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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
Is a chest x-ray required under the minimum medical requirements of the FMCSRs? FMCSA-MED-391.43-Q3 Driver Physical Qualification Examination
May a reasonable suspicion alcohol test be based upon any information or observations of alcohol use or possession, other than a supervisor’s actual knowledge? FMCSA-D&A-382.307-Q01 Drug & Alcohol Testing - Reasonable Suspicion
May an employer allow a driver, subject to post-accident controlled substances testing, to continue to drive pending receipt of the results of the controlled substances test? FMCSA-D&A-382.303-Q02 Guidance on whether an employer may allow a driver to drive pending the post-accident substances testing results
What are the lighting requirements when a container assumes the structural requirements of a trailer? FMCSA-VEH-393.25-Q03 Lighting requirements for containers as structural trailers
Guidance on how a Canadian motor carrier can comply with the testing regulations when adding cross border work to an intra-Canadian driver’s duties FMCSA-D&A-382.305-Q16 Guidance on how a Canadian motor carrier can comply with the testing regulations when adding cross border work to an intra-Canadian driver’s duties
Must non transportation-related work for a motor carrier be recorded as on-duty time? FMCSA-HOS-395.2-Q11 Hours of Service Definitions
May a motor carrier switch from a 60-hour/7-day limit to a 70-hour/8-day limit or vice versa? FMCSA-HOS-395.3-Q01 Hours of Service Maximum Driving Time
May the information in the stopping distance table be used to determine the stopping distances at speeds greater than 20 mph? FMCSA-VEH-393.52-Q01 Can the stopping-distance table be used for speeds above 20 mph?
May a triangular-shaped flag or device be used by itself to mark an oversized load? FMCSA-VEH-393.87-Q01 Triangular flag to mark oversized load
Driver vehicle inspection reports FMCSA-VM-396.11-Q012 Driver vehicle inspection reports