If you look at your inspection report and see Level I or Level VII, do you know what it actually means for you? Given that the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) International Roadcheck is just around the corner, I thought it would be timely to explain the different types of inspection levels.
To begin, this year’s Roadcheck will take place June 5-7, 2018. Over that 72-hour period, commercial motor vehicle inspectors throughout North America will conduct inspections of commercial motor vehicles and drivers. The theme of this year’s focus is on hours-of-service compliance. Therefore, motor carriers in the United States that do not have either a grandfathered AOBRD or fully compliant ELD will be subject to enforcement, including fines, penalties, and a driver being placed out of service for non-compliance.
Level I – North American Standard Inspections
This is the most comprehensive of the inspections. It includes an examination of compliance with the critical elements of both driver and vehicle regulations. The majority of drivers during Roadcheck 2018 will be subject to a Level I inspection.
A Level I inspection takes about 45-60 minutes to complete, depending on circumstances.
Level II – Walk-Around Driver/Vehicle Inspections
This is very similar to the Level I inspection, except the inspector will not check items that require the inspector to physically get under the vehicle. A level II Inspection can quickly become a Level I Inspection if the inspector uncovers defects on a vehicle as the result of the walk-around inspection.
The Level II inspection takes about 30 minutes to complete, depending on circumstances.
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Level III – Driver/Credential Inspections
This is examination of only those documents that pertain to the driver and hazardous materials (if applicable):
- Commercial driver’s license (CDL)
- Medical certificate
- Logbook & hours of service
- Documentation of the annual vehicle inspection
The inspector will also check for the presence of hazardous materials. The Level III inspection will take about 15 minutes to complete, depending on circumstances.
Level IV – Special Inspections
This is typically a one-time examination of a specific item. These examinations are normally made in support of a study or to verify/refute a suspected trend in the industry.
The time to complete a Level IV inspection will depending on circumstances.
Level V – Vehicle-Only Inspections
This follows the vehicle portion of the Level I inspection, and may also take place without a 
driver present. It is usually conducted at a carrier’s place of business during a compliance review by a Facility Auditor to get the required sample size to proceed with an audit. It includes all the vehicle components inspected under the Level I inspection.
The Level V inspection can take up to 30 minutes to complete, depending on circumstances.
Level VI – Enhanced NAS Inspection for Radioactive Shipments
This follows a higher inspection standard than the regular Level I North American Standard Inspection. It is used only on select shipments of Class 7 radioactive material.
The Level VII inspection will also take up to 60 minutes to complete, depending on circumstances.
Level VIII – North American Standard Electronic Inspection – NEW
The newest type of Inspection that was implemented in response to the launch of the Electronic Logging Device (ELD) mandate in the United States on December 18, 2017.
This includes those items specified under the North American Standard Electronic Inspection Procedure. The inspection is conducted electronically or wireless, while the vehicle is in motion without direct interaction with an enforcement officer. A data exchange must include each of the required and/or applicable data points listed in the Level VIII Electronic Inspection definition.
The time needed to complete a Level VII inspection will be dependent on circumstances.