Commercial vehicle inspections are a fact of life, but there's more than one kind, and not all of them involve crawling under the truck or checking for proper brake adjustments. In fact, the North American Standard Inspection Program, created by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), has eight inspection levels. They range from full-vehicle inspections with a driver present to completely electronic ones conducted without even pulling over.
What Is the North American Standard Inspection Program?
For commercial vehicles, certified enforcement officers (who have completed CVSA courses and training) follow the operations and procedures of the North American Standard Inspection Program when conducting roadside inspections. This program was developed by the CVSA, in collaboration with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and other relevant authorities, to establish uniform safety standards and consistent enforcement procedures for commercial vehicles operating in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
When conducting the inspection types below (excluding Level VII jurisdictional inspections), enforcement officers will check each vehicle for unsafe operating conditions and may place the vehicle or driver out-of-service (OOS) if they find critical violations.
Here's a breakdown of each inspection level, how they differ, and what to expect if you're flagged for one.
Level I: The Full Inspection
A Level I North American Standard Inspection is a complete check of both the driver and the commercial vehicle. Basically, if you get a Level I inspection, you're getting the works. That means credentials, hours-of-service logs, medical cards, and seat belts get reviewed, right alongside brake systems, steering, suspension, tires, lights, frames, and cargo securement. For passenger carriers, such as buses, the inspection extends even further, including aspects like emergency exits and battery compartments.
If your vehicle passes a Level I (vehicle + driver) or Level 5 (vehicle only) inspection without any violations of critical vehicle inspection items, the inspector may issue the vehicle a standard CVSA decal, which will help you avoid reinspection of the vehicle for up to three months. The decal applies to the vehicle only and not the driver. If the inspector is unable to access sufficient critical inspection items to complete the Level I inspection fully, they may downgrade the inspection type to Level II.
Level II: The Walk-Around Inspection
A Level II inspection is similar to a Level I, except that the inspector doesn't check components that require physically getting under the vehicle. Inspectors still review all driver paperwork and a wide range of mechanical systems, including brake systems, cargo securement, tires, lights, and other key areas.
Level II inspections are common at weigh stations and during roadside stops where inspectors need to move quickly. They're still serious and should not be taken lightly; however, no CVSA decal is issued for passing a Level II inspection.
Level III: Driver Inspection
A Level III inspection focuses on the driver and carrier only, not the truck. Inspectors will look at your license, medical certificate, hours-of-service logs, ELD records, and paperwork for the carrier. If something is missing, expired, or inaccurate, it can result in a violation or an out-of-service order.
Level III does not include mechanical inspections. However, enforcement officers may still observe the condition of your vehicle for visible defects and issue violations and/or upgrade the inspection level if warranted.
Level IV: Special Inspections
A Level IV inspection is a one-time examination of a specific part, system, or component of the vehicle. These inspections can vary widely in scope and are typically part of a study aimed at gathering research on a specific issue or trend. Level IV inspections can also be a part of safety campaigns that involve targeted checks for common vehicle violations.
CVSA's Brake Safety Week is a well-known Level IV special inspection event that occurs annually, with authorities in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico inspecting thousands of vehicles for brake system violations. Notably, any commercial vehicle can be selected for a Level IV special inspection, even if it recently passed a Level I inspection and was issued a CVSA decal.
Level V: Vehicle-Only Inspections
Think of a Level V inspection as a Level I without the driver. A Level V inspection covers the entire vehicle — including brakes, lights, suspension, and securement — but doesn't require the driver to be present. These inspections often take place at terminals, maintenance yards, or when the truck is impounded or off-duty. It can also occur as part of a post-crash inspection. Vehicles that pass a Level V inspection can receive a CVSA decal, just like they would for a Level I inspection.
Level VI: Radioactive Shipment Inspections
Level VI is a specialized inspection for vehicles transporting transuranic waste or highway route controlled quantities (HRCQ) of radioactive material. It's essentially a stricter version of a Level I inspection, with additional procedures for security and radiological checks.
Unless you're hauling for the U.S. Department of Energy or a nuclear contractor, you're unlikely to see a Level VI. But for the handful of carriers who do, passing this inspection is required before hitting the road with your load.
Once you pass a Level VI inspection, your vehicle will receive a special blue decal, which is only valid for the specific trip for which it was issued (unlike standard CVSA decals that can last up to three months). Since a Level VI inspection requires meeting all the criteria of a Level I inspection, you will also receive a standard CVSA decal for the vehicle in addition to the blue decal.
Level VII: Jurisdictional Inspection Programs
Level VII inspections are used by states, provinces, or cities that run safety programs that don’t fall into other inspection-type criteria. Generally, if you’re operating a commercial vehicle intrastate (within a single state) or in a niche transportation niche, Level VII inspections may apply to you. This might include taxi inspections, limo checks, hotel shuttles, or school buses. There’s no CVSA decal for a Level VII, but you may be issued a jurisdiction-level decal for such inspections.
Level VIII: Electronic Inspection
A Level VIII inspection happens without you even stopping. It’s conducted wirelessly or electronically while the vehicle is in motion by pulling location and administrative data from your ELD, carrier profile, registration, and other compliance systems.
A Level VIII inspection will often check:
Descriptive location or GPS coordinates of the vehicle (where applicable or required by law).
Information about the driver operating the vehicle, such as their license status, medical and performance certificates.
The driver’s current record of duty status and hours-of-service compliance.
Information about the vehicle, including that its USDOT or Canada NSC number and registration are active, its operating authority, and Unified Carrier Registration (UCR) compliance.
That the vehicle isn’t operating under an out-of-service order.
Which Vehicle Parts and Systems Are Inspected?
The North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria (OOSC) outlines critical vehicle inspection items and unsafe conditions that pose a road safety hazard. During inspection, enforcement officers may place the vehicle, vehicle combination, or driver out of service if critical violations are found. Below is a list of vehicle/driver components that officers may inspect. Each component has several requirements to maintain compliance, which can be found in the OOSC manual.
CVSA Decals
A CVSA decal is only issued following a Level I, Level V, or Level VI inspection, assuming no critical violations are found. Decals are valid for up to three months (month of issue, plus the next two calendar months) and may reduce your chances of being stopped again for reinspection, but they're not a guarantee. You can still be reinspected if a violation is visible or if you are selected for a Level IV (special) or Level VII (jurisdictional) inspection.
Inspection Exemptions
Numerous companies and industries in the U.S. have an FMCSA or state exemption to specific inspection regulations. These exemptions typically pertain to ELD and hours-of-service requirements, cargo securement, brake-assist lighting features (notably Intellistop module exemptions on a case-by-case basis), and other vehicle safety technologies that may impact standard mirror/camera requirements.You can find the details, including descriptions and effective dates, of active and expired U.S. exemptions on the CVSA website. Inspection exemptions for Canada are listed on the Transport Canada website.
Preparing for an Inspection
CVSA North American Standard inspections don't have to be as intense as drivers and companies fear. If your vehicle is in good shape, your logs are clean, and your equipment is well-maintained, then your inspection results should not be a surprise — or a setback.
For fleets, it is essential to maintain and replace worn parts before they reach the end of their service life to ensure safety and compliance. At JIT Truck Parts, we make it easy to shop for aftermarket parts for heavy-duty trucks and commercial vehicles. Find the truck parts you need for future inspections or after-inspection repair.