FMCSR 393.3 Citation: What You Need to Know

No. Across our inspection database, 393.3 citations have never resulted in an out-of-service placement—the OOS rate is 0.0%. This is significantly better than the all-FMCSR average OOS rate of 31.4%, which means 393.3 violations are treated as non-critical during roadside inspection. You will not be pulled off the road for this violation, though you are still required to correct the underlying condition.

The specific CSA point value depends on your carrier's Safety Management System (SMS) category weight, which FMCSA sets by violation type. We cannot provide your exact point total without knowing the severity weight assigned to 393.3 in your carrier's safety profile. Contact your fleet manager or safety department for the precise impact on your score. What we know: 393.3 is not an OOS-eligible violation, so the penalty is administrative rather than immediate enforcement.

1. Request the inspection report from the officer and photograph the violation noted.
2. Notify your dispatcher and fleet safety team immediately—do not assume the citation is minor.
3. Document the current vehicle condition with photos before any repairs.
4. Schedule corrective action at an approved service facility if equipment repair is required.
5. Keep all repair receipts and invoices for your records and DataQs contestation if you choose to challenge the citation.
6. Follow up with your carrier's compliance team within 48 hours to ensure the citation is logged in your carrier's safety system.

393.3 is relatively low-severity in the vehicle maintenance category. Our records show it ranks #597 of 3,036 FMCSR codes by citation volume, with only 1,537 all-time citations. For comparison, the most-cited peer code in the same category—393.9(a) (inoperable required lamps)—has 660,737 citations and a 15.4% OOS rate. The related code 396.3(a)(1) (inspection/repair/maintenance general) has a 45.3% OOS rate. Since 393.3 carries a 0.0% OOS rate, inspectors are not treating it as a roadworthiness emergency, though citation frequency varies by carrier and vehicle type.

Yes. If you believe the citation is inaccurate, incomplete, or issued in error, you can submit a DataQs (database quality improvement) request through FMCSA's CDR (Compliance, Safety, Accountability and Driver Records) system. For equipment or maintenance citations like 393.3, contestation success depends on whether the officer's finding contradicts documented repair records, maintenance logs, or vehicle inspection certificates you can provide. Document everything before submission. DataQs requests must be filed within a set timeframe—check FMCSA's portal for current deadlines.

393.3 is uncommon. In the past 12 months and last 90 days, our records show zero citations for 393.3—all 1,537 all-time citations predate the last year of data. This is very different from peer codes: 393.9(a) (inoperable required lamps) has 660,737 all-time citations, and 393.11 (lighting devices/reflectors) has 179,734. The rarity of 393.3 citations suggests the violation is either narrowly defined, rarely triggered during inspections, or that drivers and carriers are complying well with this specific requirement.

Across our 13 million inspection records, 393.3 citations concentrate among small and independent operators. The top cited carrier is Guillermo Abraham Zapata Picazo (USDOT 1394813) with 9 citations, followed by Hector Miguel Luna Mata (USDOT 3193773) with 8 citations. Most carriers in the top 10 are independent or small regional operators; Keystone Automotive Industries Inc (USDOT 778752) and Home Express Delivery Service LLC (USDOT 2714701) are the largest by standard fleet measure, each with 4 citations. No national carrier dominates 393.3 violations, indicating the citation is spread across operator types.

Freightliner trucks account for 393 of the 1,537 all-time 393.3 citations—roughly 26% of all citations for this code. Ford follows with 190 citations, Isuzu with 185, and International with 178. Older vocational vehicles like Hino (91 citations) and Utility trailers (54 citations) also appear frequently. The concentration in Freightliner and older medium-duty platforms suggests 393.3 may relate to condition or component availability issues common to those vehicle types. Check your own truck's maintenance history against these patterns.