USA Banner

Official US Government Icon

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure Site Icon

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

U.S. Department of Transportation U.S. Department of Transportation Icon United States Department of Transportation United States Department of Transportation

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 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
§380.603 – Applicability Guidance Q&A Question 2: Who is exempt from entry-level driver training (ELDT) requirements? FMCSA-ELDT-380.603-Q002 Commercial Driver License; Entry level Driver Training
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
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
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
May a farmer who meets all of the conditions for a farm waiver be waived from the CDL requirements when transporting another farmer’s products absent any written or verbal contract? FMCSA-CDL-383.3-Q20 Commercial Driver License Standards; Custom Harvesters; trees
Are custom harvesters who harvest trees for tree farmers eligible to be considered “custom harvesters” for purposes of the FRSI waiver from selected CDL requirements? FMCSA-CDL-383.3-Q19 Commercial Driver License Standards; Custom Harvesting Activity
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