CVSA’s 2026 Out-of-Service Criteria Take Effect

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s 2026 North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria took effect April 1, 2026. The new edition replaces the prior criteria used by certified commercial-vehicle enforcement personnel.

The criteria help inspectors decide whether a driver or vehicle presents an imminent hazard and should be placed out of service. CVSA says its voting members approved 17 changes for the 2026 edition.

Driver and ELD changes

Several changes address driver credentials and records of duty status. CVSA separated endorsements from restrictions in parts of the driver-license criteria and clarified violation codes. It also added language covering ELD tampering when an inspector cannot determine which events occurred.

The update removed an older reference to automatic on-board recording devices after the related federal regulatory section was removed. Another driver section was revised to address certain alcohol-possession conditions.

Vehicle-condition changes

Brake-system revisions moved selected conditions into the 20% defective-brakes criterion and aligned some lining-thickness measurements with federal regulations. Other changes cover cargo securement, upper couplers, wheels and rims, hubs, passenger-vehicle emergency exits, hazardous-material placards, and federal out-of-service orders.

CVSA says the approved updates are reflected in its inspection bulletins, procedures, policies, and training material. The organization makes the complete criteria available in several formats through its store and app.