Texas DVIR and vehicle inspection rules

Last reviewed November 12, 2026.

This page summarizes what we could verify from official sources about how Texas applies driver vehicle inspection and related vehicle-inspection rules. It is not a complete reprint of Texas law.

Interstate operations

If you operate a commercial motor vehicle in interstate commerce to, from, or through Texas, 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 Texas-specific questions, including how the rules apply to operations that stay entirely inside Texas, contact Texas Department of Public Safety, Commercial Vehicle Enforcement.

What official sources say about state adoption

Texas Transportation Code Chapter 644 is the official statutory framework that authorizes the Department of Public Safety to adopt and enforce motor-carrier safety standards, including by adopting federal regulations. Official Texas Administrative Code Title 37, Chapter 4, contains DPS’s commercial vehicle rules (often cited as 37 TAC § 4.11 and related sections). During this review, the official Texas Secretary of State administrative-code host had been relocated, and we were not able to retrieve the current official 37 TAC § 4.11 text or the official DPS publication A Texas Motor Carrier’s Guide to Highway Safety (MCS-9) in time to quote them here.

Intrastate operations and variations

Because we could not independently quote the current official DPS rule text, this page does not list a Texas-specific weight threshold or DVIR exception. Confirm current Texas adoption of 49 CFR Part 396, and any intrastate modifications, with Texas DPS Commercial Vehicle Enforcement and by reading the current official text of Transportation Code Chapter 644 and 37 Texas Administrative Code Chapter 4.

What we could not independently verify from official sources in this review:

The current official text of 37 TAC Chapter 4 (including § 4.11) and the current official DPS MCS-9 guide, including any Texas-specific vehicle threshold or DVIR exception.

Please confirm those points with the state agency linked on this page before relying on them.

Related federal guides

Sources

Need a printable form? DVIR.io offers free FMCSA-aligned PDF templates, including post-trip, pre-trip, bus and motorcoach, and intermodal reports.

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This 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.