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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
If a Canada/Mexico-domiciled company with a terminal in the United States dispatches a driver from one of its Canada/Mexico locations to move a vehicle to its U.S. terminal for use in the U.S., is the vehicle move considered a drive-away/tow-away ... FMCSA-BOR-HOS-ELD-395-FAQ009(2022-03-10) ELD Guidance
If the vehicle does not track engine hours, can the record begin with “0”? FMCSA-ELD-395-Q060(2022-03-10) ELD Guidance
What is the resolution process if the FMCSA data transfer mechanism incorrectly rejects a data file during an electronic data transfer? FMCSA-HOS-ELD-TECH-395-FAQ83(2022-03-10) ELD Guidance
Section 4.9.1 of 49 CFR part 395, subpart B, Appendix A states than an electronic logging device (ELD) must support either telematics or local transfer for data transfer. Can an ELD offer web services and USB transfer? FMCSA-HOS-ELD-TECH-395-FAQ77(2022-03-10) ELD Guidance
To ensure that the list of self-certified electronic logging devices (ELDs) is current, ELD providers must notify FMCSA of any major changes to their device. What constitutes a major change to an ELD? FMCSA-ELD-395-Q082(2022-03-10) ELD Guidance
If it only takes an hour for a driver to get through the adverse driving conditions, do they still get to use the full 2 hours of the exception? FMCSA-HOS-2020-395-FAQ13 Hours of Service
Does the 30-minute break count against the 14-hour “driving window”? FMCSA-HOS-2020-395-FAQ18 Hours of Service
What rest periods qualify for the split sleeper berth provision? FMCSA-HOS-2020-395-FAQ02 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
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