FMCSA Overhauls ELD Vetting to Keep Noncompliant Devices Off Its Registered List

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced on December 1, 2025, what it called "a complete overhaul of the vetting process for Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs)." The goal, the agency said, is to make sure noncompliant devices "are blocked before they ever reach FMCSA's Registered ELD list."

Since February 2016, ELD suppliers have been able to self-certify their devices and register them with FMCSA, Transport Topics reported. Most truck drivers have been required to use ELDs to record hours of service since December 2017.

The new process

According to FMCSA, the new review includes:

• Initial review: verification of contact information, technical specifications and device images.
• Fraud detection: cross-checking new applications against lists of active, inactive, revoked and in-process devices.
• Categorization: each application is placed in one of four groups: approved; information requested; further review, which may require more documents; or denied.

"Under the previous system, it was easier to register non-compliant devices or re-register devices that had been revoked, leading to repeated revocations and costly, inconvenient replacements for carriers," the agency said. "FMCSA's updated process closes this loophole."

"American families deserve to feel safe sharing a road with semi-trucks, and we want truck drivers to have the best tools to maximize those safety precautions," said FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs.

FMCSA did not give a timeline for putting the changes in place, TT reported. TT said the agency had removed 25 ELDs from its list in 2025 for failing to meet minimum requirements, and CDLLife listed 11 devices revoked since October.

Industry wants more

The American Trucking Associations and the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance have pushed for third-party certification of ELDs. "It's fraud, but the fraud leads to serious safety issues," said Brenna Lyles, ATA's senior director of safety policy. "If drivers are looking for ways around hours of service and evading hours of service, that's the core issue."

CVSA said inspectors were reporting new ways of falsifying ELD records. "The falsifications are often many hours or days off from what actually occurred," said Jeremy Disbrow, a CVSA roadside inspection specialist.

What it means for drivers and fleets

When FMCSA revokes a device, carriers typically have up to 60 days to replace it, an expense and disruption for fleets that bought in good faith. Tighter screening before a device is listed should reduce the chance of a carrier choosing an ELD that is later pulled. Carriers shopping for devices still had reason to confirm a product is on the registered list, check the revoked list and watch for FMCSA notices. For drivers, the change was part of a wider push against falsified logs, which inspectors increasingly look for at roadside.