DOT Safety Audit Help
TIPS helps motor carriers prepare for, complete, and recover from DOT safety audits. We run free pre-audit compliance checks, support you through new entrant audits and compliance reviews, and write Corrective Action Plans with a 100% FMCSA approval rate as of 2026.
- Free pre-audit compliance check
- Support during new entrant audits and compliance reviews
- Corrective Action Plans with a 100% approval rate
- DOT number reinstatement after an out-of-service order
Where are you in the process?
Jump straight to the help you need, or skip the reading and call us.
My audit is coming upFind your compliance gaps before the FMCSA does. → I'm in an audit right nowSupport from the notification letter to the finish. → I failed my auditCorrective Action Plans and DOT reinstatement. →Not sure? Call (208) 278-6722 and we'll figure it out together.
Every stage of an audit runs on a federal deadline. Here are the three that matter.
New interstate carriers must pass their safety audit in the first year of operating.
Your window to get a Corrective Action Plan approved after failing a safety audit.
The minimum time your DOT number sits inactive when the CAP deadline slips past you.
Find the problems before the FMCSA does.
Every new interstate carrier gets a safety audit within the first 12 months. We review your files the same way an auditor will, for free, and tell you exactly where you stand.
- Complete driver qualification files, from applications to driving records
- Hours of service records, ELD data, and supporting time documents
- Drug and alcohol testing program enrollment and Clearinghouse status
- Vehicle maintenance files, DVIRs, and annual inspection records
- Insurance filings, BOC-3 status, and operating authority records
- Written safety policies, required procedures, and driver manuals
You get a prioritized report listing everything that needs attention, ordered by what auditors care about most. Fix the gaps before they become violations.
Notified of an audit? You don't have to face it alone.
We've walked carriers through new entrant audits and compliance reviews thousands of times. Here's what we handle when the letter arrives.
Decode the notification letter
We review your notification letter and identify exactly what the auditor will focus on for your operation.
Organize your documentation
We help you gather and prepare every record the audit requires, organized the way auditors expect to see it.
Answer questions as they come
Your dedicated compliance agent stays available for questions from the first letter through the final result.
File missing items fast
If gaps turn up mid-audit, we file what's missing quickly, and we're straight about what late filings can't fix.
Failed your DOT audit? This is where we excel.
An Unsatisfactory rating means you must get a Corrective Action Plan approved by the FMCSA or your DOT number goes out of service. You have up to 60 days on paper. Realistically, you have about two weeks to submit so the FMCSA has time to review it.
Every Corrective Action Plan TIPS has created and submitted has been approved by the FMCSA.As of July 2026. CAPs are typically $450, quoted upfront based on the violations in your audit.
Send us your letter
Your failed audit letter or compliance review report lists every violation cited. That's all we need to start.
Get a straight quote
We review each violation and quote one final price based on the severity of your case. No surprises later on.
We build and submit your CAP
We write a plan addressing every violation, document your fixes with evidence, and submit it all to the FMCSA.
We follow up until you're active
We stay on the FMCSA until your CAP is approved and your DOT number is back in active status, ready to roll.
Also out of service for missing the audit itself?
Missing the FMCSA's audit scheduling requests is the most common reason new carriers get placed out of service. We handle the reinstatement paperwork and the FMCSA communication, then prepare you to pass the audit when it's rescheduled.
What your safety rating means
After a safety audit or compliance review, the FMCSA assigns one of three ratings.
Satisfactory
Your safety programs meet federal standards. This is the goal, and where a clean audit leaves you. No follow-up actions, no restrictions on your operation.
Conditional
Your safety programs have deficiencies that need correcting. You can still operate, but many brokers won't book Conditional carriers and insurance rates rise.
Unsatisfactory
Your safety programs fail federal standards. Without an approved Corrective Action Plan within 60 days (45 for hazmat), your DOT number goes out of service.
Your rating is public information. Brokers, shippers, and insurance companies can all see it, and many stop working with rated carriers immediately. The longer you wait to address it, the more business you lose.
Six ways carriers end up on the FMCSA's list
New entrant audit
All new interstate carriers must pass a safety audit within their first 12 months. It's the trucking industry's great filter.
High CSA scores
BASIC scores above the intervention threshold for multiple months, especially Hours of Service or Maintenance, draw a call.
A serious crash
A fatal or high-profile accident often triggers an immediate compliance review and extra scrutiny on everything you file.
Complaints
Driver complaints, shipper complaints, or reports from law enforcement can all prompt the FMCSA to open an investigation.
Random selection
Sometimes the FMCSA simply selects carriers for review. Larger fleets may be audited periodically regardless of scores.
Out-of-service rates
High driver or vehicle out-of-service percentages at roadside inspections put your company on the FMCSA's radar fast.
Safety audit questions, clear answers.
How long does a Corrective Action Plan take to get approved?+
How quickly do I need to submit my CAP?+
Can I keep operating with a Conditional rating?+
What if I already got placed out of service?+
What does your Corrective Action Plan include?+
How much does it cost to get help with my safety audit?+
Can I just start a new company instead of fixing my issues?+
Still have questions? Read the full compliance FAQ or call us.
Audit guides from the TIPS library
Download the free DOT safety audit checklist
See what auditors ask for before they ask. The same checklist we use to prep carriers, free to download.