California BIT Inspection: 2026 Weight-Threshold Rules (AB 3278)

What the restructured Biennial Inspection of Terminals program requires of California motor carriers, and the cab equipment CHP officers cross-check on the same visit.

Last updated: April 27, 2026

The 2026 Rule (TL;DR)

California restructured its Biennial Inspection of Terminals (BIT) program effective January 1, 2026. The 90-day mechanical inspection cycle no longer applies to every commercial vehicle on the road. It applies to a narrower set of heavy and high-risk vehicles. Lighter trucks shift to the federal annual inspection cycle under 49 CFR Part 396.

The short version

GVWR 26,001 lb or more: 90-day BIT inspection cycle, terminal program enrollment, CHP audit jurisdiction.
GVWR below 26,001 lb (and not otherwise covered): federal annual inspection only (49 CFR §396.17). No 90-day BIT cycle.
Hazardous materials requiring placards, passenger vehicles carrying 10 or more, and combination vehicles (tractor + trailer) stay on the 90-day cycle regardless of weight.
Vehicle Code §34501.12 is the BIT statute. Title 13 California Code of Regulations §1232 governs the maintenance program. Vehicle Code §34505.5 is the 90-day inspection mandate.

If you ran a fleet of straight trucks under 26,001 lb GVWR through 2024 and 2025 on the assumption that BIT applied to your terminal, the rule changed under you. The page below covers what to keep doing, what to stop doing, and what cab equipment a CHP officer is going to look at on the same visit.

What Changed in 2026: AB 3278

Assembly Bill 3278 is the 2024 transportation omnibus bill, signed September 12, 2024. Among many other provisions, it rewrote California Vehicle Code §34501.12 to restructure which vehicles fall under the BIT program. The replacement section became operative January 1, 2026.

Two ways to read the change:

What the old rule did

The pre-2026 version of §34501.12 swept in motortrucks of 3 or more axles exceeding 10,000 lb GVWR. That dragged a lot of medium-duty straight trucks onto the 90-day BIT cycle even when they had no hazmat or passenger exposure. Mid-size construction, landscape, and service fleets ran terminal programs that mostly overlapped what FMCSA already required at the federal level.

What the new rule does

The 2026 version aligns BIT scope with the federal commercial motor vehicle definition: GVWR 26,001 lb or more. Below that threshold, vehicles without hazmat, passenger, or combination exposure leave the BIT 90-day cycle and revert to the federal annual inspection schedule under 49 CFR §396.17. The previous 3-axle / 10,001 lb sub-class is gone.

Read the bill text directly: AB 3278 (2023-2024). The current version of the statute is at Vehicle Code §34501.12.

Don't self-deregister too fast. If your fleet has any placardable hazmat hauls, any passenger configurations of 10 or more, or any tractor-trailer combinations, the 90-day BIT cycle still applies regardless of individual unit weight. Confirm scope with your CHP Motor Carrier Safety Unit before withdrawing a terminal designation.

Who Still Needs 90-Day BIT

Use this table to find the row that matches your equipment. If any row applies, every vehicle in your operation that meets the criteria stays on the 90-day cycle and the BIT terminal program.

Vehicle category	Cycle	Statute / regulation
GVWR 26,001 lb or more (truck or truck tractor)	90 days	CVC §34501.12 + §34505.5
Combination vehicle (any tractor + trailer)	90 days	CVC §34501.12
Hazmat carrier (placardable quantities)	90 days	CVC §34501.12 (cross-references 49 CFR Part 397)
Bus or passenger vehicle, 10 or more occupants	90 days	CVC §34501.12
Straight truck, GVWR under 26,001 lb, no hazmat, no passenger config	Annual federal only	49 CFR §396.17
Trailer designed to carry 10 or more (school activity, charter, etc.)	90 days	CVC §34500(b)
Implements of husbandry, exempt agricultural	Out of scope	CVC §34500.6

Mixed fleet rule of thumb: if any unit in your terminal meets a 90-day row, the simplest path is to keep the entire terminal on the 90-day schedule. Splitting a terminal into BIT and non-BIT pools complicates record retention and adds audit risk that rarely pays off in shop time saved.

BIT vs Federal §396.17: Where the Two Programs Differ

Carriers that left the 90-day cycle in 2026 still owe the federal annual inspection under 49 CFR §396.17. The two programs have different intervals, different inspector-qualification rules, and different record retention requirements. Matching the wrong program to the wrong vehicle is a common audit finding.

Factor	California BIT (CVC §34505.5)	Federal Annual (49 CFR §396.17)
Interval	Every 90 days	Every 12 months
Scope	Brakes, steering, suspension, tires, wheels, connecting devices, lights, body	Appendix A: 15 categories of vehicle systems
Who can inspect	Qualified maintenance program staff per 13 CCR §1232; brake inspectors qualified per 49 CFR §396.25	Inspector qualified per 49 CFR §396.19
Records location	Terminal where vehicle is maintained, staged, or garaged	Where vehicle is housed or maintained
Retention	2 years (CVC §34505.5)	14 months from report date (49 CFR §396.21)
Sticker / decal	BIT terminal program enrollment, audit-driven CHP rating	§396.17 sticker on vehicle
Enforcement	CHP terminal audit, roadside	FMCSA, state partners, roadside

For the federal annual program in depth, see the annual inspection section of the fleet DOT compliance guide. For the underlying federal Vehicle Code structure, the 13 CCR §1232 maintenance-program rule is at Title 13 CCR §1232.

What CHP Inspects (90-Day Scope)

The 90-day mechanical inspection under §34505.5 is mechanical and brake-system focused. It is narrower than the federal Appendix A list, but it overlaps in most of the safety-critical categories. The qualified maintenance employee performing the inspection has to be able to certify each item. Major component families:

Service brakes, parking brake, emergency brake, brake hoses and chambers, slack adjusters, brake-system warning indicators
Steering system: linkage, gearbox, power steering hoses and reservoir
Suspension components: leaf springs, hangers, shackles, U-bolts, air bags
Tires: tread depth, sidewall condition, mismatched duals, regrooved tire restrictions
Wheels and rims: cracks, missing or loose lugs, mismatched components
Connecting devices on combination vehicles: fifth wheel, kingpin, pintle hooks, safety chains
Lighting: headlamps, marker and clearance lamps, stop lamps, turn signals, reflectors
Body, frame, cab condition

Brake-inspector qualification. Per 13 CCR §1232 and 49 CFR §396.25, anyone certifying brake work as part of the maintenance program has to meet specific training, experience, or certification requirements. CHP auditors check qualification records, not just the inspection forms. Keep the paperwork in the terminal file with the inspection records.

Carrier Maintenance Records & Terminal Program

The terminal designation is the unit of CHP audit jurisdiction. A motor carrier with vehicles maintained, staged, or garaged at a California location must designate that location as a terminal. CHP rates the terminal, not the carrier as a whole. A carrier with multiple terminals can have different ratings at different sites.

90-day inspection records: retain at the terminal for 2 years from inspection date.
Driver vehicle inspection reports (DVIR) and any driver-reported defects: filed at the terminal, retained per CVC §34505.5.
Out-of-service tags and repair orders that document deferred work: keep on file for the same retention period.
Maintenance program documentation per 13 CCR §1232: schedules, lubrication intervals, brake-inspector qualifications, written program.
BIT terminal designation paperwork: confirm current addresses match the actual physical locations CHP would visit.

Form MCP-65 is the Motor Carrier Profile that CHP uses to track the terminal. If you reorganize, close, or add a terminal, file the updated MCP-65 promptly. CHP audits frequently catch carriers with ghost terminals where CHP shows up at a long-vacated address and triggers an Unsatisfactory rating by default.

Equipment Inspectors Check (Cab Equipment)

A CHP terminal audit and a roadside inspection look at the same cab equipment list. The mechanical 90-day inspection focuses on the vehicle, but the audit confirms that each unit is also outfitted to federal CMV standards. The items below are routinely cited at California audits and roadside stops.

Fire extinguisher, UL-rated per 49 CFR §393.95: 5 B:C minimum on standard CMVs, 10 B:C minimum on placarded vehicles. Mounted, accessible, current annual service tag.
Warning devices: three bidirectional reflective triangles (FMVSS 125), or the older flare / fusee combinations under 49 CFR §393.95(f). Hazmat units restricted to triangles only.
First aid kit, ANSI/ISEA Z308.1 Class A or Class B per the carrier's risk profile. See the ANSI/ISEA Z308.1 standards page for kit-class selection.
Spare fuses (where the vehicle is not equipped with circuit breakers).
DOT registration display, vehicle marking, valid CA number where applicable.
Hazmat: shipping papers, ERG (Emergency Response Guidebook), placarding kit, spill response materials per cargo class.

DOT-Compliant Cab Equipment

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Buckeye ABC Dry Chemical Fire Extinguisher w/ Vehicle Bracket – 5 lb.

-16%

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Buckeye ABC Dry Chemical Fire Extinguisher w/ Wall Hook – 10 lb.

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Buckeye ABC Dry Chemical Fire Extinguisher w/ Wall Hook – 10 lb.

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Buckeye ABC Dry Chemical Fire Extinguisher w/ Wall Hook – 20 lb.

-7%

Buckeye ABC Dry Chemical Fire Extinguisher w/ Wall Hook – 20 lb.

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$167.00

One-truck hazmat note: a single placarded haul brings the entire vehicle and its cab kit under §397 and §393.95 hazmat scope. The cheapest mistake is leaving a placarded run on a unit that's carrying a 5 B:C extinguisher meant for non-hazmat freight. Audit DAY 1, every time.

Penalties & Out-of-Service

California BIT enforcement runs through two tracks: roadside CHP inspection and terminal audit. Both can take a vehicle out of service. Both feed the carrier's overall rating.

Roadside enforcement

A CHP officer can put a unit out of service on the spot for any condition listed in the North American Out-of-Service Criteria. Common roadside causes in California: out-of-adjustment brakes, missing or expired fire extinguisher, missing warning devices, defective steering, tire defects, missing or invalid 90-day inspection records on a vehicle that owes one. Out of service means the vehicle does not move until the defect is repaired and re-inspected.

Terminal audit ratings

CHP issues Satisfactory, Conditional, or Unsatisfactory ratings on terminal inspection. Conditional triggers a re-inspection and corrective action plan. Unsatisfactory restricts continued operation and can lead to withdrawal of operating authority. The fastest paths to Unsatisfactory: missing 90-day inspection records on covered vehicles, unqualified brake inspectors, ghost terminal addresses, and undocumented driver vehicle inspection reports.

Civil exposure

Beyond the regulatory rating, a documented gap in the BIT or §396.17 cycle becomes evidence in any post-crash civil case. Plaintiff counsel routinely subpoenas the terminal maintenance file as the first request after an incident. A 2-year retention failure is not just a CHP finding. It is a negligence theory.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a BIT inspection in California?

BIT stands for Biennial Inspection of Terminals. It is California's commercial vehicle safety program, administered by the California Highway Patrol under Vehicle Code §34501.12 and §34505.5. The program requires covered motor carriers to inspect their vehicles every 90 days and submit to a terminal audit on a recurring cycle. The 90-day cycle is the BIT mechanical inspection. The terminal audit is the CHP review of the records and the maintenance program.

Did AB 3278 eliminate the BIT 90-day inspection?

No. AB 3278 narrowed the population of vehicles subject to the 90-day cycle effective January 1, 2026, but it did not eliminate the cycle. Vehicles with GVWR of 26,001 lb or more, hazmat carriers, passenger vehicles configured for 10 or more occupants, and combination vehicles all stay on the 90-day cycle. Lighter straight trucks without those exposures shift to the federal annual inspection under 49 CFR §396.17.

Is BIT the same as a federal DOT annual inspection?

No. The federal annual inspection under 49 CFR §396.17 is a once-a-year Appendix A review by an inspector qualified under §396.19. BIT is a California-specific 90-day mechanical inspection by a qualified maintenance employee under 13 CCR §1232, plus a recurring CHP terminal audit. Carriers with covered vehicles must comply with both. The two programs have different intervals, scopes, and record-retention rules.

Do I need a BIT terminal designation if I run a single straight truck under 26,001 lb GVWR?

As of January 1, 2026, probably not, assuming no hazmat placarding, no passenger configuration of 10 or more, and no trailer combinations. That vehicle owes the federal annual inspection under §396.17 instead. Confirm with your local CHP Motor Carrier Safety Unit before withdrawing an existing terminal designation. CHP can confirm scope and walk through the deregistration process so you don't exit BIT while still running a unit that needs it.

Who can perform a BIT 90-day inspection?

Title 13 CCR §1232 sets the maintenance-program inspector qualifications. The person must have the training, experience, or certification to certify the condition of the components inspected. For brake-system work specifically, 13 CCR §1232 cross-references 49 CFR §396.25, which requires documented brake inspector qualifications. Outside contractors and dealership service departments routinely do BIT inspections, but the qualification records have to be on file at the terminal.

How long do I keep BIT inspection records?

Two years from the inspection date, per Vehicle Code §34505.5. Keep them at the terminal where the vehicle is maintained, staged, or garaged. The retention period is longer than the federal 14-month rule for §396.17, so mixed fleets should default to the longer 2-year California retention to keep filing simple.

What cab equipment does CHP look at on a BIT-related stop?

A roadside CHP officer or terminal auditor checks the cab equipment a federal inspector would: a UL-rated fire extinguisher meeting 49 CFR §393.95, three reflective warning triangles per §393.95(f), spare fuses, a first aid kit, and the unit's registration and inspection paperwork. Hazmat carriers add shipping papers, an ERG, placarding, and spill response materials. Missing cab equipment is one of the most common roadside out-of-service findings, and it shows up in terminal audit ratings as well.

Are agricultural and farm vehicles exempt?

Implements of husbandry and certain farm operations are excluded from BIT under Vehicle Code §34500.6. The exemption is narrow, and farm-haul operations that touch the public highway in commercial-style configurations frequently lose the exemption. If you are unsure, the CHP Motor Carrier Safety Unit can walk through the specific configuration. Don't self-classify into the exemption based on the equipment type alone.

Compliance Equipment for California Fleets

The cab kit a CHP officer expects on a BIT-covered vehicle is the same kit a federal inspector expects under 49 CFR §393.95. Stock the right rating, mount it where it's reachable, keep the annual service tag current, and the audit goes faster.

DOT-Compliant Fire Extinguishers and Cab Equipment