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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
Would a tillerman, a person exercising control over the steerable rear axle(s) on a CMV, be considered a driver or a person who operates a CMV and be subject to applicable CDL regulations? FMCSA-CDL-383.3-Q24 Commercial Driver License Standards; Steerable Rear Axel
Must the licensing agency establish a commercial driver record, including a CDLIS pointer record, for a person holding a non-commercial license issued by that jurisdiction upon receiving notification of a conviction of any offense committed while (illegal FMCSA-STCDL-384.209-Q01 Guidance for establishing commercial driver record for non-CDL drivers convicted of operating a CMV without a CDL
When accepting an applicant transferring from another State whose record reveals a disqualifying conviction for which the originating State did not take a disqualifying action, is the transferee State required to take the disqualifying action? FMCSA-STCDL-384.231-Q01 Guidance on the requirement for transferee start to take disqualification action for conviction for which originating state did not disqualify driver
May a State expand a vehicle group to include vehicles that do not meet the Federal definition of the group? FMCSA-CDL-383.91-Q01 Commercial Driver License Standards; State Expansion of Vehicle Group Types
Part 380 – Entry level Driver Training Guidance Q&A (Q025) FMCSA-ELDT-380-Appendix-Q025 Commercial Driver License; Entry level Driver Training
Part 380 Appendix – Entry Level Driver Training (ELDT) Guidance Q&A (Q024) FMCSA-ELDT-380-Appendix-Q024 Commercial Driver License; Entry level Driver Training
§383.73 – State Procedures Guidance Q&A (Q006) FMCSA-ELDT-383.73-Q006 Commercial Driver License; Entry level Driver Training
Do third party skills test examiners have to be qualified to administer skills tests in all types of CMVs? FMCSA-CDL-383.75-Q03 Commercial Driver License Standards; Third Party Testing, type of CMV
May States accept applications for a CLP from individuals who are not domiciled in the State but who receive CDL training within the State, and administer the knowledge test to these individuals? FMCSA-CDL-383.73-Q04 Commercial Driver License Standards; Non-domiciled CLP Applications
§380.707 – Entry-level training provider Guidance Q&A Question 22: Can theory and behind-the-wheel (BTW) training be provided by separate training providers? FMCSA-ELDT-380.707-Q022 Commercial Driver License; Entry level Driver Training