CSA Score Lookup

What Are CSA BASIC Scores?

The FMCSA's Compliance, Safety, Accountability program uses data from roadside inspections, violations, and crashes to score carriers in seven categories called BASICs (Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories). Each score is a percentile ranking from 0 to 100 within a peer group of similarly sized carriers. A score of 75 means 75 percent of peer carriers had fewer violations in that category.

Scores that cross the alert threshold put your operation on FMCSA's radar for potential intervention, including warning letters, investigations, and in serious cases, an out-of-service order. They also feed directly into how insurers and shippers evaluate you.

The Seven BASICs

BASIC Category	Alert Threshold	What It Covers
Unsafe Driving	65	Speeding, reckless driving, improper lane changes, failure to obey traffic laws
HOS Compliance	65	Log violations, false entries, missing ELD data, hours exceeded
Driver Fitness	80	Invalid CDL, wrong license class, expired medical certificate, disqualified driver
Controlled Substances / Alcohol	65	Drug and alcohol violations from inspections and post-accident testing
Vehicle Maintenance	65	Brake defects, lighting violations, tire failures, mechanical defects

How CSA Scores Affect Your Insurance

Insurers run FMCSA checks during underwriting. A score above the alert threshold in Unsafe Driving or Vehicle Maintenance is one of the fastest ways to see your primary auto liability premium climb. High Vehicle Maintenance scores can also trigger stricter physical damage requirements or surcharges. Some insurers won't write new policies for carriers with two or more categories in alert status.

If your scores are elevated, pull your inspection history in the FMCSA SMS portal, identify the violation patterns driving the score, and address them before your next renewal. The window between inspections and score updates gives you time to correct deficiencies before underwriters see the change.