How to File a Complaint With the Department of Transportation

The Department of Transportation is responsible for our national transportation systems, including highways, airplanes, railroads and maritime transportation. The DOT also handles complaints regarding these and other transportation related issues. If you need to file a complaint, you can utilize the DOT website to do so.

1. Gather information about your Department of Transportation related complaint. For example, if you are making a complaint about an unsafe vehicle, you will need to know the vehicle make, model and year. It is also helpful to know the VIN. Make sure you also have information about the particular component of the vehicle the complaint is regarding. In addition to vehicle information, you will need information about the incident that precipitated filing the complaint.


2. Log on to the Internet. 


3. Navigate to the Department of Transportation website at dot.gov.


4. Mouse over the services menu at the top of the screen. Click on "citizen services."


5. Choose the ninth link down entitled "consumer services."


6. Choose the correct link for the issue you want to file the complaint about. Choices include information from the Department of Transportation, a vehicle, recreational boats, air travel service problems, unsafe or unsanitary conditions on a cruise ship, household goods moves, complaints about the Americans with Disabilities Act and FTA ADA complaints.


7. Follow the directions on the screen. For example, if you choose to file a safety complaint about a vehicle you can choose to request a form by email, file a form online, or call a toll free number and file a complaint over the phone.


8. If the system offers you a confirmation number for your complaint, be sure to write it down in case you need to reference it later.