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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 would NOT be included in exempt services and supplies in a declared emergency? FMCSA-RG-390.23-FAQ008 Emergency Declarations
Part 390 § 390.23 Relief from regulations How do I log my time when operating under an emergency exemption? FMCSA-RG-390.23-FAQ014 Emergency Declarations
Cross Border Transportation FAQs FMCSA-ELD-Cross-Border-Transportation-FAQs(2018-04-09)-CORR1-RESCINDED ELD Guidance
What are the differences in the technical specifications in the 1988 automatic onboard recording device (AOBRD) Rule (49 CFR 395.15) and the Electronic Logging Device (ELD) rule? FMCSA-ELD-395-AOBRD-and-ELD-FAQ-RESCINDED ELD Guidance
Is Your Device Compliant? FMCSA-HOS-ELD-TECH-395-FAQ98 ELD Guidance
How long does it take to get an MX number, Certificate of Registration and USDOT Number? FMCSA-BOR-REG-FAQ003 Registration requirement for Mexico-domiciled motor carriers
My certificate of registration says I can carry exempt commodities. What are exempt commodities? FMCSA-BOR-MX-FAQ002 Registration requirement for Mexico-domiciled motor carriers
Do Canada and the United States have similar HOS regulations regarding 30-minute break periods? FMCSA-BOR-HOS-395-FAQ009 Cross-border hours-of-service requirements
Can a Canada/Mexico-domiciled motor carrier’s driver manually enter the vehicle identification number (VIN) for the power unit if the ELD is unable to automatically retrieve the VIN from the engine? FMCSA-HOS-ELD-TECH-395-FAQ73(2018-03-05)-CORR1 ELD requirements for foreign-domiciled motor carriers
After FMCSA completes a PASA and the applicant has passed the PASA, what will happen next? FMCSA-BOR-MX LONG-HAUL-FAQ006