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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 person who operates a custom motorcoach in commerce with a GVWR or GVW greater than 26,001 pounds required to have a passenger endorsement for his or her CDL if the vehicle is designed or used to transport fewer than 16 passengers, including the dr FMCSA-CDL-383.93-Q11 Commercial Driver License Standards; Heavy Straight Vehicles
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
Part 380 Appendix – Entry level Driver Training (ELDT) Guidance Q&A Question 20: Are there specific hours of training mandated for the theory curricula? FMCSA-ELDT-380-Appendix-Q020 Commercial Driver License; Entry level Driver Training
Does a driver of either a tractor trailer or a straight truck that is converted into a mobile office need a CDL? FMCSA-CDL-383.3-Q7 Commercial Driver License Standards; Converted Mobile Offices
Does “designed to transport” as used in the definition of a CMV in § 383.5 mean original design or current design when a number of seats are removed? FMCSA-CDL-383.5-Q1 Commercial Driver License Standards; Original Design
Must an operator of a CMV (as defined in § 383.5), who holds a CDL, notify his/her current employer of a conviction for violating a State or local (non-parking) traffic law in any type of motor vehicle, as required by § 383.31(b), even though the convicti FMCSA-CDL-383.31-Q1 Commercial Driver License Standards; Notification of Convictions
What CMV group is a driver of an articulated motorcoach (bus) with a GVWR of 26,001 pounds or more required to possess? FMCSA-CDL-383.91-Q04 Commercial Driver License Standards; Articulated Bus, CDL Type
May a driver with an air brake restriction on his or her CDL operate a CMV equipped with a hydraulic braking system that has an air-assisted parking brake release? FMCSA-CDL-383.95-Q01 Commercial Driver License Standards; Air Brake Restrictions
Are public transit employees known as “hostlers,” who maintain and park transit buses on transit system property, subject to CDL requirements? FMCSA-CDL-383.3-Q10 Commercial Driver License Standards; Passenger Carrier
When a State agency contracts with private parties for services involving the operation of CMVs, is the State agency or contractor considered the employer? FMCSA-CDL-383.5-Q2 Commercial Driver License Standards; State Contracts