Home · DVIR Guides · States · Alabama
Last reviewed November 12, 2026.
This page summarizes what we could verify from official sources about how Alabama applies driver vehicle inspection and related vehicle-inspection rules. It is not a complete reprint of Alabama law.
Interstate operations
If you operate a commercial motor vehicle in interstate commerce to, from, or through Alabama, the federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) apply, including 49 CFR Part 396 and the DVIR rules in § 396.11 and § 396.13. State rules do not replace those federal interstate requirements. Start with What a DVIR is and who must complete one.
State agency
For Alabama-specific questions, including how the rules apply to operations that stay entirely inside Alabama, contact Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), Motor Carrier Safety Unit.
What official sources say about state adoption
Alabama law requires that no person may operate a commercial motor vehicle in the state, or fail to maintain required records or reports, in violation of the federal motor carrier safety regulations prescribed by the U.S. Department of Transportation, 49 C.F.R. That requirement appears in Alabama Code § 32-9A-2, which is reproduced in an official ALEA Motor Carrier Safety Unit publication on intrastate commercial motor vehicle regulations.
Intrastate operations and variations
The same official ALEA publication states the following intrastate exemptions. Companies operating straight trucks and trucks with trailers that have a GVWR or GCWR of 26,000 pounds or less (other than passenger buses and hazardous material or hazardous waste haulers) are exempt from all federal regulations while operating within Alabama. Intrastate companies operating any vehicle with a GVWR or GCWR of 26,001 pounds or more must comply with all Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.
For certain intrastate farm operations, the ALEA publication describes additional exemptions, with an important limit for inspection records: intrastate farmers operating straight trucks and trucks used with a trailer, other than hazardous material, having a GVWR or GCWR of more than 26,000 pounds and operating within 150 miles from the farm, are treated as exempt from all federal regulations while operating in Alabama except for specified items. Those remaining items include inspection, repair, and maintenance of the vehicle, including driver vehicle inspection reports if more than one commercial vehicle is owned (49 CFR 396). Farm vehicle drivers are not exempt from hazardous materials regulations if they carry amounts requiring placarding.
What we could not independently verify from official sources in this review:
- Whether ALEA has updated the 26,000-pound intrastate exemption after the date of the posted MCSU publication. Confirm the current text of Alabama Code § 32-9A-2 and any later ALEA guidance with the Motor Carrier Safety Unit.
Please confirm those points with the state agency linked on this page before relying on them.
Related federal guides
Sources
- ALEA, Intrastate Commercial Motor Vehicle Regulations (official MCSU publication)
- Alabama Code § 32-9A-2, as set out in that ALEA publication
Need a printable form? DVIR.io offers free FMCSA-aligned PDF templates, including post-trip, pre-trip, bus and motorcoach, and intermodal reports.
Get the free DVIR templatesThis page is general information only. It is not legal advice, and it is not advice on any specific DVIR or vehicle-inspection requirement. Rules can change, and how they apply depends on your operation, your vehicles, and your location. Get advice in your own area on your specific state and federal requirements. If you have a question for DVIR.io, use the contact form.