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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
May a State allow an applicant to keep his/her current valid State license when issued a FRSI-restricted CDL? FMCSA-CDL-383.73-Q02 Commercial Driver License Standards; State of Record transfer
May a truck tractor (as defined in 49 CFR 390.5) be driven on public roads by a driver with a Class B CDL? FMCSA-CDL-383.91-Q06 Commercial Driver License Standards; Class B Truck Tractor CDL Requirements
Do tow truck operators who hold a CDL require endorsements to tow “endorsable” vehicles? FMCSA-CDL-383.93-Q08 Commercial Driver License Standards; Towing; Emergency and First Moves
On May 9, 2011, FMCSA revised the definition of “tank vehicle.” Does the new definition cover the transportation of empty Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBCs) or other tanks, or empty storage tanks? FMCSA-CDL-383.5-Q9 Commercial Driver License Standards; Tank Vehicle
Is a person from Puerto Rico required to surrender his or her driver’s license in order to obtain a non-domiciled CDL? FMCSA-CDL-383.21-Q1 Commercial Driver License Standards; Puerto Rico CDL
Are police officers who operate buses and vans which are designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver, and are used to transport police officers during demonstrations and other crowd control activities required to obtain a CDL? FMCSA-CDL-383.3-Q13 Commercial Driver License Standards - Police Officers Driving Buses and Vans
Does the FMCSA include the Space Cargo Transportation System (SCTS) off-road motorized military equipment under the definitions of “motor vehicle” and “commercial motor vehicle” as used in § 383.5? FMCSA-CDL-383.3-Q14 Commercial Driver License Standards; Space Cargo Transportation
Do active duty military personnel, not wearing military uniforms, qualify for a waiver from the CDL requirements if the CMVs are rental trucks or leased buses from the General Services Administration? FMCSA-CDL-383.3-Q15 Commercial Driver License Standards; Active Duty Military – Rental Trucks
May fuel be considered “farm supplies” as used in § 383.3(d)(1)? FMCSA-CDL-383.3-Q16 Commercial Driver License Standards; Farm Supplies
Is the transportation of seed-cotton modules from the cotton field to the gin by a module transport vehicle considered a form of custom harvesting activity that may be included under the FRSI waiver (§ 383.3(f))? FMCSA-CDL-383.3-Q17 Commercial Driver License Standards; Custom Harvesting Activity