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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
If the driver rejects unidentified driving, should that be displayed on the electronic logging device (ELD) for the roadside inspection view and output file view? FMCSA-ELD-395-Q052(2022-03-10) ELD Guidance
How should “odometer jumps,” caused by a driver unplugging the electronic logging device (ELD) from the electronic control module (ECM), be captured? FMCSA-ELD-395-Q053(2022-03-10) ELD Guidance
What data does the electronic logging device (ELD) need to log when there is an unidentified driver? FMCSA-ELD-395-Q050(2022-03-10) ELD Guidance
Can electronic logging device (ELD) events remain unassigned after a trip is assigned to a driver? FMCSA-ELD-395-Q054(2022-03-10) ELD Guidance
Can an electronic logging device (ELD) provider pass the one-minute boot time rule by requiring the driver to power on the device (or an app) prior to starting the engine? FMCSA-ELD-395-Q055(2022-03-10) ELD Guidance
Is it permissible to allow the electronic logging device (ELD) to power up, boot, and accept driver logins before the engine is powered?  FMCSA-ELD-395-Q056(2022-03-10) ELD Guidance
What is a manufacturer required to do when required data is not available from the electronic control module (ECM)? FMCSA-ELD-395-Q057(2022-03-10) ELD Guidance
Section 4.6.1.6(d) of 49 CFR part 395, subpart B, Appendix A states that “An unidentified driving records data diagnostic event can be cleared by the ELD when driving time logged under the unidentified driver profile for the current 24‐hour period and... FMCSA-ELD-395-Q049(2022-03-10) ELD Guidance
How should the electronic logging device (ELD) handle the dashboard odometer display not matching the odometer value returned by the electronic control module (ECM)? For instance, when the engine is replaced and the value is not synced. FMCSA-ELD-395-Q059(2022-03-10) ELD Guidance
If the required electronic logging device (ELD) data from the electronic control module (ECM) is private and requires an agreement with the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) to obtain said data, are ELD providers required to enter an agreement with... FMCSA-ELD-395-Q058(2022-03-10) ELD Guidance