DVIR Records in Ontario: What to Keep and For How Long
Most online answers about DVIR record retention cite the US federal rule. Ontario carriers are governed by Ontario's own regulation — and the requirement differs. Here is what the regulation requires, where it lives, and how to organize records so they are producible when an auditor asks for them.
What a Daily Vehicle Inspection Report Is
A Daily Vehicle Inspection Report — commonly called a DVIR or trip inspection report — is the written or electronic record that a commercial vehicle driver must complete before operating on a highway. It documents the condition of the vehicle at the time of inspection: what was checked, whether any defects were found, how those defects were classified, and — where defects were identified — how and when they were repaired.
The DVIR requirement in Ontario applies to commercial vehicles above a specified weight class, buses, and tow trucks. It is governed by the Highway Traffic Act and implemented through Ontario Regulation 199/07, which specifies the inspection schedules, defect classification rules, and the record-keeping obligations that flow from each inspection. For a full explanation of the inspection process itself — what must be checked, how defects are classified, and the repair documentation requirement — see our pre-trip inspection and DVIR requirements article.
This article focuses specifically on the retention side: what records must be kept, for how long, and in what form — the questions that matter when an MTO auditor sits down with your maintenance file.
The US-versus-Ontario Trap — Named Plainly
Search for "DVIR retention requirements" and most results will cite the US Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) rule. That rule governs US interstate commercial carriers operating under US federal authority. It does not govern Ontario provincial carriers operating within Ontario under provincial authority.
Ontario carriers are governed by Ontario Regulation 199/07 under the Highway Traffic Act. The two regimes have different retention requirements. Using the US federal figure — which appears frequently in trucking industry discussions and AI-generated compliance summaries — as your compliance target means you may be retaining records for the wrong period. Depending on which direction that error runs, you may be destroying records prematurely or retaining them far longer than required.
The current Ontario retention requirement is set out in O. Reg. 199/07 on ontario.ca/laws. Always verify the current version — regulations are amended, and the retention requirement may have changed since any secondary source was written.
What Must Be Recorded and Retained
Retention applies not just to the inspection form itself but to the full chain of documentation that a DVIR generates. There are two distinct record types that must be kept together:
The inspection record. This is the completed DVIR form — signed by the driver, identifying the vehicle, dated, and recording the results of the inspection for each item on the applicable schedule. A form that is unsigned, undated, or does not identify the vehicle is not a complete inspection record for retention purposes.
The defect repair record. When a driver notes a defect — whether minor or major — the regulation requires that the defect be repaired and that the repair be documented. The repair record must identify who performed the repair, what was done, and when. It must be retained for the same period as the originating DVIR and must be producible alongside it. Retaining the DVIR without the corresponding repair sign-off leaves an open defect on your record, which auditors treat as evidence the defect was never addressed — regardless of what actually happened.
A carrier whose vehicle received a clean inspection — no defects noted — has a simpler retention task: the signed inspection form itself. A carrier whose vehicle had noted defects must retain both the form and the repair documentation as a linked set. The obligation is not satisfied by retaining one without the other.
Where the Requirement Lives
The governing requirement for Ontario is Ontario Regulation 199/07 made under the Highway Traffic Act. This regulation implements NSC Standard 13 (Trip Inspection) as applied in Ontario. The retention requirement — how long completed DVIRs and associated repair records must be kept — is set out directly in that regulation.
Carriers should consult the current version of O. Reg. 199/07 on ontario.ca/laws rather than relying on secondary summaries. Regulations are amended, and the authoritative text is what an auditor applies. The ontario.ca/laws version is always the current consolidated version.
For carriers operating across Canadian jurisdictions, each province implements NSC Standard 13 through its own provincial regulation. The retention requirement may differ across provinces. An Ontario carrier running into Quebec or Alberta should verify the retention requirements of each applicable jurisdiction separately, not assume they match Ontario's rule.
How to Organize Records So They Are Producible at an Audit
The retention requirement means nothing if records cannot be produced when an auditor requests them. MTO facility auditors typically request DVIR records for a sample of vehicles across a specified date range. A carrier who has technically retained their DVIRs but cannot locate them within the audit window is in no better position than one who has not retained them at all.
The following practices are the difference between a retention program that works on paper and one that works in the room:
Chronological filing by vehicle
Organize DVIRs chronologically within each vehicle's maintenance file so auditors can pull a date range without searching across unrelated records.
Repair records attached to originating DVIR
Keep each defect repair sign-off physically or digitally linked to the DVIR on which the defect was first noted. An auditor tracing a defect should find the repair record without additional searching.
Retention calendar with destruction dates
Maintain a schedule showing when each vehicle's DVIR records can be lawfully destroyed. Destroying records before the retention period expires is a compliance failure; retaining them indefinitely beyond that point is unnecessary risk and clutter.
Verified export from electronic systems
If DVIRs are captured electronically, periodically verify that the system can produce a complete, legible export for the full retention window. Software upgrades and data migrations can silently drop older records.
Backup for electronic records
Electronic records stored only on a device that can be lost, damaged, or reset are not reliably producible at an audit. Off-device backup — whether cloud-based or local — is essential for any electronic DVIR system.
Carriers using paper DVIRs should designate a specific physical location for each vehicle's records — not a general filing cabinet where forms from different vehicles are mixed. Auditors who cannot quickly pull records for a specific vehicle and date range lose patience quickly, and disorganization creates an impression of a poorly managed program that affects how the rest of the audit goes.
Track defects and repairs in the same place your compliance lives.
CVORReady includes a mobile DVIR app with defect reporting and repair tracking — so the inspection record, the defect note, and the repair sign-off stay linked in one place. When an auditor asks for your maintenance records, they are there.