Compliance, written down for the people doing it.

Guide 01

The new carrier compliance roadmap.

Everything FMCSA requires from a new for-hire interstate carrier, where each item gets filed, and the order to do it in. Written for a carrier who just got their authority, and current as of August 2026, including the Motus registration system, the electronic medical certification change, and the 2026 rule updates.

What's inside.

• Phase 1: Registration and authority. Motus, insurance filings, BOC-3, UCR, IRP, IFTA, and Form 2290.
• Phase 2: The drug and alcohol program. Consortium enrollment, Clearinghouse registration, and the automatic-fail items.
• Phase 3: Driver qualification files. All nine required items, including the 2025 electronic medical certification change.
• Phase 4: Vehicle files and maintenance. Maintenance programs, annual inspections, DVIRs, and roadside inspection reports.
• Phase 5: Hours of service and ELDs. The registered device list, cab documents, and the short-haul exemption.
• Phase 6: The paperwork nobody mentions. Accident register, written policies, and USDOT marking.
• The new entrant safety audit. What it checks and when it comes.
• How long to keep each record. Every retention period in one table.
• The roadmap in one list. A checklist covering before your first load, the first 30 days, and ongoing.