The North American Standard Inspection program results in approximately 2,000,000
commercial vehicle roadside inspections annually primarily conducted by State
enforcement agencies. The inspection results are centralized in a Federal Motor Carrier

Safety Administration database and used to identify motor carriers presenting a high
degree of risk to the motoring public.

This article is intended to inform you of the types of inspections conducted, what
is reviewed of compliance, and the operational benefits of "passing" an inspection.
Improving your awareness is important for your safety and economic well-being.

Who Conducts North American Standard Inspections?

North American Standard Inspections are conducted by highly qualified and trained
state and provincial law enforcement personnel.

What are the Levels of NAS inspections?

There are five different inspection levels:

Level I - North American Standard Inspection
Level II - Walk-Around driver/ vehicle inspection
Level III - Driver-only inspection
Level IV - Special inspections
Level V - Vehicle-only Inspection

What is the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA)?

The CVSA is an organization of Federal, State, and Provincial government agencies and
representatives from private industry in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico dedicated
to improving commercial vehicle safety.

How Does Enforcement Avoid Unnecessary Duplicate Inspections?

State enforcement agencies cooperatively minimize unnecessary duplicate inspections by
issuing a CVSA decal. The CVSA decal is used to identify vehicles that have recently "passed" an
inspection, so that inspectors can give more attention to vehicles not yet inspected.

Vehicles displaying a valid CVSA decal (current to within 3 months) are generally not subject to re inspection unless there is a observed violation or defect.
If re inspection discloses violations of the North American Standard Inspection Standards, any
valid decal is removed unless the vehicle is repaired at the scene.

How Do You Qualify for a CVSA Decal?

A commercial vehicle may qualify for a CVSA decal if it "passes" inspection. "Passes"
inspection means that during a Level I or V inspection, no defects are found of critical
inspection items listed in the Minimum Federal Periodic Inspection Standards (See Chart
for inspection items and decal qualification). Defects that are noted during a Level I or
Level V inspection that are not critical inspection items shall not affect "Pass Inspection"
or decal qualification.



Inspection Quarters and Colors

Jan, Feb, Mar = Green
Apr, May, Jun = Yellow
Jul, Aug, Sept = Orange
Oct, Nov, Dec = White



Inspection Items and Levels

* Level II inspections only include those items that can be inspected without
physically getting under the vehicle
** Level V inspections are conducted without a driver present