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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 motor carrier require fingerprinting as a pre-employment condition? FMCSA-RG-390.3T-Q009 Applicability of FMCSRs to school bus drivers
Are the FMCSRs applicable to drivers/vehicles operated by a transit authority owned and operated by a State or a political subdivision of the State? FMCSA-RG-390.3T-Q010 Applicability of FMCSRs to State or local transit agencies
Applicability of FMCSRs when schools charge trip fees FMCSA-RG-390.3T-Q011 Applicability of FMCSRs when schools charge trip fees
A motor carrier dispatches an empty CMV from State A into adjoining State B in order to transport cargo or passengers between two points in State B, and then to return empty to State A. Does the transportation of cargo or passengers within State B constit FMCSA-RG-390.3T-Q013 Interstate commerce involving transportation within a single State
What constitutes a “serious pattern” of violations? FMCSA-RG-390-SPECIALTOPICS-Q01 What is a “serious pattern” of violations?
May a motor carrier require fingerprinting as a pre-employment condition? FMCSA-RG-390.3T-Q008 Fingerprinting potential CMV drivers, 3990.3, 390.3T
May drivers be coerced into employing loading or unloading assistance (lumpers)? FMCSA-RG-390.3T-Q015 Prohibition on coercion to use lumpers
What protection is afforded a driver for refusing to violate the FMCSRs? FMCSA-RG-390.3T-Q017 Protection of drivers sanctioned for refusal to violate FMCSRs
Do the definitions of "farm", "farmer" and "agricultural crops" apply to greenhouse operations? FMCSA-RG-390.5T-Q001 Applicability of farm-related definitions to greenhouse operations
If a vehicle with a manufacturer’s GVWR of less than 10,001 pounds has been structurally modified to carry a heavier load, may an enforcement officer use the higher actual gross weight of the vehicle, instead of the GVWR, to determine the applicability of FMCSA-RG-390.5T-Q004 Applicability of FMCSRs to vehicle modified to carry heavier loads