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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 duplicate copy of a record of duty status be submitted if an original was seized by an enforcement official? FMCSA-HOS-395.8-Q09 Hours of Service Records of Duty Status
Does the definition of the term "in bulk" include solids as well as liquids even though the definition refers to containment systems with capacities in excess of 3,500 water gallons? FMCSA-INS-387.5-Q001 Definition of “in bulk”
Is a nonprofit corporation, providing for-hire interstate transportation of passengers, subject to the minimum levels of financial responsibility for motor carriers of passengers? FMCSA-INS-387.27-Q001 Applicability of financial responsibility requirements to nonprofit corporation providing for-hire interstate transportation of passengers
Can a for-hire motor carrier located in Canada transport farm supplies and/or equipment for agricultural purposes to a location in the U.S. without having to comply with Part 395? FMCSA-HOS-AG-395.1-FAQ32 Hours of Service Agricultural Commodities
What constitutes a “serious pattern” of violations? FMCSA-RG-390-SPECIALTOPICS-Q01 What is a “serious pattern” of violations?
§391.11 General qualifications of drivers. FMCSA-DQ-391.11-Q003 General driver qualifications
Are trailers which are stacked upon each other and drawn by a motor vehicle by attachment to the bottom trailer, a driveaway-towaway operation. FMCSA-RG-390.5T-Q024 Stacked trailers in driveaway-towaway operations
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
If a vehicle with a manufacturer’s GVWR of less than 10,001 pounds has been structurally modified to carry a heavier load, may an enforcement officer use the higher actual gross weight of the vehicle, instead of the GVWR, to determine the applicability of FMCSA-RG-390.5T-Q004 Applicability of FMCSRs to vehicle modified to carry heavier loads
Who is responsible for ensuring that medical certifications meet the requirements? FMCSA-MED-391.41-Q1 Driver Physical Qualification Standards