Legality of Digital Permit Book for FMCSA Compliance
390.32b Electronic Documents and Signatures. ( USA and Canada )
Electronic records or documents. Any person or entity required to generate, maintain, or exchange documents to satisfy requirements in chapter III of subtitle B of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations (49CFR300–399) may use electronic methods to satisfy those requirements.
Read more here in Part b.
IRP Plan 600b Credentials for Apportioned Registration. ( USA and Canada)
A Base Jurisdiction shall require that the Cab Card be carried in the Vehicle for which it is issued. A Base Jurisdiction may issue a Cab Card in paper or as an electronic image. Jurisdictions must accept paper originals, legible paper copies, or legible electronic images, whichever is presented by the Registrant and regardless of the method by which the Cab Card was issued by the Base Jurisdiction.
Read more here on Page 40.
IFTA R620 Articles of Agreement & Possession of License. ( USA and Canada)
Each licensee shall be issued one IFTA license or cab card in paper or as an electronic image. The licensee is required to make legible paper copies or electronic images of the license so that one and a copy shall be carried in each vehicle. Member jurisdictions must accept paper originals, paper copies, or electronic images of IFTA licenses, whichever is presented by the licensee and regardless of the method by which the license was initially issued by the base jurisdiction. A vehicle will not be considered to be operating under this Agreement unless there is a copy of the license in the vehicle, or an electronic image is made available at the time it is requested.
Read more here on Page 28.
Is a Digital Permit Book Legal? Yes.
Federal regulations explicitly allow motor carriers to keep and present required records electronically. The rules quoted above — 49 CFR 390.32(b), IRP Plan Section 600(b), and IFTA R620 — are the legal foundation that lets your drivers show their documents on a phone or tablet at a roadside inspection or scale house, in both the United States and Canada.
Additional Rules That Support Electronic Documents
CVSA Electronic Documents Policy: The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance guides roadside inspectors across North America on accepting documents displayed on an electronic device during inspections.
New for 2026 — PHMSA hazmat rules: As of September 3, 2026, federal rules allow hazmat carriers to carry their PHMSA hazmat registration certificate and emergency response information electronically instead of on paper.
Documents You Can Carry Electronically
IRP cab cards and vehicle registrations • IFTA licenses • Insurance certificates • Operating authority (MC) documentation • DOT medical examiner’s certificates • Annual vehicle inspection reports • Lease agreements • HVUT Form 2290 Schedule 1 • PHMSA hazmat registration and emergency response information (since September 2026)
What Makes an Electronic Document Inspection-Ready
The rules allow electronic documents — but at a roadside stop, the document also has to be readable, current, and available right away, even with no cell signal. Digital Permit Book is built for exactly that: every driver’s documents are stored on their device for offline access, organized by driver, vehicle, trailer, and company, kept current automatically, and shown in one tap with One-Tap Inspection.
See what each state accepts electronically →Read the complete guide to digital permit books →Frequently Asked Questions
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