DOT Annual Inspection
The federal annual inspection is not the hard part — the hard part is what happens when something fails. At a shop that only inspects, a failed brake or light means a second appointment somewhere else. Here the inspection bay and the repair bay are the same building.
What gets inspected
We run the FMCSA Appendix A to Part 396 checklist — the same list a roadside inspector uses.
- Brake system — linings, drums, chambers, slack adjusters, air loss rate, parking brake
- Steering, kingpins, tie rods and steering wheel lash
- Suspension, springs, hangers, U-bolts and axle attachment
- Frame, cross-members and body attachment
- Tires, wheels, rims, hubs and fasteners
- Lighting, reflectors and wiring
- Fuel and exhaust systems, coupling devices, windshield and wipers
A qualified inspector signs it, and you leave with the report and the decal for the door.
Fail an item? It gets fixed here
Out-of-adjustment brakes, a worn slack, a cracked chamber, a bad marker light — all of it is bread-and-butter work in our bays. We show you the failed item, quote the repair before we start, and re-check it as part of the same visit.
That is the whole reason fleets book the inspection with a full repair shop instead of an inspection-only station.
Do it before the roadside inspector does
Brakes are the number-one out-of-service category in roadside inspections year after year, and lights are the most common violation of any kind. Both are cheap in a bay and expensive on the shoulder — an out-of-service order does not care about your delivery window.
If you run a fleet, book the annuals in a batch and we will schedule them so the trucks come off the road one at a time instead of all at once.
What it costs
| DOT annual inspection | Call for current price |
| Repairs found during inspection | Quoted before we start · labor $165/hr |
| Brake job, per-axle | Quoted at the shop |
| Wheel alignment while it is here | $299 truck · $499 truck + trailer |
Published prices are what we charge at the counter. Parts and anything not listed are quoted before we start — you approve the number first.
Questions we get asked
How long does the annual inspection take?
Plan on about an hour for the inspection itself if nothing needs work. Repairs are on top of that, and we quote them before starting.
Do you inspect trailers too?
Yes — tractors and trailers both. Fleets usually bring the trailer in the same visit so the pair is done together.
How often does a truck need one?
Every commercial vehicle needs an inspection at least once every 12 months under 49 CFR 396.17, and you have to keep the report on file for 14 months.
Can you do it while I wait?
Most days, yes. Call ahead — same-day slots go fastest at the start of the month.
Towns we do this for
- Allentown, PA
- Bethlehem, PA
- Easton, PA
- Fogelsville, PA
- Reading, PA
- Hamburg, PA
- Kutztown, PA
- Quakertown, PA
Read more on this
- Where to get a truck DOT inspection in Allentown, PA
- What happens during a DOT Level 1 truck inspection?
- When and where do DOT truck inspections actually happen?
- A simple DOT compliance checklist for owner-operators
- Brake and DOT inspection services in Allentown, PA
Book it, or call and talk to a person
Same-day slots open most weekdays. Call (610) 841-2521, or send the form and we call you back. Open 24 hours Monday–Friday · Saturday until midnight · Closed Sunday.