Screening
How to Get a Free DAC Report (and Check It for Errors)
By Editorial Team · Updated June 16, 2026 · 9 min read · Editorial standards
On this page 9 sections
Before a carrier ever calls you back, they may already have pulled a file on you — your DAC report. It’s the trucking version of a background check, and a wrong entry on it can cost you a job you never even heard you were turned down for. The good news: you’re legally entitled to see your own DAC report for free, once a year, and to fix anything that’s wrong. Here’s how to get it and how to check it.
What a DAC report is and why you should care
A DAC report (“Drive-A-Check”) is an employment-history file on you as a commercial driver, run today by HireRight — a consumer reporting agency (CRA) — and used by carriers to screen applicants. It started as a product called DAC Services, changed hands over the years, and is now owned and operated by HireRight. When a recruiter says “we pulled your DAC,” this is the file they mean.
Two things make it worth your attention. First, the data comes from your former carriers, who report it voluntarily — so it’s only as accurate as they made it, and mistakes happen. Second, because it’s a consumer report under the FCRA, you have real rights: to see it, dispute it, and be notified before a carrier rejects you over it. (For the full breakdown of what’s in the file, see our guide to the DAC report.)
You’re entitled to a free DAC report — here’s the law
Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, you’re entitled to one free file disclosure every 12 months from a consumer reporting agency like HireRight — and an additional free copy after an adverse action. That second one matters: if a carrier takes adverse action (turns you down, or rejects you for a position) based partly on your DAC report, they have to tell you and you can get a free copy to see what they saw.
This is the same family of rights the FTC explains for free credit reports and your FCRA rights. DAC is a specialty report — employment screening rather than credit — but the free-annual-disclosure rule still applies, so you never have to pay just to see your own record. HireRight may charge for extra copies inside the same 12-month window, but your annual look is free, and so is the post-adverse-action copy.
The FTC’s guidance on employment background checks makes clear these reports drive hiring decisions. You want to see yours before a recruiter does — not find out about a bad entry the moment you get passed over.
How to request your DAC report from HireRight
You request your free DAC report directly from HireRight through its consumer/applicant process — online, by phone, by fax, or by mail — and you’ll need to verify your identity. HireRight uses ID verification (name, Social Security number, and other identifiers) to make sure it’s really you before releasing your file. Here’s how the request typically goes, step by step:
| Step | What you do | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Choose a method | Online form, phone, fax, or mail to HireRight’s consumer/applicant team | Online is the fastest to submit |
| 2. Verify your identity | Provide name, SSN, date of birth, address, and other identifiers | Required before HireRight releases the file |
| 3. Submit the request | Send your request and confirm your mailing address | Keep a copy of what you sent |
| 4. Wait for delivery | HireRight mails your report | Typically around two weeks |
| 5. Read it carefully | Check every carrier, date, and code against your own records | This is the part that protects you |
Start at the HireRight applicant and consumer site to find the current request form and contact details. One thing that surprises a lot of drivers: the report is mailed to you, not handed over instantly online, so build in time. If you’ve got an application moving, request your DAC early rather than waiting until a carrier asks about it.
For a side-by-side of how you pull your copy versus how a carrier orders one, our how to get and dispute a DAC report guide walks both paths.
What your DAC report shows
Your DAC report compiles what your former carriers chose to report about your employment — not your full work story, just the parts they submitted. The fields you’ll typically see include:
- Your identifiers (name, date of birth)
- Each contributing carrier, with your employment dates
- Your reason for leaving each job (quit with notice, quit without notice, terminated, layoff)
- Eligibility for rehire (Yes / No / Review) — the single line recruiters fixate on
- Work-record comments
- DOT-recordable accidents and incidents
- Drug-and-alcohol test results and policy violations
- Equipment and trailer types you operated
Two things to know as you read it. The “eligibility for rehire” flag is one former employer’s opinion, not a verified fact — and it’s the entry most worth scrutinizing if it’s wrong. And the file isn’t permanent: drug-and-alcohol information is generally retained for about three years and other items for around seven, with employment history reaching back as far as a decade. Your DAC does not include a credit score or financial data.
Why you should check your DAC before job-hunting
Pull your DAC report before you start applying, because by the time a carrier reviews it, a wrong entry is already costing you offers you’ll never hear about. Under the FCRA, a carrier has to send you notice before rejecting you over a report — but adverse-action letters get missed, and “we went another direction” rarely spells out that a stale or mistaken DAC entry was the reason.
The most common landmines: a job logged with the wrong dates, a “not eligible for rehire” flag you’d dispute, a truck you returned in good shape recorded as “abandoned,” or a separation coded as a termination when you actually quit with notice. Any one of those can quietly sink applications. Reading your own file first means you walk into interviews knowing exactly what a recruiter will see — and you’ve already fixed anything that’s wrong.
How to dispute an inaccurate DAC entry
If you find an entry that’s wrong or incomplete, you can dispute it directly with HireRight for free, and HireRight must reinvestigate — generally within 30 days. You don’t have to argue with your old carrier yourself; you flag the item with HireRight, explain what’s wrong, and attach documentation that backs you up — pay stubs, your separation or resignation letter, emails, test results, anything that proves your version.
HireRight then has to reinvestigate the disputed item and verify, correct, or delete it. That window is generally 30 days from when they receive your dispute, and can stretch by a couple of weeks if you submit more information mid-investigation. If the entry can’t be verified, it has to come off your report, and HireRight sends you written confirmation. Keep copies of everything you send and every response you get.
Disputing isn’t a black mark — the process exists precisely because employer-reported data gets things wrong. Use it. For the dispute mechanics in more depth, including what carriers owe you during the process, see how to get and dispute a DAC report, and our deep dive on the HireRight DAC report.
Know what’s reported — and research carriers before you sign on
Checking your DAC report is really about one thing: knowing what carriers see when they size you up. The same logic runs the other way, too. Before you sign on with a fleet, you can find out what they’re actually like to drive for — and that information is just as hard to get as your own DAC, unless you know where to look.
That’s the gap a peer-sourced driver-review database like cdlscan.com is built to close. It’s a two-sided network: carriers review drivers, and drivers research carriers. Just like you check your DAC to see what’s reported, you can use cdlscan to research a carrier’s reputation before you commit to orientation. It’s free to search, carries more than 1,000,000 driver reviews, and runs more than 20,000 searches a week — so you’re not the first driver looking the same outfit up. A quick search at cdlscan.com is a cheap insurance policy against a job that looks fine on paper.
Frequently asked questions
Is a DAC report free? Yes. Under the FCRA you’re entitled to one free DAC report every 12 months from HireRight, plus an additional free copy if a carrier takes adverse action against you based on the report. HireRight may charge for extra copies inside the same year, but your annual look is free.
How often can I get my DAC report free? Once every 12 months as your standard free annual disclosure, and again — also free — any time a carrier rejects you for a job based partly on your DAC report. That second copy is your right after an adverse action.
How do I request my DAC report? Request it directly from HireRight through its consumer/applicant process — online form, phone, fax, or mail. You’ll verify your identity with your name, Social Security number, and other identifiers, and the report is then mailed to you. Start at the HireRight applicant and consumer site.
How long does it take to get my DAC report? Plan on roughly two weeks. The report is mailed, not delivered instantly online, so request it early — especially if you have applications in progress.
What’s on a DAC report? Your employment history from contributing carriers: dates, reason for leaving, eligibility for rehire, work-record comments, DOT-recordable accidents, and drug-and-alcohol test data. It does not include a credit score or financial information.
How do I dispute errors on my DAC report? File a dispute directly with HireRight for free, explain what’s wrong, and attach documentation (pay stubs, separation letters, emails, test results). HireRight must reinvestigate and verify, correct, or delete the entry — generally within 30 days — and send you written confirmation of the outcome.
Who runs the DAC report — is it the government? No. It’s run by HireRight, a private consumer reporting agency. The data comes from your former employers, who report it voluntarily — not from FMCSA or any government database.
Why should I check my DAC report before applying? Because a wrong entry can cost you jobs without you ever knowing why. Carriers review your DAC during screening, and adverse-action notices get missed. Reading and fixing your file first means you control the reputation a recruiter sees before they decide.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Your rights under the FCRA and state law depend on your situation; consult a qualified professional about specific entries or disputes.