CVSA Out-of-Service Criteria Explained

The North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria (OOSC) is the rulebook roadside inspectors use to decide whether a commercial motor vehicle or its driver is too unsafe to continue. It is published and updated every year (effective each April 1) by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), and it is adopted by FMCSA and state enforcement agencies across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

A violation of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) does not automatically mean an out-of-service (OOS) order. The OOSC lists only the conditions considered "imminently hazardous" — the ones likely to cause a crash or breakdown. If one is found, the vehicle or driver is placed out of service and cannot move until the condition is corrected.

Vehicle out-of-service conditions

Part II of the OOSC covers the vehicle. The categories that produce the most OOS orders are:

• Brake systems — 20% or more of the service brakes defective (the "20% rule"), out-of-adjustment brakes, audible air leaks at a brake chamber, cracked or missing linings, and inoperative low-air warning devices. Brakes are consistently the #1 vehicle OOS category.
• Tires — tread depth below 2/32" on a steer tire or 1/32" on other tires, exposed cord or belt material, flat or audibly leaking tires, and bulges or sidewall separation.
• Lighting — required lamps inoperative, such as a missing stop lamp or a non-working turn signal, or lamps that are not visible during darkness.
• Cargo securement — loose or insufficient tiedowns, and loads that could shift or fall.
• Coupling devices — fifth wheel, kingpin, and safety chain defects.
• Steering, suspension, frames, and wheels — cracked frames, broken leaf springs, steering lash beyond the limit, and missing or loose lug nuts.

Driver out-of-service conditions

Part I covers the driver. Common driver OOS conditions include:

• Driving beyond hours-of-service limits (11-hour, 14-hour, or 60/70-hour).
• No record of duty status when one is required, or a false log.
• No valid CDL, or driving while disqualified or suspended.
• No valid medical examiner's certificate (when required).
• Drug or alcohol violations under 49 CFR §392.4 and §392.5.
• Illness or fatigue under §392.3.

Hazardous materials OOS conditions

Part III covers HazMat: missing or incorrect shipping papers, missing or wrong placards, leaking packages, and improper loading or segregation. See our HazMat placarding guide.

What happens after an OOS order

The inspector records the violation on the inspection report. A vehicle OOS defect must be repaired before the vehicle moves (or it must be towed). For a driver OOS order, such as an HOS violation, the driver must stay out of service until they are compliant again. Every OOS order is uploaded to FMCSA's MCMIS database. It counts toward your carrier's CSA BASIC scores and your national OOS rate, which shippers, brokers, and insurers all look at.

How to avoid OOS orders

1. Do a real pre-trip inspection every day, not a pencil-whipped one.
2. Check brake adjustment and listen for air leaks at every stop.
3. Measure tread depth instead of eyeballing it.
4. Walk around and test every light, including clearance and marker lamps, before dark.
5. Keep your logs, CDL, medical card, and registration current and easy to reach.

DotCheck lets a driver photograph a component and get a likely CFR citation and OOS severity in seconds. That way defects get fixed in the yard, not on the shoulder.