U.S. · Trucking · FMCSA
FMCSA violation codes.
Type a code like 395.8E or 392.2, or words like "false log" or "brake", to see how FMCSA describes and weights it.
FMCSA stores roadside violation codes without punctuation (395.8E is 3958E) and groups them under six BASICs; 3958E, a false report of the record of duty status, carries severity weight 7, while 3958A, a form-and-manner paper log error, carries 1. Search below to see the BASIC, weights and how often each code is cited.
Search the codes
Matching codes
What this list is
FMCSA and its state partners record violations found at roadside inspections under short codes that mix the regulation section with a suffix. The agency feeds those records into the Safety Measurement System (SMS), and the violation data behind the current month’s SMS calculation is published as an open dataset on data.transportation.gov. This page searches that dataset. The codes in the dataset are written without punctuation, so 395.8(e) appears as 3958E. The lookup accepts either form: type 395.8E and it matches the codes starting 3958E.
Each row shows the BASIC (Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Category) the violation counts toward, the description as FMCSA publishes it, a severity weight, an out-of-service weight, and how many times the code was cited in the dataset. The list is limited to codes cited at least 25 times, which is 1,243 codes; rarer codes are left out. FMCSA truncates long descriptions in the dataset, so some end mid-sentence.
Reading the weights
The dataset defines the severity weight as the weight assigned to the violation and the out-of-service weight as the weight assigned if the violation is identified as an out-of-service violation. The dataset describes itself as the violation data used for the current month’s SMS calculations, so the weights are inputs to those calculations. We show the highest weight seen for each code. A weight is not a fine and not a pass or fail result, and nothing in the dataset says what penalty a state or FMCSA may assess.
Codes that drivers ask about most
Hours-of-service codes sit in the 395 family. The suffix after 3958 separates the kind of record problem: 3958A is the form and manner of a paper log or logging program, and 3958E is a false report of the driver’s record of duty status. In this dataset 3958E carries a severity weight of 7 and 3958A a weight of 1, which shows how differently FMCSA treats a formatting error and a false log. Speeding codes under 392.2 carry suffixes such as SLLS3 for state or local speeding law violations of 11 to 14 miles per hour over the limit. The same rule section can show up under several suffixes, so a search for 392.2 returns a family of speeding, lane, and following-distance codes.
Vehicle maintenance codes make up most of the list (801 of 1,243). They start with 393 (parts and accessories) or 396 (inspection, repair and maintenance), and the suffix narrows them to a specific component such as lamps, brakes or tires.
Worked example
An inspection report lists 395.8E and a driver wants to know whether it is serious. Searching 395.8E returns the 3958E family. The first line says a false report of the driver’s record of duty status, listed under Hours-of-Service Compliance with severity weight 7 and out-of-service weight 2, cited 12,139 times in the dataset. Compare that with 395.8A, the form-and-manner code, at weight 1. What this page cannot tell you is whether the citation was correct. The inspecting officer’s report is the authority for what was actually cited, and questions about a specific citation go to the enforcement agency or FMCSA.
Limits
The dataset covers violations used in the current month’s SMS calculations, which means recent inspections of carriers in the system. A rarely cited code may be missing even though it exists in the regulations. The dataset was last updated October 13, 2026 when we read it on November 2, 2026. This is not an official FMCSA violation code table, and FMCSA can change weights when it changes the SMS methodology. Use the carrier or enforcement agency for the authoritative current list.
Sources
Sources opened and read November 2, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What does violation code 395.8E mean?
In the FMCSA SMS dataset, 3958E is "False report of drivers record of duty status" under Hours-of-Service Compliance, with severity weight 7 and out-of-service weight 2. The 395.8 section covers driver records of duty status.
Why does the dataset write 3958E instead of 395.8E?
The open dataset stores violation codes without punctuation: the section number runs straight into the suffix. This lookup accepts the punctuated form and matches the dataset codes that start with the same characters.
What is a BASIC?
A BASIC is a Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Category in FMCSA’s Safety Measurement System. The BASICs in this list are Unsafe Driving, Hours-of-Service Compliance, Driver Fitness, Controlled Substances/Alcohol, Vehicle Maintenance and Hazardous Materials Compliance.
What is the difference between severity weight and out-of-service weight?
Severity weight is the weight assigned to the violation. The out-of-service weight is the weight assigned if the violation is identified as an out-of-service violation. Both feed the SMS calculation; neither is a fine.
Why are some codes missing?
To keep the list useful, codes cited fewer than 25 times in the dataset are omitted. The dataset itself only holds violations used in the current month’s SMS calculations.
Where does this data come from?
From the SMS Input - Violation dataset published by the Department of Transportation on data.transportation.gov. It was last updated on October 13, 2026 when we read it.
Does a higher severity weight mean a bigger fine?
No. The weight is a value in the SMS dataset, not a penalty. The dataset does not contain fine amounts, and this page cannot judge a specific citation.
Not legal or compliance advice
This page is general information drawn from the sources listed, not legal, tax or compliance advice, and it is not run by any government agency. Rules, forms and dates change and your agency, base jurisdiction or enforcement officer decides your case, so confirm with the office named on this page before you rely on it. Everything runs in your browser; nothing you enter is sent anywhere.