USA Banner

Official US Government Icon

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure Site Icon

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

U.S. Department of Transportation U.S. Department of Transportation Icon United States Department of Transportation United States Department of Transportation

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
Documents required for accident register FMCSA-RG-390.15-Q003 Documents required for accident register
Question 20: May an employee who tests positive be retained in a non-driving capacity? FMCSA-D&A-382.605-Q20 Drug & Alcohol Testing – Employees Who Test Positive
Is time spent operating controls in a CMV to perform an auxiliary, non-driving function (e.g., lifting a loaded container, compacting waste, etc.) considered driving time? FMCSA-HOS-395.2-Q26 Hours of Service Definitions
Section 393.70(d) requires that every full trailer must be coupled to the frame FMCSA-VEH-393.70-Q03 Two sets of safety chains attached to draw bar
Are employers required to refer a discharged employee to an SAP? FMCSA-D&A-382.605-Q4 Treatment Requirements for Discharged Employee
Question 20: Is a multi-day DVIR acceptable under § 396.11 and 396.13? FMCSA-VM-396.11-Q020 Driver vehicle inspection reports
Is the Canadian bilingual or any other record of duty status form acceptable in the U.S.? FMCSA-HOS-395.8-Q07 Hours of Service Records of Duty Status
Is this “mandatory information” that required of a normal RODS under section 395.8(d) or that of the 100 air-mile radius exemption under section 395.1(e)(5)? FMCSA-HOS-395.8-Q19 Hours of Service Records of Duty Status
May a motor carrier require fingerprinting as a pre-employment condition? FMCSA-RG-390.3T-Q008 Fingerprinting potential CMV drivers, 3990.3, 390.3T
The definition of a passenger CMV is a vehicle ‘‘designed to transport’’ more than 15 passengers, including the driver. Does that include standing passengers if the vehicle was specifically designed to accommodate standees? FMCSA-RG-390.5T-Q025 Does passenger capacity include standing passenger