Quick Answer
FMCSA approved a new CSA scoring method on November 20, 2024 (89 FR 91874). BASICs become "compliance categories," severity weights drop to 1 or 2, and some categories only score recent violations. As of October 20, 2026, it is not in effect. Every carrier's SMS results still use the old method, and FMCSA has published no launch date.
Key Takeaways
- FMCSA proposed the Safety Measurement System (SMS) changes on February 15, 2023 and approved them, with edits, on November 20, 2024.
- The new method is not live. The SMS release of October 5, 2026 still runs on the seven BASICs under SMS Methodology version 3.21, revised May 2026.
- FMCSA said a separate Federal Register notice will announce the launch date. None had been published as of October 20, 2026.
- You can already see your own results under the new method in FMCSA's CSA Prioritization Preview.
“FMCSA approved a new CSA scoring method on November 20, 2024, replacing BASICs with compliance categories and 1-to-10 severity weights with 1 or 2. As of October 20, 2026 it is not in effect, and no launch date has been published.”
What did FMCSA approve?
FMCSA first proposed the changes in a February 15, 2023 notice, took comments until May 16, 2023, and answered 176 comments in the November 2024 notice. The main difference from the proposal: the new categories are called "compliance categories," not "safety categories."
Item | Current SMS (in effect) | Approved method (not live) |
|---|---|---|
Category name | 7 BASICs | 7 compliance categories |
Drug and alcohol violations | Own BASIC | Moved into Unsafe Driving |
Vehicle maintenance | One BASIC | Split: Vehicle Maintenance and Vehicle Maintenance: Driver Observed |
Severity weights | 1 to 10 | 1, or 2 for out-of-service (or driver-disqualifying in Unsafe Driving) |
Citations for one issue | Each counts | About 100 violation groups; one group counts once per inspection |
Driver Fitness threshold (general carriers) | 80% | 90% |
Hazmat threshold | 80% | 90% |
Utilization factor | Up to 200,000 miles per truck | Up to 250,000 miles per truck |
Two more changes. "Proportionate percentiles" replace safety event groups, so your percentile can't jump just because one more inspection moved you into a different peer group. And in Hours of Service, both Vehicle Maintenance categories, Hazmat and Driver Fitness, you only get a percentile if you had at least one violation in that category in the past 12 months.
For how scores and thresholds work today, see our CSA scores guide.
Is the new CSA scoring system live in 2026?
No. Several trucking sites say the overhaul went live in 2026. FMCSA's own pages say otherwise.
The Prioritization Preview site still says FMCSA "is currently updating the SMS methodology" and that carriers should use the current SMS website until the new system is in effect. Its timeline lists Phase 2, "Revise Prioritization," as the current phase. Phase 3 includes a redesigned SMS website.
The SMS Methodology document is version 3.21, revised May 2026. That update added 19 roadside violations to the existing BASICs, effective with the May 15, 2026 snapshot. The SMS site shows data current as of September 25, 2026, with the next update the week of November 9, 2026.
How do I see my scores under the new method?
Property carrier percentiles are not public, so you have to log in. The old DOT number and PIN login no longer works for CSA systems.
- Go to the FMCSA Portal at portal.fmcsa.dot.gov.
- Choose Login.gov and sign in, or create a Login.gov account first.
- From "Available FMCSA Systems," pick "CSA Prioritization Preview" and click Go.
- Compare each category against your current results, which you reach the same way through "A&I (SMS)."
What should a small carrier check now?
- Look for any category at or over threshold in the preview. That is how FMCSA would prioritize you once the new method launches.
- Read your Driver Observed results. This category holds defects a driver could catch on a walk-around, such as inoperative clearance or marker lamps. A real pre-trip and an honest DVIR catch them first. In Lucid ELD, drivers file the DVIR in the mobile app.
- Treat out-of-service orders as final. OOS violations get the double weight, and every operating-while-OOS violation moves into Unsafe Driving.
- Know where drug and alcohol violations land. They move into Unsafe Driving, which has a 65% threshold for general carriers. The current Controlled Substances/Alcohol BASIC uses 80%.
- Fix bad data now. A record removed through DataQs comes out of the current SMS calculation, and the preview is built from the same inspection data.
- Keep your safety program on paper. A written fleet safety program gives you a fix to point to if a warning letter arrives.
Want video evidence and in-cab safety alerts? See Lucid's AI dash cams
Educational content, not legal advice. Confirm requirements against current FMCSA regulations and your state's rules.
FAQ
Are the BASICs going away?
Yes, once the new method launches. "BASICs" become "compliance categories," and Controlled Substances/Alcohol stops being a separate category. Until then, SMS still shows seven BASICs.
When does the new CSA scoring system start?
FMCSA has not announced a date as of October 20, 2026. Its November 2024 notice says a follow-up Federal Register notice will announce when the enhanced SMS website launches.
Will my CSA percentiles go up or down?
It depends on your violation mix, so check the preview. FMCSA says carriers it would prioritize under the new method have a crash rate 10% higher than those prioritized today, which means better targeting. That figure does not tell you your own score.
Can brokers and the public see my percentiles?
Not for property carriers. Under the FAST Act, FMCSA removed property carrier percentiles and alerts from the public SMS site. Inspection, crash and registration data stay public.
