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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 the driver allowed to record his stops during a tour of duty as off-duty time when the commercial motor vehicle (CMV) is laden with HM and the CMV is parked in a truck stop parking lot? FMCSA-HOS-395.2-Q04 Hours of Service Definitions
May a vehicle transport HM when equipped with retreaded tires? FMCSA-VEH-393.75-Q02 Retreaded tires to transport hazardous material
If an item of construction equipment which weighs less than 4,536 kg (10,000 lb.) is transported on a flatbed or drop-deck trailer, must the accessory equipment be lowered to the deck of the trailer? FMCSA-VEH-393.130-Q01 Must cargo weighing less than 10,000 pounds be transported on the deck of a trailer?
Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports FMCSA-VM-396.11-Q002 Driver vehicle inspection reports
Does the sticker have to be located in a specific location on the vehicle? FMCSA-VM-396.17-Q04.cm Location of inspection sticker
May a large corporation which has many wholly owned subsidiaries have one policy for the parent corporation and maintain the policy and the Form MCS-90 at the corporate headquarters? FMCSA-INS-387.7-Q001 Need for large corporation with many subsidiaries to have more than one insurance policy
Are luxury limousines with a seating capacity of fewer than seven passengers and not operated on a regular route or between specified points exempted under §387.27(b)(2)? FMCSA-INS-387.27-Q003 Financial Responsibility Requirements for certain luxury limousine service
What is considered a ‘‘public road?” FMCSA-RG-390.5T-Q026 What is a “public road”
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
If a vehicle’s GVWR plate and/or VIN number are missing but its actual gross weight is 10,001 pounds or more, may an enforcement officer use the latter instead of GVWR to determine the applicability of the FMCSRs? FMCSA-RG-390.5T-Q003 Use of actual GVW when GVWR and/or VIN plate missing