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§ New-entrant audit — Arizona

The new-entrant safety audit in Arizona

The FMCSA new-entrant safety audit works the same way in Arizona as everywhere else: it is a federal program. Every new Arizona interstate motor carrier is monitored for 18 months and undergoes a safety audit of the six factors (General, Driver, Operational, Vehicle, Hazardous Materials, and Accident), generally after at least 3 months of operation. What is specific to Arizona is intrastate registration, handled by the state.

When does the new-entrant audit happen for a Arizona carrier?

After a new entrant satisfies its pre-operational requirements, it is subject to new-entrant safety monitoring for 18 months, and a safety audit is conducted once it has operated long enough to have sufficient records — generally at least 3 months (49 CFR 385.307).

What does the audit check?

The same six factors evaluated in every state: General (Parts 387, 390), Driver (Parts 382, 383, 391), Operational (Parts 392, 395), Vehicle (Parts 393, 396), Hazardous Materials (Parts 171, 177, 180, 397), and Accident (recordable rate per million miles). This grouping is defined in 49 CFR Appendix A to Part 385.

What is specific to Arizona?

Arizona intrastate matters are handled by the Arizona DOT Motor Carrier Services / New Entrant Program. These are separate from the federal new-entrant audit.

  • UCR: Not required for Arizona intrastate carriers. Arizona is a UCR non-participating state (not among the 39 participating states on the official UCR Plan list at plan.ucr.gov/participating-states/), and UCR applies only to interstate carriers: 'You are NOT required to register with UCR since you are engaged in Intrastate Commerce.'

Common questions

What does a new motor carrier need to register and operate in Arizona?
A new Arizona intrastate motor carrier must obtain a USDOT number if operating a vehicle over 26,000 lbs GVWR, but Arizona does not issue a separate state DOT number and does not participate in UCR (UCR is required only for interstate carriers); interstate new entrants enter an 18-month FMCSA safety-monitoring period with a safety audit within 12 months, and for-hire carriers pay a $300 federal operating-authority filing fee.

Prep your own new-entrant audit

The CarrierReady Audit-Prep Kit gives you fillable templates mapped to all six factors — driver qualification files, a written maintenance program, a drug-and-alcohol testing policy, an accident register, and a document-by-document checklist.

See the kit

Primary sources

CarrierReady is an independent audit-preparation tool — not legal advice, and not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the FMCSA or any government agency; always verify against the official regulations at ecfr.gov.