The three ratings — and the "none" in-between
FMCSA assigns safety ratings after completing a compliance review (an on-site audit). There are exactly three ratings: Satisfactory means the carrier passed the audit, Conditional means there are deficiencies serious enough to require corrective action but not to halt operations, and Unsatisfactory means the carrier is being placed out of service.
Most carriers never have any rating at all. FMCSA only rates a fraction of the ~800,000 active carriers each year, typically those with elevated SMS BASICs scores or following a crash or complaint. "Not Rated" is the default and doesn't signal anything good or bad on its own — you have to look at BASICs percentiles, OOS rates, and insurance history for signal.
What the rating affects
A Conditional rating quietly closes doors. Large shippers and brokers routinely disqualify Conditional carriers from their load boards. Insurance premiums increase. Bond requirements may change. Some states charge higher UCR rates for Conditional carriers.
An Unsatisfactory rating is operationally final: the carrier is placed out of service and cannot haul any regulated freight until it passes a re-audit. These are rare but public and stay on the record even after upgrade.
Carriers should check their own rating quarterly and especially after any audit or roadside incident. Use the lookup below.
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Start MonitoringFrequently asked questions
How do I get my safety rating upgraded?
Request a compliance review (CR) from FMCSA after correcting the issues that caused the Conditional rating. If the re-audit shows compliance, the rating upgrades to Satisfactory. The process takes 3–6 months.
What causes a Conditional rating?
Most commonly: driver qualification file gaps, hours-of-service violations, vehicle maintenance documentation issues, or drug and alcohol testing program gaps. The specific findings are in the audit report.
Does "Not Rated" mean the carrier is unsafe?
No. It just means FMCSA hasn't audited them. Over 80% of active carriers have no safety rating. Use BASICs percentiles for a more continuous signal.
How often is safety rating data updated?
As audits complete. Individual carrier ratings can change any time FMCSA completes a compliance review.