Approximately 4 million commercial motor vehicle inspections are conducted every year throughout North America to ensure the large trucks and buses driving on our roadways are operating safely. Specially trained inspectors in each state, jurisdiction, territory and province inspect commercial motor vehicles based on inspection procedures and criteria created by CVSA, known as the North American Standard Inspection Program.

There are eight levels of inspections ranging from the Level I Inspection, which evaluates both the driver and vehicle, to inspection levels with a more specific area of focus, such as Level VI for radioactive materials and Level VIII for electronic inspections.

The North American Standard Level I, Level V and Level VI are the only inspections that may result in issuance of a CVSA decal placed on the vehicle. Passed Level VI Inspections result in issuance of a special Level VI CVSA decal. To qualify for a CVSA decal, a vehicle must not have any critical violations according to the North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria.

Inspections must be performed by North American Standard Level I, Level V or Level VI certified inspectors. The term “certified” means the government employee performing inspections and/or affixing CVSA decals must have successfully completed a training program approved by CVSA.