The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has proposed significant revisions to the process for certifying Electronic Logging Devices for use in commercial motor vehicles. This will likely lead to elimination of the current self-certification process for ELD providers and adoption of a third-party certification process like the one used by Transport Canada.

According to FMCSA, under the previous system, it was easier to register non-compliant devices or re-register devices that had been revoked, leading to repeated revocations and costly, inconvenient replacements for carriers.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 updated process closes this loophole, giving carriers and drivers greater assurance that the ELDs they purchase are accurate, reliable, and compliant. 

Key features of the new ELD vetting process include: 

• Initial Review: Verification of contact information, technical specifications, and device images. 

• Fraud Detection: Cross-checking new applications against active, inactive, revoked, and in-process lists. 

• Application Categorization: 

• Category 1 – Approved: Application has met all necessary requirements for approval. 

• Category 2 – Information Requested: Application is pending further information from the applicant. 

• Category 3 – Further Review: Application requires additional internal assessment and may require additional documentation from the applicant. 

• Category 4 – Denied: Application does not meet the required standards for approval. 

The current Registered ELD List and more information on the vetting process is available on the agency’s ELD webpage.