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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
Do the regulations require that a person driving an empty school bus from the manufacturer to the local distributor obtain a CDL? FMCSA-CDL-383.3-Q9 Commercial Driver License Standards; Empty School Bus
Are public transit employees known as “hostlers,” who maintain and park transit buses on transit system property, subject to CDL requirements? FMCSA-CDL-383.3-Q10 Commercial Driver License Standards; Passenger Carrier
Are drivers of non-military amphibious landing craft that are usually used in water but occasionally used on a public highway, such as those used for sightseeing tours, subject to the CDL requirements? FMCSA-CDL-383.3-Q11 Commercial Driver License Standards; Non-military Amphibious Landing Craft
Must a civilian operator of a CMV, as defined in § 383.5, who operates wholly within a military facility open to public travel, have a CDL? FMCSA-CDL-383.3-Q12 Commercial Driver License Standards – Civilian CMV Operators Within Military Facility
Is a person who grows sod as a business considered a farmer and eligible for the farmer waiver? FMCSA-CDL-383.3-Q23 Commercial Driver License Standards; Farmer Waiver-Sod
May a farmer who meets all of the conditions for a farm waiver be waived from the CDL requirements when transporting another farmer’s products absent any written or verbal contract? FMCSA-CDL-383.3-Q20 Commercial Driver License Standards; Custom Harvesters; trees
May a State exempt CMV drivers employed by a partnership, corporation or an association engaged in farming from the CDL requirements under the farmer waiver (§ 383.3(d)) or is the waiver only available to drivers employed by a family-owned farm? FMCSA-CDL-383.3-Q21 Commercial Driver License Standards; Operators of a Farm Vehicle
May a State exempt CMV drivers employed by farm cooperatives from the CDL requirements under the farmer waiver (§ 383.3(d))? FMCSA-CDL-383.3-Q22 Commercial Driver License Standards; Farm Cooperatives
Are custom harvesters who harvest trees for tree farmers eligible to be considered “custom harvesters” for purposes of the FRSI waiver from selected CDL requirements? FMCSA-CDL-383.3-Q19 Commercial Driver License Standards; Custom Harvesting Activity
Would a tillerman, a person exercising control over the steerable rear axle(s) on a CMV, be considered a driver or a person who operates a CMV and be subject to applicable CDL regulations? FMCSA-CDL-383.3-Q24 Commercial Driver License Standards; Steerable Rear Axel