Pre-Employment Screening Program

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Pre-Employment Screening Program?

The Pre-Employment Screening Program (PSP) is a screening tool that allows motor carriers and individual drivers to purchase driving records from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS). Records are available for 24 hours a day via Web request.

What information does the Driver Information Resource record (DIR) contain?

Driver Information Resource records purchased through PSP contain the most recent 5 years of crash data and 3 years of roadside inspection data from the FMCSA MCMIS system.

Is information from traffic tickets going to be posted prior to the court date or will the information only be posted if there is a conviction?

No. The PSP only contains MCMIS information.

Why did FMCSA develop the PSP?

Developing a system to make safety performance information electronically available for pre-employment screening purposes was mandated by Congress in the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users, Title 49 U.S. Code, section 31150 Public Law 109-59 Section 4117. FMCSA believes that making this driver data available to potential employers and operator-applicants will improve the quality of safety data and help employers make more informed decisions when hiring commercial drivers. The PSP provides more rapid access to commercial driver safety performance information than was previously available under Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) or Privacy Act requests.

What is the fee structure?

Is the operator-applicant informed when this data is released?

No, the operator-applicant will not receive separate notice from NIC that the information was released. However, it is mandatory that the motor carrier receive the operator-applicant's written consent prior to the data being released.

How does an operator-applicant know that their information was not released without his/her consent? Is the operator-applicant notified each time information is released?

NIC is subject to routine audits by FMCSA to ensure compliance with applicable Federal laws and regulations and compliance with the contract terms. Motor carriers are subject to random audits by NIC and/or FMCSA to ensure that operator-applicant written consent is obtained and those records of consent are maintained. As stated previously, since operator-applicants are consenting to the release of the information either through a prospective employer or through the PSP system themselves, there is no independent notice provided to operator-applicants.

Does a motor carrier have to use the PSP for hiring drivers?

No, the PSP is a voluntary program for carriers.

How do motor carriers obtain the data?

FMCSA is working with a contractor, National Information Consortium Technologies, LLC (NIC Technologies), to provide the data to motor carriers with the operator-applicant’s written consent. The motor carrier must enroll to participate in the PSP program.  Then, the motor carrier will be provided credentials to access the PSP online service.  A carrier needs an Internet connection and a Web browser to access PSP.

Who can request a Driver Information Resource record?

Motor carriers may request Driver Information Resource records solely for the purpose of conducting pre-employment screening and only with the operator-applicant’s written consent. Individual drivers or operator-applicants may purchase their own Driver Information Resource record at any time.

Can operator-applicants obtain their MCMIS information?

Yes. Operator-applicants will be able to get a copy of their inspection and crash data in MCMIS through PSP for the prescribed fee. Motor carriers may continue to obtain driver safety performance information by submitting a Freedom of Information Act request to FMCSA http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/foia/foia.htm and operator-applicants may obtain their own information free of charge from FMCSA by submitting a Privacy Act request.

How does information get into PSP? Is it only from MCMIS or will city police departments, county safety offices, and other enforcement agencies be able to add crash and inspection information? For example, could CBP put information into PSP on driver convictions for smuggling that happened in the Federal Courts?

PSP only contains MCMIS inspection and crash information that is uploaded into MCMIS by FMCSA Federal staff and State partners.

What processes are in place to ensure that operator-applicant data is properly released?

NIC Technologies is required to adhere to the Privacy Act, the applicable sections of the Fair Credit Reporting Act and all other applicable Federal laws to protect driver information. NIC Technologies is also required to develop processes and systems to protect the FMCSA-supplied data from unauthorized disclosures, including processes to ensure that operator-applicant’s written consent is obtained, thefts, manipulation, or dissemination, in accordance with federal security requirements, including the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act of 1994.

Will non-motor carrier entities such as insurance companies be able to access this information?

No. The PSP is solely for the purpose of conducting pre-employment screening.

How does the driver’s record from a State Department of Motor Vehicles fit into the process?

This information will not be available through PSP. The PSP only contains MCMIS inspection and crash information.

Will this information contain data on suspensions that are not related to safety issues (like child support)?

No. The PSP only contains MCMIS inspection and crash information.

How do I enroll in the Pre-Employment Screening Program?

Motor carriers can enroll in the PSP at www.psp.fmcsa.dot.gov. There, you will find the enrollment documents. Please download the documents, complete all required fields and follow the instructions to return the documents to NIC Technologies.

How do I return the enrollment forms?

Enrollment materials may be emailed, or mailed to:

Pre-Employment Screening Program

P.O. Box 6807

McLean, VA 22106

Email: PSPenrollment@egov.com

How long does enrollment take?

Please allow up to 2 weeks for NIC Technologies to complete your enrollment. Once your enrollment is complete, NIC Technologies will email the main contact listed on your account and provide instructions for accessing user credentials.

When will the Pre-employment Screening Program be available?

PSP is available now! Please visit the www.psp.fmcsa.dot.gov home page. At the PSP site, drivers and enrolled motor carriers can access personal PSP records.

Will the PSP service be available 24/7?

Yes. Aside from periodic maintenance, the site is available 24/7.

How are Driver Information Resource records returned?

Reports are transmitted almost immediately in most circumstances. Drivers and motor carriers can view the records using a PDF viewer, and can save and print the record. Drivers can also view the record in HTML, with no PDF viewer required.

Does my third-party screening provider participate in the PSP program, if so, can I obtain this information through them?

Please consult your provider to determine if they plan to participate in the Pre-employment Screening Program.

I represent a motor carrier who will access records directly through a PSP subscription. How will I pay for the records?

Motor carriers pay via automated clearing house (ACH) debit. The full monthly invoice amount is deducted from the checking or savings account provided by the motor carrier.

This process is also known as ‘e-check’. Motor carriers will receive email notification each month that their invoice is ready to view, and have an opportunity to view their monthly statement prior to the ACH debit initiation.

I represent a motor carrier who will access records through a third-party screening provider. How will I pay for the records?

The third-party screening provider will invoice you directly.

What does the subscriber fee cover?

The subscription fee covers the cost of monthly billing and customer service, which will be available by phone and email, Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EST. A motor carrier will receive PSP credentials for up to ten individual users with one subscription.

How many user accounts will I have?

Each subscription includes up to 10 user accounts, including the administrator. If you need more user credentials, you may purchase a second subscription for an additional ten user credentials. The cost of the second subscription is the same price as your initial subscription ($100 or $25).

How do I obtain a username and password?

If your company is not yet participating in the Pre-Employment Screening Program, please enroll at www.psp.fmcsa.dot.gov. Credentials are provided to each user by NIC Technologies. If your company is already enrolled, please contact your company’s PSP Admin user for your PSP user credentials.

Can I request more than one driver’s record at a time?

Yes. You may request multiple drivers at one time.

The PSP system allows motor carriers to search a driver’s history in multiple states. The fee remains $10 regardless of the number of states queried for a driver.

Can I purchase Driver Information Resource records for current employees?

No. Records may be requested exclusively for the purpose of pre-employment screening.

When will I be charged the subscription fee?

You will be charged the subscription fee once your account is activated. First, submit your enrollment documents. Then, a PSP customer service representative will contact you with instructions for account activation.

You may withdraw from the program at any time after enrollment. If you have never purchased PSP records with your account, your subscription fee will be refunded in full.

Will I be able to change my list of users later on?

Yes. Admin account users can add, edit or delete users. The PSP customer service team will be available to assist with these requests.

How can I contact the PSP customer service team in the future?

Please send questions about the Pre-employment Screening Program via email to PSPhelp@egov.com.

Will my company information be used for any other purpose?

No. Company information will only be used for enrollment in the PSP system.

I represent a third-party screening provider. I would like more information about how to participate.

Please email PSPenrollment@egov.com.

I am an individual driver. How do I enroll?

No enrollment is required for individual operator-applicants. You may purchase your personal record once the PSP system is live.

Will a motor carrier company’s drivers be able to access their records?

Yes. Drivers can access their own records at any time. Drivers must visit www.psp.fmcsa.dot.gov or submit a Privacy Act request to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

I represent a motor carrier. Will I need the operator-applicant’s written consent to purchase their PSP record?

Yes. A template consent form will be available in the enrollment package, which can be found at www.psp.fmcsa.dot.gov.

I represent a motor carrier. What legal obligations do I have using this service?

In the enrollment package, you will find documentation of all legal obligations incurred by using the PSP service. You will be required to consent in writing that you will only use the records for pre-employment screening purposes, that you have obtained the written consent of all applicants whose records you purchase, and that you will abide by regulations provided under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, among others.

What if I find bad information in my PSP record, or a driver contests the information in their PSP record?

All requests to correct information must be handled by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Department of Transportation. The Web site for data correction is: https://dataqs.FMCSA.dot.gov/login.asp.

Is the “Important Notice Regarding Background Reports from the PSP Online Service” form mandatory in order to participate in the PSP?

No. The template provided in the enrollment packet is a “sample” disclosure form that NIC made available to motor carriers enrollees. The enrollee is not required to use this sample. FMCSA/NIC only requires that the release used by motor carriers contain certain information relating to the applicable sections of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA; 15 U.S.C. 1681 et seq.). These requirements are addressed in the Monthly Account Holder FCRA Employer Certification and the Monthly Account Holder Agreement on pages 7, 13-14.

FMCSA and NIC encourage motor carriers to seek their own legal counsel with respect to the proper format and content of the notice.

I had a roadside inspection very recently. Will this be available in the report?

Record data from MCMIS is updated and uploaded to PSP approximately every thirty days. The date of the most recent MCMIS data snapshot is available on the bottom of your PSP report. Reporting times vary. If you do not see a crash or inspection that you expect, you may consider accessing your PSP record again approximately a month after the snapshot date printed on your PSP report.

I was the co-driver for an inspection. Does the PSP report show my inspection or violation?

Yes. Each inspection record will indicate if the requested driver is listed as a co-driver for the inspection. Violations charged to a co-driver will be shown with a single red asterisk (*) in the inspection detail portion of the report. The Violation Summary section will display and count violations attributed to a co-driver only if the co-driver was the individual requesting the PSP report.

How are violations resulting from a post-crash inspection shown in the PSP report?

Violations that result from a post-crash inspection are shown with two red asterisks (**) in the inspection detail portion of the report. These post-crash violations are neither displayed nor counted in the Violation Summary section.