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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
May a carrier use a blanket certification of road test for specific vehicles (driver’s names, etc., left out)? FMCSA-DQ-391.31-Q003 Road test
Question 2: Can a motor carrier, which finds a driver with a detectable presence of alcohol, place him/her out of service in accordance with §392.5? FMCSA-DRV-392.5-Q002 Alcohol prohibition
May a motor carrier designate another person or organization to administer the road test? FMCSA-DQ-391.31-Q004 Road test
Question 3: Does the prohibition against carrying alcoholic beverages in §392.5 apply to a driver who uses a company vehicle, for personal reasons, while off-duty? FMCSA-DQ-392.5-Q003 Alcohol prohibition
Question 4: Would an alcohol test, performed by an employer pursuant to 49 CFR part 382, with a result greater than 0.00 BAC, but less than 0.02 BAC, establish that a driver was in violation of 49 CFR 392.5(a)(2), having any measured alcohol concentration FMCSA-DRV-392.5-Q004 Alcohol prohibition
When a motor carrier purchases another motor carrier, must the drivers of the acquired motor carrier be requalified by the purchasing motor carrier? FMCSA-DQ-391.51-Q001 Driver qualification files
Question 1: Does §392.60 require a driver to carry a copy of the written authorization (required to transport passengers) on board a CMV? FMCSA-DRV-392.60-Q001 Transportation of unauthorized persons
Is a driver training school required to keep a driver qualification file on each student? FMCSA-DQ-391.51-Q002 Driver qualification files
Question 1: Must a driver prepare a written report of a pre-trip inspection performed under §392.7? FMCSA-DRV-392.7-Q001 Driver pre-trip inspection
Question 2: Must both drivers of a team operation comply with the provisions of §392.7 before driving? FMCSA-DRV-392.7-Q002 Driver pre-trip inspection