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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. FMCSA may not cite, use, or rely on any guidance that is not posted on this Guidance Portal, except to establish historical facts.

This Guidance Portal represents the exclusive source of guidance that the FMCSA has determined is in effect. In accordance with Executive Order 13891 and OMB Memorandum M-20-02, any previously issued guidance that does not appear in the Guidance Portal is considered rescinded and of no legal effect.

To comment on any guidance document, or to request issuance, reconsideration, modification, or rescission of any guidance document in accordance with 49 CFR 5.41, send your request to: FMCSAguidance@dot.gov. Please identify the guidance document in your request.

Subject Agency Identifier Topic Issued Date
When must a driver take a 30-minute break? FMCSA-HOS-2020-395-FAQ16 Hours of Service
What rest periods qualify for the split sleeper berth provision? FMCSA-HOS-2020-395-FAQ02 Hours of Service
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
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
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
May the adverse driving conditions exception be used in concert with the revised short-haul provisions? FMCSA-HOS-2020-395-FAQ21 Hours of Service
May a driver use yard moves to satisfy the 30-minute break requirement? FMCSA-HOS-2020-395-FAQ20 Hours of Service
May a driver use the adverse driving conditions provision even if the adverse conditions have cleared when the driver arrives at the location where the condition occurred? FMCSA-HOS-2020-395-FAQ14 Hours of Service
May a driver use on-duty not driving time during a roadside inspection to satisfy the 30-minute break? FMCSA-HOS-2020-395-FAQ19 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