WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s 2026 North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria took effect April 1, 2026, replacing all previous versions. Enforcement personnel across North America now use the updated standards to determine whether drivers or vehicles present an imminent hazard and should be pulled from the road.
CVSA members approved 17 changes to the criteria on October 17, 2025. Here is what changed:
Driver-Related Changes
The criteria for operator’s licenses and CDL endorsements and restrictions were amended to separate endorsements from restrictions and clarify violation codes. A note on intrastate restrictions was also added to the CDL section.
The intoxicating beverages rule now explicitly states that a driver in possession of wine or beer with an alcohol content of 0.5% or more — or any distilled spirit — is out of service.
ELD tampering rules got significant updates. The false records of duty status and ELD tampering criteria now cover situations where an inspector can determine when a driver was driving or resting. A new out-of-service condition was added for any driver or carrier who tampers with an ELD in a way that makes it impossible to determine what events occurred. This applies to both property-carrying and passenger-carrying vehicles. The reference to automatic on-board recording devices was also removed from the duty status footnotes following the removal of that regulation from federal law.
A note in the Canadian duty status section was moved to a more applicable location within the criteria.
Vehicle and Equipment Changes
Two brake system out-of-service conditions moved into the 20% defective brakes criterion section. The term “service gladhands” was updated to “service air connections” to account for different coupler types. Hydraulic and electric brake lining thickness measurements were updated to better align with federal regulations. The parking brake heading now reads “Parking/Emergency Brake” to reflect both applications.
The ExTe Com90 securement system was added to the log securement section. A damage chart for wire rope was added to the tiedown defect table. A section specific to countersunk screws was added to the upper coupler and kingpin coupling devices section.
Wheel and rim language was updated to address missing pieces of rims. Language about center holes was removed from the disc wheel cracks section. One hub out-of-service condition was removed entirely due to inconsistent enforcement.
An out-of-service condition was added for emergency exits on buses, motorcoaches, and passenger vans that are marked as emergency exits but have no operating instructions posted.
Placarding language was clarified to state that a transport vehicle missing placards for multiple divisions within the same hazmat class must be placed out of service.
A new chart outlining the seven types of federal out-of-service orders was added to Part IV.
Where to Get the Updated Criteria
The 2026 out-of-service criteria are available in print, electronic, French, and Spanish formats through the CVSA online store. The criteria are also available as an app — search “CVSA Out-of-Service Criteria” in the App Store or Google Play. CVSA hosted a webinar in February covering the changes, available to members through the CVSA member portal.
Questions can be directed to CVSA Director of Inspection Programs Kerri Wirachowsky by email or at 202-998-1650.
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