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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
Part 380 – Entry level Driver Training Guidance Q&A (Q025) FMCSA-ELDT-380-Appendix-Q025 Commercial Driver License; Entry level Driver Training
May a State require persons operating recreational vehicles or other CMVs used by groups of people, including family members, for non-business purposes to have a CDL? FMCSA-CDL-383.3-Q6 Commercial Driver License Standards; Recreational Drivers
Must a civilian operator of a CMV, as defined in § 383.5, who operates wholly within a military facility open to public travel, have a CDL? FMCSA-CDL-383.3-Q12 Commercial Driver License Standards – Civilian CMV Operators Within Military Facility
Are drivers of non-military amphibious landing craft that are usually used in water but occasionally used on a public highway, such as those used for sightseeing tours, subject to the CDL requirements? FMCSA-CDL-383.3-Q11 Commercial Driver License Standards; Non-military Amphibious Landing Craft
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
Do the regulations require that a person driving an empty school bus from the manufacturer to the local distributor obtain a CDL? FMCSA-CDL-383.3-Q9 Commercial Driver License Standards; Empty School Bus
Are State, county and municipal workers operating CMVs required to obtain CDLs? FMCSA-CDL-383.3-Q8 Commercial Driver License Standards; Municipal Workers
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 part 383 apply to drivers of vehicles used in “van pools”? FMCSA-CDL-383.3-Q3 Commercial Driver License Standards; Van Pool Drivers
Does off-road motorized construction equipment meet the definitions of “motor vehicle” and “commercial motor vehicle” as used in § 383.5 and 49 CFR 390.5? FMCSA-CDL-383.3-Q4 Commercial Driver License Standards; Off Road Construction Equipment Drivers