Direct answers about 387.31(f) enforcement, out-of-service risk, and what happens after a citation. Data from 13M+ roadside inspections.
Ranks #1,832 of 3,146 FMCSR codes by citation frequency • OOS rate of 0.0% is below the FMCSR-wide average of 33.3%.
Direct answers grounded in TruckCodex inspection data
No. Across our inspection records, 387.31(f) has never resulted in an out-of-service order. All 30 all-time citations in our database were issued without placing the vehicle or driver out of service. The 0.0% OOS rate for this code contrasts sharply with the 31.4% national average across all FMCSR violations, making this a documentation or administrative issue rather than a safety-critical defect.
No. This code ranks #1799 out of 3,036 FMCSR codes by citation frequency. The peer codes in the General/Admin category—such as vehicle marking requirements (390.21 series)—show similar 0.0% OOS rates, indicating these are low-severity administrative citations. The rarity of 387.31(f) citations (only 30 all-time, zero in the last 12 months) suggests enforcement is infrequent.
Yes. The DataQs process allows drivers and carriers to challenge any roadside inspection finding, including 387.31(f). Since this code deals with documentation and record-keeping, contestability depends on whether the citation was based on a missing or illegible record versus an actual regulatory non-compliance. If you have proof the required documentation was present or correct at the time of inspection, file a challenge with FMCSA. Responses typically take 30–60 days.
Low urgency for vehicle safety; moderate urgency for your compliance record. Since this code has a 0.0% out-of-service rate, there is no immediate equipment or driver safety risk. However, zero citations in the last 90 days across our 13 million records indicate that enforcement is rare but enforcement-focused when it does occur. Address the underlying documentation issue within 30 days to avoid pattern citations and CSA record impact.
Our all-time data shows 387.31(f) citations are highly dispersed. The top cited carriers—ELRANCHO INC, SISTEMAS DE APOYO LOGISTICO, and AUTOLINEAS DE CULIACAN—each have only 1 citation. Vehicle makes cited include Kenworth and Freightliner (2 citations each). This extreme rarity means no single carrier type or vehicle make has a pattern risk. The low volume suggests 387.31(f) is an incidental finding rather than a systemic enforcement focus.
General/Admin violations like 387.31(f) typically appear in carrier-level safety records and driver violation histories through FMCSA's SMS system. The citation will be visible to your carrier, potential future employers, and safety auditors. A single citation is unlikely to impact hiring, but a pattern of documentation violations may prompt carrier or DOT scrutiny. Keep a personal copy of your citation and any DataQs challenge response for your records.
If cited for 387.31(f), inspect your overall record-keeping and vehicle documentation practices. Peer codes in the General/Admin category—such as 390.21(a) (vehicle marking, 25,872 citations), 390.21(b) (USDOT number display, 13,244 citations), and 390.19B2-BIENNIAL (16,142 citations)—all carry 0.0% OOS rates but appear far more frequently than 387.31(f). These citations often occur together during inspections. Strengthen your pre-trip documentation review to avoid repeat findings across multiple codes.
TruckCodex aggregates official public-sector datasets. See the Source registry for dataset-level coverage and the Freshness log for last-import timestamps.
Census, SAFER, SMS, Licensing & Insurance (L&I), roadside inspections, crashes, and authority history.
Vehicle recall campaigns, defect investigations, and consumer safety complaints (SCRS).
Cross-border carrier registry and Canadian recall campaigns where applicable.
TruckCodex is an independent aggregator; it is not affiliated with FMCSA, NHTSA, EIA, or Transport Canada. Always verify compliance-critical information directly with the originating agency.