How to Build a Compliance Calendar for COIs, Permits, and Driver Files

When dates live in people’s heads (or scattered emails), renewals get missed and loads get paused. A single compliance calendar gives you one source of truth for COIs, permits, and driver files—and automated reminders so nothing sneaks up.

What goes in the calendar (the shortlist)

Insurance / COIs

• Auto liability, cargo, umbrella → COI expiration & policy renewal

Permits & credentials

• UCR (annual), IRP plate renewals, IFTA filings (quarterly) & decals (annual)

• MCS-150 biennial update, DOT/State permits (oversize/overweight)

• Apportioned registrations, owner-operator lease agreements

Driver files (DQF)

• CDL & endorsements, medical card (often 24 months or less), MVR pulls

• Drug/alcohol consortium enrollment, road tests, training acknowledgments

Equipment

• Annual DOT inspections, PM intervals, brake/hoses, tire thresholds

• ELD/telematics subscriptions

Start with 10–15 dates max. You can expand later.

Step 1: Create a single “Compliance Calendar”

Pick a home your team will actually open daily:

• Google Calendar (fast, easy reminders)

• Notion/ClickUp (great for dashboards)

• Google Sheets (best for simple tracking + reporting)

Naming: Compliance—COIs, Permits & DQF (Company Name)

Step 2: Build your tracker (copy these columns)

If you use Google Sheets, add these columns:

• Category (COI, Permit, Driver, Equipment)

• Item (e.g., “GA Oversize Permit” or “CDL—J. Smith”)

• Owner (who renews)

• Effective Date

• Expiration Date

• Days to Expiry → =IF(ISBLANK(E2),"",E2-TODAY())

• Reminder Window (30/14/7)

• Status (OK / Due Soon / Past Due)

• Link to File (COI PDF, permit, medical card)

• Notes

Step 3: Add calendar events with layered reminders

For each line in your tracker, create one calendar event on the expiration date with 3 reminders:

• 30 days before (start the renewal)

• 14 days before (confirm in-hand)

• 7 days before (final check)

Event title format:
[COI] Policy Renewal — Carrier Name
[Permit] IRP Plate — Unit 127
[Driver] CDL — J. Smith
[Equipment] DOT Annual — Trailer 532

Description: paste tracker row + link to the file.

Step 4: Assign owners (and backups)

Every event needs an Owner and a Backup. Use the calendar’s guest list so reminders hit both inboxes. On small teams, “Owner” might be you; “Backup” can be dispatch or the insurance agent for COIs.

Step 5: Close the loop with a weekly review

Block 15 minutes every Friday:

1. Open the tracker → sort by Days to Expiry

2. Resolve any “Due Soon / Past Due”

3. Add new drivers/equipment/permits from the week

4. Save updated PDFs to your standardized folder (e.g., Compliance/2025/COIs/)

Quick wins that make this stick

• Standard file names: YYYY-MM-DD_Item_Name_UnitOrDriver.pdf

• One folder of record: shared Drive/SharePoint with read-only access for most users

• Email rule: agents/vendors CC compliance@yourcompany.com so docs auto-file

• Exception log: note any missing/incorrect docs and review on Fridays

Common pitfalls (and fixes)

• Scattered dates: consolidate into the single calendar within one week.

• No proof handy: always attach the current PDF to the calendar event.

• Last-minute scrambles: enforce the 30/14/7 cadence—don’t rely on a single reminder.

Want a head start?

Grab our free Compliance Calendar Template (sheet + reminder setup checklist) on the Resources page, then book a 20-min Ops Health Check and we’ll help you load your first 10 dates.

→ Download on Resources • Book a 20-min Ops Health Check

FAQ

Do I need separate calendars for drivers vs. permits?
One calendar is fine—use Category tags and naming to filter fast.

How many reminders are ideal?
Three (30/14/7) is the sweet spot. Add same-day at 8am for critical items (insurance).

Should drivers see the calendar?
Keep it internal. Share individual events with drivers when their action is required (e.g., medical card renewal).