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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 driver disqualified for driving a CMV while off-duty with a blood alcohol concentration over 0.04 percent? FMCSA-CDL-383.51-Alc-Q01 Commercial Driver License Standards; Alcohol-Related Disqualification
Section 383.51 of the FMCSRs disqualifies a driver if certain offenses were committed while operating a CMV. Will the States be required to identify on the motor vehicle driver’s record the class of vehicle being operated when a violation occurs? FMCSA-CDL-383.51-Gen-Q03 Commercial Driver License Standards; Driver Disqualifications
§380.703 – Requirements for listing on the training provider registry (TPR) Guidance Q&A Question 9: How can an entity become eligible to be listed on the Training Provider Registry? FMCSA-ELDT-380.703-Q009 Commercial Driver License; Entry level Driver Training
May a State exempt CMV drivers employed by farm cooperatives from the CDL requirements under the farmer waiver (§ 383.3(d))? FMCSA-CDL-383.3-Q22 Commercial Driver License Standards; Farm Cooperatives
Is a person who grows sod as a business considered a farmer and eligible for the farmer waiver? FMCSA-CDL-383.3-Q23 Commercial Driver License Standards; Farmer Waiver-Sod
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
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
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
Does the definition of a CMV in § 383.5 of the CDL requirements include parking lot and/or street sweeping vehicles and is a driver of such a vehicle required to have a CDL? FMCSA-CDL-383.5-Q3 Commercial Driver License Standards; State Contracts
Must operators of motor graders or motor scrapers obtain CDLs and be subject to controlled substances and alcohol testing if they operate the equipment on public roads? FMCSA-CDL-383.5-Q5 Commercial Driver License Standards; Motor Graders, Scrapers