency reflective triangles, and either six fuses or three liquid burning flares. These items must be easy to reach, properly labelled, and in good working condition.
Yes. Every power unit must be equipped with a fire extinguisher that meets the correct Underwriters Laboratories rating. The extinguisher must be securely mounted, inspected monthly, serviced annually, and allow visual determination of its charge level.
DOT does not require first aid kits for every commercial truck, but many states, shippers, and motor carriers do. A first aid kit is still recommended because it helps drivers handle injuries or dangerous situations on the road.
Truck drivers must deploy three emergency reflective triangles or other approved warning devices. Fusees, road flares, and red flags can be used when allowed by regulation. Drivers transporting hazardous materials may face limits on flame-producing devices.
Missing emergency equipment can lead to violations, delays, and possible out-of-service orders. Keeping all required items in the truck, making sure they are readily accessible, and checking them before each trip helps prevent problems during inspections.
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