USA Banner

Official US Government Icon

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure Site Icon

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

U.S. Department of Transportation U.S. Department of Transportation Icon United States Department of Transportation United States Department of Transportation

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
What is a "qualifying rest break or sleeper berth period" under the definition of adverse driving conditions? FMCSA-HOS-2020-395-FAQ11 Hours of Service
May a driver choose to use the sleeper berth provision some days and the other provisions of 49 CFR 395.1(g) other days? FMCSA-HOS-2020-395-FAQ09 Hours of Service
Under the sleeper berth provisions, a driver takes 7 hours in the sleeper berth & later takes an off-duty period of 3 hours before arriving at home. When the driver arrives home within the permissible hours, what rest is req’d to reset their "day clock"? FMCSA-HOS-2020-395-FAQ08 Hours of Service
If a driver takes 3 hours off-duty and then 10 consecutive hours in the sleeper berth, will the 3 hours count against the driver's 14-hour "driving window"? FMCSA-HOS-2020-395-FAQ07 Hours of Service
A driver takes 5 consecutive hours off-duty and later takes a 7-hour consecutive break in the sleeper berth. How is this time calculated for HOS compliance? FMCSA-HOS-2020-395-FAQ06 Hours of Service
May a 10-consecutive hour off-duty period be paired with a subsequent qualifying 7+-consecutive hour sleeper berth period? FMCSA-HOS-2020-395-FAQ05-RESCINDED Hours of Service
How are split sleeper berth rest periods used in determining compliance with the 14-hour "driving window" rule? FMCSA-HOS-2020-395-FAQ04 Hours of Service
What if a driver is stopped for a roadside inspection after having taken only one rest period that qualifies for the split sleeper berth provision? FMCSA-HOS-2020-395-FAQ03 Hours of Service
What rest periods qualify for the split sleeper berth provision? FMCSA-HOS-2020-395-FAQ02 Hours of Service
Are there any restrictions on how often the adverse driving conditions exception may be used? FMCSA-HOS-2020-395-FAQ12 Hours of Service