What this CDL inspection is for
Use the form above as the first part of the CDL skills test: the Vehicle Inspection under 49 CFR 383.113. Fill it on screen, then download a PDF or CSV. It records the applicant and examiner, the class and vehicle on the pad, Pass / Fail / N/A marks for each station, and both signatures.
FMCSA does not issue CDLs. Your state does. The federal rule still sets the skills you must show. For all test vehicles you name, point to or touch, and explain safety-related parts: engine compartment, cab and engine start, steering, suspension, brakes, wheels, side, rear, and special features of a tractor-trailer, school bus, or coach if that is the test vehicle. For air-brake vehicles you also demonstrate the inspection and operating skills in 383.113(a)(2).
Station order and the four-part in-cab air brake sequence follow the current Oregon Commercial Driver Manual, Section 11. Pennsylvania Section 10M publishes the same modernized checklist. Use your issuing state's manual on test day. This template is not that state's official memory aid, and some states ban extra writing on the official list.
What it is not
- It is not a daily CMV dispatch walkaround and not a 49 CFR 396.11 driver vehicle inspection report. End-of-day defects, carrier repair certification, and the three-month file are a different duty. For that report use the published Post Trip Inspection Checklist.
- It is not the 49 CFR 392.7 "satisfied it is in good working order" walk a driver does before a trip. That equipment list (service brakes, parking brake, steering, lamps, tires, horn, wipers, mirrors, coupling, wheels, emergency equipment) sits behind every CMV, but it is not this examiner sheet. For a Class A yard walk use the published Pre Trip Inspection Checklist.
- It is not the Basic Control Skills pad test (backing) and not the on-road driving test. 383.113(b) and (c) are later parts. Oregon Section 11 says you must pass this inspection before those parts start.
- It is not a legal instrument, a license application, or your state's official score sheet.
How to fill each block
In the header area, enter the date, applicant name, CDL or CLP number, examiner name and site. Vehicle Type should reflect the actual vehicle on the pad. Select Class A, B, or C and the vehicle type actualy on the pad. Select Class A, B, or C and the vehicle type actualy on the pad.
Air Brakes (Yes/No) will decide which of two brake demonstrations you’ll have to do. Automatic Transmission also goes as Yes/No here to record the gear box type. Don’t expect to see a scored up clutch box in the new and moddern Section 11. The Trailer Number line leaves this blank if you’re driving a bus or other vehicle with no trailer or a straight truck.
In cab and engine start. Set the parking brake, chock before an air test, and keep three points of contact. Name dash indicators, emergency equipment, windshield, wipers, heater, and horn. Then do the air-brake work. Oregon Section 11 scores four parts as an automatic failure if any part is missed: (1) air gauge and governor cut-out, typically 120 to 140 psi or the manufacturer value, (2) applied leakage of no more than 3 psi in one minute (single) or 4 psi (combination), (3) low-air warning before pressure drops below 55 psi, (4) parking/emergency valve pop-out between 20 and 45 psi or the manufacturer value. Oregon Section 5 adds items 383.113(a)(2) still expects: identify controls and gauges, governor cut-in (typically about 100 psi), build-up from 85 to 100 psi within 45 seconds on dual systems at operating rpm (longer if tanks are larger than the minimum; use the OEM), and that the warning shuts off when pressure rises above the manufacturer value (greater than 55 psi). Section 5 also describes a static (unapplied) leak of less than 2 psi (single) or 3 psi (combination) per minute. That static test is not a separate Section 11 scored box. 49 CFR 383.113 itself states no psi numbers. Finish with parking-brake hold, trailer-brake hold on a combo, and a 5 mph service-brake stop. Hydraulic vehicles use the hydraulic row instead (three pumps and a five-second hold, or the OEM steps).
Have them look at engine compartment with the engine turned off. Explain that the power-steering fluid, coolant, and oil levels should be between the full and add marks. Do not remove a hot radiator cap.
If the air conditioner has a belt-driven compressor, point out the air compressor drive belt. Also, point out the steering box, linkage, hoses, and any leaks.
When inspecting lights, the front end, and the steering axle, check your lamps from the exterior to make sure they work. Check the tread depth of the steer tires; it must be at least the minimum required. According to the Pennsylvania and Oregon manuals, the minimum is 2/32 inch for all other tires and 4/32 inch on the steering-axle tread. You do not get credit for this inspection if you only check tires by kicking them.
Look for any contaminants on the steer axle and also inspect for proper function of shocks, air bags, U-bolts, springs, lugs, rims, and brake hoses.
The side of the truck should be inspected for things like frame, fuel, DEF, battery, mirrors and side lenses. For those drive axles that is visible, perform this same axle check. There’s no crawling underneath the truck. The updated form doesn’t include this metric (stroke limit of slack-adjusters) since it was never part of this form.
For Class A’s, Inspect trailer and tractor's 7-way connector, and gladhands. Inspect the trailer's kingpin, apron, gap between the trailer and tractor, fifth wheel jaws and skid plate, and safety latch. If the coupling uses a pintle, drawbar, or chains, inspect those as well. If it is a straight truck, mark the entire station N/A.
Inspect the cargo body or trailer, including tandem pins, floor and body.
Check landing gear for clearance in turns and make sure it's up.
Mark landing gear N/A on a straight truck.
Perform final lamp check and inspect rear lenses.
If you're operating a combination vehicle, you must inspect the rear of the trailer (Section 11).
Check the passenger mirrors, seats, emergency exits, lift, and entry for school and passenger buses. If it's a school bus, look at the stop arm, lights for students, first aid kit and body-fluid kit. For a freight truck, mark the whole station N.A.
What varies by state and vehicle
Choose Pass/Fail/practice only on the outcome. The examiner and the applicant should both sign it. It does not serve as a dispatch release.
The issuing state issues it. The updated AAMVA list found here matches Oregon Section 11 and PA 10M. Some states might still permit an old walk-around memory aid. They might even let you bring a blank checklist to serve as your memory aid. Those same states might prohibit additional writing on that list. On test day leave any unauthorized notes at home. Bring in the current .gov manual for that state to practice with.
For straight vehicles (class B or C), note the trailer and coupling station as N/A. The passenger and school-bus extras are noted for the test vehicle only.
Whether the brakes are hydraulic or air determines the automatic failure in the cab brake demo. Manual vs auto transmission is noted at the top of the sheet. No, it doesn’t add a clutch box to the updated Section 11 checklist.
The form names the source where Section 11 and Section 5 differ by number.
After you finish
Section 11 governs four scored air steps.
Static leak figures and build-up time are governed by Section 5.
Handbook “approximately” ranges are overridden when the book says so, such as with manufacturer specifications.
Download a filled PDF or CSV if you want a copy that leaves this tab. This form keeps answers in the browser only. They will be seen by the next visitor as a blank form.
Nope. This sheet is not your skills test pass sheet. Nope again. It’s not a replacement for ELDT or your state’s appointment rules.
Not a substitute for your state manual or the examiner
Nope again. These are not the published pre-trip and post-trip sheets. You must sign those sheets if you are required to do a daily CMV walk or an end-of-day DVIR. Those are their own sheets. The printable PDF and preview image sit below the form.
It is a practice / study template. This is not a CDL score sheet. This is not an official document. This is not legal advice. This is not a replacement for reading the examiner's instructions. It does not replace your issuing state's current CDL manual. It also does not replace the actual vehicle's OEM procedure. Do not make up a Pass/Fail limit if it's not on the cited row of the handbook or 49 CFR 383.113. You should of checked the rules.