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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 operation of motor vehicles designed or used to transport between 9 and 15 passengers (including the driver), in interstate commerce, by private firefighting companies transporting their employees subject to the FMCSRs? FMCSA-RG-390.3T-FAQ028 Applicability of FMCSRs to private firefighting companies transporting their own employees in 9-15 passenger CMVs
Hours of Service Exceptions FMCSA-HOS-395.1-FAQ33 Hours of Service Exceptions
Are motor carriers transporting HM that are covered under exceptions to the HMRs subject to financial responsibility regulations? FMCSA-INS-387.3-Q007 Applicability of Financial Responsibility Regulations to motor carrier transporting hazardous materials under exceptions to the HMRs
Does fuel used in the production of agricultural commodities qualify as “farm supplies” under 49 CFR 395.1(k)? FMCSA-HOS-AG-395.1-FAQ31 Hours of Service Agricultural Commodities
Question 1: Is §392.10(a)(4) applicable to drivers operating cargo tank vehicles that were used to transport hazardous materials for which placarding or marking was required, but are no longer required because the cargo tank has been emptied, or the quant FMCSA-DRV-392.10-Q001 Railroad crossings
If a driver is required repeatedly to respond to satellite or similar communications received during a 10-hour off-duty period (8-hour off-duty period for passenger transportation), does this activity affect a driver’s duty status? FMCSA-HOS-395.2-Q31 Hours of Service Definitions
If a driver drives in a non-commercial vehicle to take a physical examination, should the duty status be recorded as on-duty not driving, or as off-duty? Would the answer change if the motor carrier directs the driver to go for the examination? FMCSA-HOS-395.2-Q32 Hours of Service Definitions
Section § 387.3: Applicability FMCSA-INS-387.3-Q004 Applicability of Financial Responsibility Requirements to Government Entities
Part 387 Section § 387.27: Applicability. FMCSA-INS-387.27-Q006 Applicability of Financial Responsibility regulations to school buses used by the federal government of Mexico
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