PSP Reporting Guide
Understanding PSP Reports: A Guide for Carriers & Drivers
Brought to you by Career Driver
Understand what a PSP report includes, how it fits into driver screening and what carriers must do before requesting one.
A driver's safety history can provide important context during the hiring process, but only when the report is understood and used correctly. This guide covers the essentials of FMCSA's Pre-Employment Screening Program, including the information in a PSP report, driver consent requirements, common misconceptions and the steps carriers should follow.
PSP Basics
What Is a PSP Report?
A PSP report is a pre-employment screening record provided through the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's Pre-Employment Screening Program. It gives an eligible prospective motor carrier access to a commercial driver's federally reported crash and roadside inspection history, with the driver's written or electronic authorization.
- 5 Years
- Crash History
- 3 Years
- Roadside inspection history
- AUTHORIZATION REQUIRED
- Written or electronic driver authorization
- OPTIONAL
- Pre-employment screening resource
On the Report
What Information Is Included?
A PSP report generally includes:
- Five years of FMCSA-reportable crash history
- Three years of roadside inspection history
- Inspections with and without violations
- Driver out-of-service violations shown in the inspection record
- Crash and inspection details reported to FMCSA, including date, state and carrier information when available
- Adjudicated citations associated with Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations violations when reflected in the record
Not on the Report
What a PSP Report Does Not Include
A PSP report is one source of safety-performance information. It is not a complete driver background check and does not typically provide:
- A driver's full motor vehicle record or complete state driving history
- Drug and alcohol testing history from the FMCSA Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse
- Employment verification or the full safety performance history required from prior employers
- Criminal background information
- A safety score, hiring recommendations or determination of crash fault
- Every citation, traffic ticket or non-CMV incident
Carriers should use PSP alongside the other records and inquiries required by their hiring and driver-qualification process.
Comparison
PSP Report vs. Other Common Driver Records
| Record | Primary Purpose | What It Generally Covers |
|---|---|---|
| PSP Report | Pre-employment review of FMCSA safety data | Five years of crash data and three years of roadside inspection data |
| MVR | Review of a driver's state driving record | License status, endorsements, restrictions, convictions and other state-reported activity |
| Clearinghouse query | Check for drug and alcohol program violations | Records maintained in FMCSA's Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse |
| Prior-employer inquiry | Verify employment and required safety-performance history | Information requested from the driver's previous DOT-regulated employers |
Is a PSP Report Required?
No.
PSP is an optional pre-employment screening resource. However, carriers still have separate responsibilities under federal regulations to investigate a driver's safety performance history and complete other required qualification steps. A PSP report can add useful federal crash and inspection context, but it is not a substitute for those requirements.
For Carriers
What Carriers Need Before Requesting a PSP Report
Before accessing a driver's PSP record, the prospective employer must:
Disclosure
Provide the required PSP disclosure and authorization as a stand-alone document.
Authorization
Obtain the driver's written or electronic authorization before requesting the report.
Permitted Use
Use the report only for a permitted pre-employment screening purpose.
Retention
Retain the signed disclosure and authorization form for at least three years, whether or not the driver is hired.
Audit Documentation
Be prepared to provide the authorization documentation if selected for a PSP audit.
How to Review a PSP report Responsibly
A PSP report is most useful when it supports a consistent, job-related review process rather than serving as a pass/fail shortcut.
- Confirm that the report belongs to the correct driver.
- Review patterns, recency, frequency and the surrounding context.
- Separate crash involvement from crash fault.
- Consider inspections with no violations as well as inspections that identify violations.
- Apply the same documented review standards to candidates in comparable roles.
- Follow applicable Fair Credit Reporting Act requirements when report information may contribute to an adverse employment decision.
Because employment and consumer-reporting requirements can vary by situation and jurisdiction, carriers should have legal or compliance counsel review their screening policies and forms.
Corrections
What if a Driver Believes the Report is Wrong?
- Get the report
- Review the report
- Address incorrect information
Neither the prospective employer nor the PSP service provider can directly correct underlying crash or inspection data. A driver who believes FMCSA data is inaccurate can submit a Request for Data Review through FMCSA's DataQs system. If the information was reported by a state, the request is routed to the appropriate state agency for review.
PSP Information for Drivers
Want to See Your Own PSP Report?
Commercial drivers can request their own PSP report to review the crash and roadside inspection information associated with their record. Checking your report can help you understand what a prospective employer may see during the hiring process and identify information that may need to be reviewed.
A driver’s PSP report generally includes:
- Five years of FMCSA-reportable crash history
- Three years of roadside inspection history
- Inspections with and without violations
- Reported CMV crashes regardless of fault
If you believe information is incorrect:
Drivers can submit a Request for Data Review through FMCSA’s DataQs system. The carrier and PSP service provider cannot directly change the underlying crash or inspection record.
For Carriers
For Carriers: Need a PSP Report for a Candidate?
Now that you know what PSP reports covers, do you need one?
Understanding PSP requirements is the first step. Getting the report should not create another manual delay in your hiring process.
Career Driver helps carriers obtain PSP reports as part of a more efficient driver-screening workflow, giving recruiting teams access to the information they need to keep qualified candidates moving.
Request With Confidence
Follow a clear process for obtaining driver authorization and requesting the report.
Keep Screening Moving
Reduce the back-and-forth that can slow down candidate review.
Get Support When You Need It
Work with a team that understands trucking and driver hiring.
Need help getting a PSP Report?
Tell us what you need, and the Career Driver team will help you determine the next step for obtaining PSP reporting and helping you streamline your driver hiring.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does PSP stand for?
PSP stands for Pre-Employment Screening Program, an FMCSA program that provides eligible prospective motor carriers and commercial drivers access to federally reported driver crash and roadside inspection history.
How far back does a PSP report go?
A PSP report includes five years of crash data and three years of roadside inspection data from FMCSA's Motor Carrier Management Information System.
Does a PSP report show crash fault?
No. The report shows qualifying crashes involving the driver or co-driver, but it does not assign or imply fault.
Does a PSP report include inspections with no violations?
Yes. Roadside inspections may appear whether or not violations were recorded.
Is a PSP report the same as an MVR?
No. An MVR comes from a state motor vehicle agency and focuses on the driver's license and state driving record. PSP focuses on federally reported CMV crash and roadside inspection history.
Is PSP the same as the FMCSA Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse?
No. PSP does not provide Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse records. A Clearinghouse query is a separate step with separate consent and compliance requirements.
Can a carrier request a PSP report without the driver's permission?
No. A prospective employer must obtain the driver's written or electronic authorization before accessing the report.
How long should a carrier keep the PSP authorization form?
PSP account holders are required to retain the signed disclosure and authorization for at least three years, regardless of whether the applicant is hired.
Can PSP replace prior-employer safety-performance inquiries?
No. PSP is an additional screening resource and does not replace required investigations or other driver-qualification obligations.
Can a driver dispute information on a PSP report?
Yes. A driver can request review of potentially inaccurate FMCSA crash or inspection data through DataQs. The employer and PSP service provider cannot directly change the underlying record.
Can Career Driver help carriers obtain PSP reports?
Yes. Career Driver can help carriers obtain PSP reporting and keep the screening process moving. Contact the team to confirm the process and options for your hiring needs.
Can drivers request their own PSP report?
Yes. Commercial drivers can request and review their own PSP record directly through the FMCSA PSP service.
Will requesting my own PSP report affect my record?
No. Reviewing your own PSP report does not add information to the report or affect your safety history.