# New York Trucking Compliance: Part 820, NYSDOT, and Three Kinds of Inspection Canonical page: https://fleetregulators.com/locations/new-york Page type: Location guide | Published: 2026-11-07 | Last updated: 2026-11-07 Summary: New York trucking rules: Part 820 from 10,001 lb, NYSDOT enforcement, intrastate USDOT and authority, and heavy vehicle and diesel inspections. --- New York applies the federal motor carrier safety rules to intrastate carriers through 17 NYCRR Part 820, which defines a commercial motor vehicle from **10,001 pounds**, the same as the federal threshold. Federal hours of service (Part 395) apply to intrastate drivers with only short exceptions (certain farm, tow truck and utility service vehicles), so New York has no general longer-hours rule. Intrastate carriers must obtain a USDOT number, and for-hire property and household goods carriers need New York intrastate operating authority from NYSDOT. NYSDOT is the lead agency for roadside enforcement, working with the State Police. New York-registered trucks also need an annual state inspection (a heavy vehicle inspection above 18,000 pounds maximum gross weight) and, downstate, an annual diesel emissions inspection. Part 820 adopts the federal rules as of a fixed edition date that NYSDOT updates by rulemaking, so federal amendments made after the adopted edition do not apply to New York intrastate carriers through Part 820 until NYSDOT updates it. The Part 820 section text cited below is the Legal Information Institute's reproduction of the NYCRR, not the official compilation. On this page 1. Who this guide is for 2. How Part 820 applies the federal rules to intrastate trucks 3. What Part 820 means for local fleets 4. USDOT numbers and New York intrastate authority 5. Who enforces trucking safety in New York 6. New York's annual, heavy vehicle and diesel inspections 7. What New York roadside inspections find 8. New York compliance checklist 9. How Fleet Regulators supports New York carriers 10. Frequently asked questions 11. Sources ## Who this guide is for New York is home to 19,532 interstate carriers in FMCSA's census and 106,165 intrastate carriers listed in the same file; 86.5% of the interstate carriers run 10 or fewer power units. This guide is for New York carriers, particularly the large intrastate population that assumes local trucking escapes federal rules. It does not. Carriers in the five boroughs and surrounding counties can also see our [New York City page](https://fleetregulators.com/locations/new-york-city-ny). 106,165 Intrastate carriers listed in FMCSA's census for New York 10.1% Driver out-of-service rate at New York inspections 218,318 Inspections reported by New York in 24 months ## How Part 820 applies the federal rules to intrastate trucks | Topic | Federal (interstate) | New York intrastate (Part 820) | | --- | --- | --- | | Weight where the rules start | 10,001 lb | 10,001 lb GVWR, GCWR, GVW or GCW (plus passenger and placarded hazmat categories) | | Hours of service | Part 395 | Part 395 adopted, except: farmers hauling farm, dairy or horticultural products and supplies; tow trucks answering service calls; utility service vehicle drivers | | Drug and alcohol testing | Part 382 for CDL drivers | Part 382 adopted for drivers and employers subject to CDL requirements | | Inspection, repair, maintenance | Part 396 | Part 396 adopted | | Minimum driver age | 21 | 18 for intrastate-only drivers of vehicles requiring a Class B CDL, and certain non-CDL intrastate drivers licensed on or after January 1, 2004 | | Medical certification | Required | Intrastate-only CDL drivers first licensed before September 9, 1999, and non-CDL drivers first licensed before January 1, 2004, are exempt (not for 16+ passenger or placarded hazmat vehicles) | ## What Part 820 means for local fleets The practical message is that New York's intrastate exceptions are about people (younger drivers, long-licensed drivers), not about trucks or hours. A 14,000-pound box truck making deliveries entirely inside New York is subject to Part 395 hours limits and records (logs, or time records if it qualifies for the short-haul exception), an annual inspection under Part 396, and drivers whose qualification files hold up. Our guides to [HOS for small fleets](https://fleetregulators.com/blog/hos-compliance-guide-small-fleets) and the [DQ file checklist](https://fleetregulators.com/blog/driver-qualification-file-checklist) apply as written. ## USDOT numbers and New York intrastate authority FMCSA lists New York among the states that require intrastate commercial vehicle registrants to obtain a USDOT number, and NYSDOT states that every property carrier applying for New York intrastate operating authority must have one. NYSDOT no longer issues USDOT numbers itself; carriers register through FMCSA. Trucks used strictly for personal or recreational purposes do not need one. NYSDOT issues New York intrastate operating authority to for-hire carriers of property and household goods; since December 6, 2021, applications go through the Carrier Certification System. Household goods movers must also run a bona fide place of business in New York and meet experience, financial and insurance requirements. ## Who enforces trucking safety in New York NYSDOT is New York's MCSAP lead agency. Its Motor Carrier Compliance Bureau runs the statewide program: roadside inspections, new entrant safety audits, compliance reviews and household goods complaints. The New York State Police is the main police agency taking part in roadside commercial vehicle inspections, and some local police agencies participate from time to time. Under Part 820, NYSDOT employees and all police officers may stop and inspect commercial vehicles and inspect carrier facilities and records. ## New York's annual, heavy vehicle and diesel inspections - **Annual state inspection:** New York vehicle safety inspections are required every 12 months and when ownership changes, for New York-registered vehicles. - **Heavy vehicle inspection:** New York-registered motor vehicles with a registered maximum gross weight over 18,000 pounds (and buses seating more than 14 passengers) get the Group 2 heavy vehicle safety inspection; trailers over 18,000 pounds and all semitrailers are also inspected in Group 2. Owners of vehicles between 10,001 and 18,000 pounds may request it. - **Diesel emissions:** non-exempt diesel vehicles over 8,500 pounds maximum gross weight registered in New York City, Nassau, Suffolk, Rockland or Westchester need an annual diesel emissions inspection. These are New York DMV programs. The federal annual inspection under 49 CFR 396.17 is a separate requirement for commercial motor vehicles; keep records that show both are current. See our [annual inspection recordkeeping guide](https://fleetregulators.com/blog/dot-annual-inspection-recordkeeping-requirements). ## What New York roadside inspections find New York inspections lean toward vehicle visibility and equipment: brakes, clearance and identification lamps, and lighting are the top three violation groups, with emergency equipment fourth. The driver out-of-service rate at New York inspections was 10.1%, well above the national 6.2%. | Roadside inspections, September 25, 2024 to September 24, 2026 | New York | 50 states and DC | | --- | --- | --- | | Inspections reported by the state (all carriers) | 218,318 | 5,653,653 | | Driver out-of-service rate | 10.1% | 6.2% | | Vehicle out-of-service rate | 21.2% | 22.5% | | Driver inspections with at least one HOS violation | 7.5% | 7.8% | | Vehicle inspections with at least one maintenance violation | 51.4% | 48.9% | | Most frequent violation groups at New York inspections | Violations | Share of all violations recorded | | --- | --- | --- | | Brakes, other than adjustment (FMCSA: Brakes All Others) | 40,068 | 14.2% | | Clearance and identification lamps (FMCSA: Clearance Identification Lamps/Other) | 37,735 | 13.4% | | Lighting | 32,226 | 11.4% | | Emergency Equipment | 20,112 | 7.1% | | Medical Certificate | 17,135 | 6.1% | Source: Fleet Regulators analysis of FMCSA Safety Measurement System (SMS) input files, monthly run published October 2026, covering roadside inspections recorded September 25, 2024 to September 24, 2026. "In the state" means the inspection was reported by New York, whatever the carrier's home state. Driver rates use Level 1, 2, 3 and 6 inspections; vehicle rates use Level 1, 2, 5 and 6. Group names are FMCSA's. Same method as our [HOS roadside violations study](https://fleetregulators.com/research/most-common-hos-roadside-violations). 51.8% of the inspections New York reported in this window involved carriers based in another state, and 48.2% involved New York-based carriers. New York-based interstate carriers, wherever inspected, had a driver out-of-service rate of 7.7% and a vehicle out-of-service rate of 17.5%. These figures describe what inspectors recorded, not how safe carriers in the state are. Rates move with enforcement priorities, which inspection levels a state favors, where it inspects, and which carriers pass through. A driver out-of-service order usually traces back to paperwork the carrier controls: an expired medical certificate, a license problem, or hours. Those are fixable before the truck leaves the yard, which is why driver files and logs are the place to start. ## New York compliance checklist - Treat every truck of 10,001 lb or more as a commercial motor vehicle, intrastate or not. - Get a USDOT number through FMCSA; for-hire property and household goods carriers apply for NYSDOT authority in the Carrier Certification System. - Keep Part 395 records (logs or, where the short-haul exception applies, time records) for intrastate drivers unless a listed farm, tow or utility exception applies. - Track which drivers rely on the age-18 or medical grandfather provisions, and keep them on eligible work. - Keep DMV annual, heavy vehicle and (downstate) diesel emissions inspections current, alongside the federal annual inspection. - Check lamps, markings and emergency equipment on every pre-trip. - Prepare for NYSDOT [new entrant audits](https://fleetregulators.com/blog/new-entrant-audit-what-to-expect) and compliance reviews. ## How Fleet Regulators supports New York carriers We support New York carriers remotely from Austin, Texas; we have no New York office. What we can do: building [driver qualification files](https://fleetregulators.com/driver-qualification-files) for intrastate fleets that never kept them, setting up [HOS log auditing](https://fleetregulators.com/hours-of-service-compliance), organizing inspection records, and preparing for NYSDOT [compliance reviews](https://fleetregulators.com/dot-audit-help) and [new entrant audits](https://fleetregulators.com/new-entrant-audit-help). ## Frequently Asked Questions **Do the federal hours-of-service rules apply to New York intrastate drivers?** Yes. 17 NYCRR Part 820 adopts 49 CFR Part 395 for intrastate carriers and drivers, with exceptions for certain farm vehicles, tow trucks responding to service calls, and utility service vehicles. **Do New York intrastate carriers need a USDOT number?** Yes. FMCSA lists New York among the states that require intrastate registrants to obtain a USDOT number, and NYSDOT requires one for every property carrier applying for New York intrastate operating authority. **Who is New York's lead agency for truck safety enforcement?** NYSDOT, through its Motor Carrier Compliance Bureau, working with the New York State Police and some local police agencies. **Can an 18-year-old drive a truck intrastate in New York?** In limited cases: intrastate-only drivers of vehicles requiring a Class B CDL, and certain non-CDL intrastate drivers licensed on or after January 1, 2004, may operate at 18 under Part 820. **Which New York trucks need a heavy vehicle inspection?** New York-registered motor vehicles with a registered maximum gross weight over 18,000 pounds get the Group 2 heavy vehicle safety inspection. Trailers over 18,000 pounds and all semitrailers are also inspected in Group 2. **Which New York diesel trucks need an emissions inspection?** Non-exempt diesel vehicles over 8,500 pounds maximum gross weight registered in New York City, Nassau, Suffolk, Rockland or Westchester need an annual diesel emissions inspection. Sources and Regulatory References - [17 NYCRR 820.1, Definitions (10,001 lb threshold) ↗](https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/new-york/17-NYCRR-820.1) Legal Information Institute reproduction of the NYCRR; accessed 2026-11-07. - [17 NYCRR 820.3, Driver qualifications (age and medical exemptions) ↗](https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/new-york/17-NYCRR-820.3) Legal Information Institute reproduction of the NYCRR; accessed 2026-11-07. - [17 NYCRR 820.6, Hours of service ↗](https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/new-york/17-NYCRR-820.6) Legal Information Institute reproduction of the NYCRR; accessed 2026-11-07. - [17 NYCRR Part 820, 2015 rulemaking text (historical; superseded in part) ↗](https://www.dot.ny.gov/divisions/operating/osss/repository/Part%20820%20Update.pdf) New York State Department of Transportation, 2015; accessed 2026-11-07. - [Commercial vehicle inspections ↗](https://www.dot.ny.gov/divisions/operating/osss/truck/vehicle) New York State Department of Transportation; accessed 2026-11-07. - [Motor carrier safety ↗](https://www.dot.ny.gov/divisions/operating/osss/truck) New York State Department of Transportation; accessed 2026-11-07. - [Registration and licensing ↗](https://www.dot.ny.gov/divisions/operating/osss/truck/registration-licensing) New York State Department of Transportation; accessed 2026-11-07. - [About New York State inspections ↗](https://dmv.ny.gov/inspections/about-new-york-state-inspections) New York State DMV; accessed 2026-11-07. - [Inspection groups (VS-77) ↗](https://dmv.ny.gov/forms/vs77.pdf) New York State DMV, VS-77 (7/15); accessed 2026-11-07. - [Diesel inspections and emission testing ↗](https://dmv.ny.gov/inspections/diesel-inspections-emission-testing) New York State DMV; accessed 2026-11-07. - [Do I need a USDOT number? ↗](https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/registration/do-i-need-usdot-number) FMCSA, last updated September 3, 2025; accessed 2026-11-07. - [SMS Input - Inspection (dataset rbkj-cgst) ↗](https://data.transportation.gov/d/rbkj-cgst) FMCSA via data.transportation.gov, rows updated 2026-10-13; accessed 2026-11-07. - [SMS Input - Violation (dataset 8mt8-2mdr) ↗](https://data.transportation.gov/d/8mt8-2mdr) FMCSA via data.transportation.gov, rows updated 2026-10-13; accessed 2026-11-07. - [SMS Input - Motor Carrier Census Information (dataset kjg3-diqy) ↗](https://data.transportation.gov/d/kjg3-diqy) FMCSA via data.transportation.gov, rows updated 2026-10-13; accessed 2026-11-07. Last updated November 2026. Prepared by Fleet Regulators from the sources listed above. This page explains regulations in plain English and is not legal advice. Rules change; confirm current requirements with the agency named in each source before acting.