In accordance with GOST 20793-2009, the tractor and its components are subjected to resource diagnostics before maintenance. The technical condition of the components of the tractor or machine should be checked with the use of control and diagnostic equipment. Currently, the criteria for the limit state are significantly outdated and require revision from the point of view of tightening modern requirements for operational and economic characteristics and reliability indicators. (Research purpose) The research purpose is in analyzing the state of the issue and the current regulatory documentation and making proposals for remote monitoring of the criteria for the limit states of individual components and aggregates. (Materials and methods) The article presents an analysis of scientific and technical documentation, State standards of the Russian Federation and scientific papers on the problems of minimizing technological risks, diagnostics and control suitability for determining the maximum technical condition, and staged studies on the possibility of monitoring the operation of individual components and units online. The article notes the need to adjust the criteria for the maximum technical condition in accordance with the new designs of resource-determining units, aggregates and existing technical regulations. (Results and discussion). The article presents the justification of the diagnostic process and identified contradictions in the design of tractors and existing scientific and technical documentation and standards, and proposed option of using meters-identifiers when upgrading tractors as a system of built-in online diagnostic tools. (Conclusions) Timely, automated monitoring of the technical condition of tractors, which is based on comparing data with the criteria of the limit condition, serves as a justification for the effective operation of equipment with built-in devices for diagnostics, which allows minimizing agrotechnological risks.