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Regulatory Guidance

Welcome to the FMCSA Guidance Portal. This web portal is a searchable, indexed database that contains and links to all guidance documents in effect from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. The guidance documents lack the force and effect of law, unless expressly authorized by statute or incorporated into a contract.

To comment on any guidance document, or to request issuance, reconsideration, modification, or rescission of any guidance document, please identify the guidance document in your request and send it to: FMCSAguidance@dot.gov. NOTE: The FMCSAguidance mailbox is not intended to serve as a mailbox for general inquiries. For inquiries that go beyond the limited purpose of the FMCSAguidance mailbox, please call FMCSA's Information Line (800-832-5660) or visit FMCSA's "Contact Us" page to send your inquiry to the appropriate mailbox.

Subject Agency Identifier Topic Issued Date
Does an illegible, incomplete, or missing rear impact guard certification label establish a violation of 49 CFR 393.86(a)(6), or indicate that the impact guard did not meet the NHTSA's strength and energy absorption requirements applicable to... FMCSA-VEH-393.86-FAQ001(2024-12-10) Rear Impact Guard Certification Label
A driver is inspected while operating under the agricultural operations exemption in 49 CFR 395.1(k)…The inspector discovers an HOS violation on a previous day when...not operating under the exemption. May the driver be cited for that previous-day...? FMCSA-HOS-AG-395.1-FAQ38(2024-12-04) Hours of Service Agricultural Commodities
Do the FMCSRs require State Driver Licensing Agencies to query the Clearinghouse before initiating a licensing action to remove a restriction that would expand the driver’s ability to operate CMVs or when issuing a duplicate CLP or CDL? FMCSA-CDL-383.73-FAQ01(2024-05-20) Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse Checks Before Issuance of CLP or CDL
Cross Border Transportation FAQs FMCSA-ELD-Cross-Border-Transportation-FAQs(2023-03-08) ELD Guidance
Qualifications of Drivers: Medical Examiner’s Handbook Regulatory Guidance, 88 FR 3892 (January 22, 2024) FMCSA-FR-88FR3892(2024-01-22) Driver Physical Qualification Examination and Standards
Medical Examiner’s Handbook 2024 Edition FMCSA-MED-MEH(2024-01-22) Driver Physical Qualification Examination and Standards
Qualifications of Drivers: Medical Advisory Criteria, 89 Fed. Reg. 3577 (Jan. 19, 2024) FMCSA-FR-89FR3577(2024-01-19) Driver Physical Qualification Examination and Standards
In an electronic logging device (ELD) with multiple components, which component must generate the event sequence identifier number? FMCSA-ELD-395-Q080(2023-07-31) ELD Guidance
Can a user edit or change automatically recorded driving time that has been recorded by an electronic logging device (ELD) to non-driving time? FMCSA-HOS-ELD-395-FAQ51(2023-07-31) ELD Guidance
What duty status change events must be included in the ELD output file for submission to FMCSA during an inspection, investigation, or audit? FMCSA-ELD-395-Q084(2023-07-31) ELD Guidance