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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
Part 390 § 390.23 Relief from regulations What documentation is needed to verify that the driver is operating under an emergency declaration? FMCSA-RG-390.23-FAQ022 Emergency Declarations
Part 390 § 390.23 Relief from regulations Is the time spent driving to pick up a truck regulated as on duty time? FMCSA-RG-390.23-FAQ024 Emergency Declarations
§380.600 – Compliance date for training requirements for entry-level drivers FMCSA-ELDT-380.600-Q007 Commercial Driver License; Entry level Driver Training
Are motor vehicles being transported considered to be HM for purposes of the financial responsibility requirements, thus requiring the higher limits set forth in the regulations? FMCSA-INS-387.3-Q008 Whether motor vehicles being transported are considered hazardous materials for purposes of the financial responsibility requirements
If a driver has been notified of his/her selection of random drug and/or alcohol testing and the testing cannot be completed because of “unforeseeable obstacles” at the collection site (i.e. collection site closed, collector unavailable when driver shows FMCSA-D&A-382.305-FAQ015 Drug & Alcohol Random Testing
Many small school districts are affiliated through service units which are, in essence, a coalition of individual districts. Can these school districts have one common confidant for purposes of receiving results and keeping records? FMCSA-D&A -382.401-Q01 Drug & Alcohol Testing – Record Retention
Part 387 Section § 387.9: Financial responsibility, minimum levels. FMCSA-INS-387.9-Q005 Insurance requirements for a motor carrier operating a tube trailer where the cylinders are manifolded together
May a motor carrier create an accident register of its own, or is there a specified form that must be used? FMCSA-RG-390.15-Q001 Format of accident register
If a driver was grandfathered from the skills test when he or she obtained a CDL, may an employer forego the administration of a road test as required by §391.31? FMCSA-DQ-391.33-Q001 Road test equivalent
Part 387 Section § 387.39: Forms. FMCSA-INS-387.39-Q001 Aggregation of insurance to meet financial responsibility requirements