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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 chest x-ray required under the minimum medical requirements of the FMCSRs? FMCSA-MED-391.43-Q3 Driver Physical Qualification Examination
Does §391.43 of the FMCSRs require that physical examinations of applicants for employment be conducted by medical examiners employed by or designated by the carrier? FMCSA-MED-391.43-Q4 Driver Physical Qualification Examination
Does a medical certificate displaying a facsimile of a medical examiner’s signature meet the “signature of examining health care professional” requirement? FMCSA-MED-391.43-Q5 Signature on Medical Examiner’s Certificate
The driver’s medical exam is part of the Mexican Licencia Federal. If a roadside inspection reveals that a Mexico-based driver has not had the medical portion of the Licencia Federal re-validated, is the driver considered to be without a valid medical cer FMCSA-MED-391.43-Q6 Medical Examinations and the Mexican Licencia Federal
Is it intended that the words “person” and “driver” be used interchangeably in §391.45? FMCSA-MED-391.45-Q1 Driver Physical Qualification Examination
Must a driver who is returning from an illness or injury undergo a medical examination even if his current medical certificate has not expired? FMCSA-MED-391.45-Q3 Driver Physical Qualification Examination
Does the FMCSA issue formal medical decisions as to the physical qualifications of drivers on an individual basis? FMCSA-MED-391.47-Q1 Resolution of Medical Conflicts
Since 49 CFR 391.49 does not mandate a Skill Performance Evaluation, does the term “performance standard” mean that the State must give a driving test or other Skill Performance Evaluation to the driver for every waiver issued or does this term mean that, FMCSA-MED-391.49-Q1 Skill Performance Evaluation
When a driver fails to meet the provisions of the 100 air-mile radius exemption (section 395.1(e)), is the driver required to have copies of his/her records of duty status for the previous seven days? Must the driver prepare daily records of duty status f FMCSA-HOS-395.8-Q20 RODS and the 100 air-mile radius exemption
If a driver logs his/her duty status as “driving” but makes multiple short stops (each less than 15 minutes) for on-duty or off-duty activities, marks a vertical line on the grid for each stop, and records the elapsed time for each in the remarks section FMCSA-HOS-395.8-Q22 how to count non-driving activities against the driving limit