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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
Driver vehicle inspection report FMCSA-VM-396.11-Q015 Driver vehicle inspection report
If a driver’s record of duty status is not signed, may enforcement action be taken on the current day’s record if it contains false information? FMCSA-HOS-395.3-Q03 Hours of Service Maximum Driving Time
Does the GVWR apply to the power unit only? FMCSA-INS-387.3-Q002 Calculation of GVWR
Question 1: Under what conditions may a vehicle that has been placed ‘‘out of service’’ under § 396.3 be moved? FMCSA-VM-396.9-Q001 Vehicle inspections
Is the tillerman who controls the steerable rear axle of a vehicle so equipped a driver subject to the FMCSRs while operating in interstate commerce? FMCSA-RG-390.5T-Q014 Applicability of FMCSRs to tillermen
§391.21(b)(11) requires that an application for employment contain 10 years of prior employment information on the driver. FMCSA-DQ-391.21-Q003 391.21, application, driver application, employment history, Mexico, Mexican driver, Canada, Canadian Driver Licencia Federal
Question 3: How may the motor carrier determine safe loading when a shipper has loaded and sealed the trailer? FMCSA-DRV-392.9-Q003 Inspection of cargo and cargo securement
An employer or State government agency requires CDLs for drivers of motor vehicles: (1) with a GVWR of 26,000 pounds or less; (2) with a GCWR of 26,000 pounds or less inclusive of a towed unit with a GVWR of 10,000 pounds or less; (3) designed to transpor FMCSA-D&A-382.103-Q04 Applicability of part 382 to CMVs below 26,001 pounds
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
How does a driver record the hours spent driving in a school bus operation when he/she also drives a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) for a company subject to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs)? FMCSA-HOS-395.2-Q21 Hours of Service Definitions