When Would a CVSA Decal Be Placed on Your Vehicle?

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance certifies officers to conduct routine and random inspections on truck drivers. These inspections verify the driver’s compliance and ensure they have the documents and registrations required to operate their vehicle. When would a CVSA decal be placed on your vehicle? 

Custom decal stickers for trucks enhance brand visibility and help ensure compliance but they should not cover your CVSA decal or other official stickers that provide industry information about you and your truck. Federal Motor Carrier Authority Filings explores the CVSA decal’s purpose and how to obtain one. 

What Are CVSA Decals?

CVSA decals indicate that you have passed a roadside inspection. CVSA officers conduct one of eight inspection levels to determine whether the inspected drivers meet the minimal safety standards detailed by the inspection level. However, they typically only provide these decals for levels I, V, and IV.

When you earn a decal, you won’t likely undergo the same vehicle inspection level for another three months. The decals only apply to inspections involving vehicles, not the drivers. Therefore, you might not pass the inspection if the officer discovers physical or cognitive concerns or finds record-keeping issues. However, your vehicle may still pass the inspection and earn one of the decals. 

Decoding the Decal Colors

Decals come in one of four colors, indicating when the driver earned them:

• Green means your inspection occurred from January through March. 
• Yellow indicates the check happened between April and June. 
• Orange decals are issued from July through September. 
• White means the evaluation took place from October through December. 

Each sticker features a large, bold number at the top. The number reflects the last digit in the current calendar year. For example, you passed an inspection with flying colors in July 2024. Therefore, you’d receive an orange decal bearing the number 4 at the top. 

How Can You Get a CVSA Decal?

You can get a CVSA decal by meeting most inspection criteria during an evaluation conducted by a certified officer. The officer must not find any significant violations during their investigation. Many inspections happen randomly. 

A qualified officer might pull you over or engage with you at a weigh-in station or truck stop. Therefore, most drivers cannot predict when their next inspection will take place. However, you can stay prepared by:

• Inspecting your vehicle before and after routes.
• Organizing your documents and keeping them accessible. 
• Reporting any mechanical concerns as soon as you notice them. 
• Knowing what vehicle inspections involve so you can anticipate various focuses. 

You should also ensure that critical inspection items are in flawless working order. For example, bucking fuel systems, insecure cargo, and malfunctioning coupling devices will not only prevent you from earning your decal. The inspecting officer might also place your vehicle under an out-of-service order. 

When Would a CVSA Decal Be Placed on Your Vehicle?

When would a CVSA decal be placed on your vehicle? You must meet all the following criteria:

1. You are up for a quarterly vehicle inspection. More often than not, an officer will not reinspect a vehicle with a recent decal. Most inspections take place within a new three-month period. 
2. The officer wants to conduct a Level I, V, or IV inspection. These inspections are also known as the North American Standard Inspection, Vehicle-Only Inspection, and North American Standard Inspection for Transuranic Waste and Highway Route Controlled Quantities of Radioactive Material. The other levels typically involve drivers and documents with no vehicle focus. 
3. You made sure all critical inspection items worked as expected. If the officer does find critical inspection items in unsatisfactory condition, they will place your vehicle out of order.
4. You pass the inspection. Regularly performing your own compliance check and staying prepared for inspections at any time often ensure you earn your CVSA decal. 

What Else Should You Know About CVSA Decals?

Some truckers mistakenly make assumptions about the CVSA decals. However, drivers should remember that:

• An officer can still place a driver out of service while passing the vehicle. Just because your vehicle passed doesn’t mean you will. Stay alert, sober, and healthy throughout your time operating vehicles.  
• The decals must stay on your windshield’s lower right-hand corner. You can’t place them in a random location. 
• Level VI inspections earn a special blue decal. Since Level VI inspections involve hazardous or radioactive materials, they have their own unique criteria. 
• You can still undergo vehicle inspections if you have a current decal. Reinspections are uncommon. However, they can still occur during the current three-month period. 

Trust FMCA Filings to Keep Your Documents in One Place

When would a CVSA decal be placed on your vehicle? An officer would supply the decal following the most recent inspection, depending on the annual quarter. Truck driver decals help officials identify and track an operator’s overall performance, attention to detail, and compliance. 

FMCA Filings helps you comply with an easy-access portal and compliance checks.