How long do violations stay on your CSA record?
Updated · TruckPro Safety Carma
The short answer
Roadside inspection violations count in FMCSA’s Safety Measurement System (SMS) for 24 months. They weigh the most in the first six months (time weight 3), less from six to twelve months (2), and least from twelve to twenty-four months (1). After 24 months they no longer affect your BASIC percentiles, though the records still exist in FMCSA’s systems.
The 24-month timeline
| Age of violation or inspection | SMS time weight | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 0–6 months | 3 | Counts the most |
| 6–12 months | 2 | Counts two-thirds as much |
| 12–24 months | 1 | Counts one-third as much |
| Over 24 months | 0 | No longer used in SMS measures |
The same time weights apply to your inspections in the Hours-of-Service, Vehicle Maintenance, HazMat and Driver Fitness BASICs, because those measures divide weighted violations by weighted inspections. That is why a run of recent clean inspections helps the most.
When a BASIC stops getting a percentile
In the Hours-of-Service, Vehicle Maintenance, HazMat and Driver Fitness BASICs, SMS does not assign a percentile to a carrier that meets both of these conditions:
- no violation in that BASIC in the previous 12 months, and
- no violation in that BASIC on the latest relevant inspection.
So a carrier whose last violation in a category is more than a year old, and whose most recent inspection was clean, drops out of that BASIC’s ranking even though older violations are still inside the 24-month window.
Other records with different clocks
| Record | How long it matters |
|---|---|
| SMS BASIC measures (roadside violations and inspections) | 24 months |
| Acute and Critical Violations from an investigation | Can trigger a BASIC alert for 12 months |
| Pre-Employment Screening Program (PSP) driver report | 3 years of roadside inspections, 5 years of crashes |
| Safety rating (Satisfactory, Conditional, Unsatisfactory) | Stays until a new compliance review changes it |
PSP reports belong to the driver, not the carrier. Employers use them, with the driver’s written consent, when hiring.
What this means for you
- The first six months after a bad inspection are the most expensive. Fix the root cause fast so it doesn’t repeat while the first violation still carries triple weight.
- Old violations fade on their own. If you’ve cleaned up, your measure improves month by month as violations move into lower time weights.
- Wrong records don’t fade fast enough. If a violation is incorrect, challenge it with DataQs rather than waiting up to two years.
What’s changing
FMCSA’s approved, not-yet-implemented methodology goes further on recency. It would only calculate a percentile in the Hours-of-Service, Vehicle Maintenance, Vehicle Maintenance: Driver Observed, HazMat and Driver Fitness categories if the carrier had at least one roadside violation there in the past 12 months. See what’s changing in CSA.
TruckPro shows each inspection with its date and the BASIC it counts toward, so you can see which violations are still at full weight and when they will age out. Apply for early access.
Frequently asked questions
Do violations fall off after 2 years?
They stop counting in SMS BASIC measures after 24 months. The inspection itself stays in FMCSA’s records, and driver PSP reports include three years of roadside inspection history.
Does a violation count the same the whole time?
No. In SMS, a violation recorded in the past six months has a time weight of 3, from six to twelve months a weight of 2, and from twelve to twenty-four months a weight of 1.
Can my percentile go down without any new inspections?
Yes. As violations age into lower time weights, or past 24 months, your measure falls. Your percentile also depends on how the carriers you are compared with are doing.
How long do investigation results count?
Acute and Critical Violations found during an FMCSA investigation can trigger a BASIC alert for 12 months.
Sources
- FMCSA SMS Methodology, Version 3.21 (June 2026): Time Weights and BASIC calculations
- FMCSA Pre-Employment Screening Program (PSP)
- FMCSA CSA Prioritization: Approved Changes Guide (November 2024)
This guide is general information, not legal advice. TruckPro is not affiliated with FMCSA or U.S. DOT.