FMCSA Hours of Service — Quick Reference
FMCSA Hours of Service rules limit commercial truck drivers to 11 hours of driving per 14-hour workday, with a mandatory 30-minute break after 8 hours of driving and 10 consecutive hours off-duty between shifts. Weekly limits: 60 hours in 7 days or 70 hours in 8 days. The 34-hour restart resets the weekly clock by taking 34 or more consecutive hours off duty, including two periods between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m.
Detailed FMCSA Hours of Service Rules Explained
11-Hour Driving Limit
Under 49 CFR § 395.3, a property-carrying commercial driver may drive a maximum of 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty. This is a hard cap — once 11 hours of driving are exhausted within a duty window, the driver must go off-duty regardless of time remaining in the 14-hour window. The clock counts only time spent behind the wheel, not on-duty non-driving time such as loading, fueling, or pre-trip inspections.
14-Hour On-Duty Window
The 14-hour rule runs concurrently with — not instead of — the 11-hour driving limit. Once a driver comes on duty after the required 10-hour rest break, a rolling 14-hour clock begins. When those 14 hours expire, driving must stop, even if fewer than 11 driving hours have been used. Off-duty time taken during the window (for example, a rest stop) does not pause or extend the 14-hour window. Only the sleeper berth split provision (see below) provides a limited exception.
30-Minute Break Requirement
Drivers must take a 30-minute non-driving break before reaching 8 cumulative hours of driving since the last off-duty or sleeper berth period of at least 30 minutes. The break may be logged as off-duty or on-duty non-driving — it does not extend the 14-hour clock. Drivers exempt from the ELD mandate (short-haul, driveaway, etc.) are also exempt from this break requirement.
10-Hour Off-Duty Requirement
Before starting a new 14-hour on-duty window, a driver must accumulate at least 10 consecutive hours off duty. This resets both the 14-hour clock and the 11-hour driving allowance. The off-duty period may be split between a sleeper berth and another qualifying period under the sleeper berth provision.
60/70-Hour Weekly Limit
Carriers operating vehicles every day of the week use the 70-hour/8-day limit; carriers that do not operate every day use the 60-hour/7-day limit. A driver may not drive after reaching the applicable weekly cap. Hours are calculated on a rolling basis — each new day, hours from 7 or 8 days prior drop off. An ELD automatically tracks this accumulation and will alert the driver and carrier when approaching the limit.
34-Hour Restart
Drivers may reset their 60- or 70-hour weekly clock by taking at least 34 consecutive hours off duty. The restart must include two periods from 1:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. (home terminal time). Carriers may only use one 34-hour restart per week (rolling 168 hours). After a valid restart, the driver's weekly hour accumulation resets to zero and a fresh 60- or 70-hour window begins.
Sleeper Berth Provisions
Drivers with a sleeper berth may split the required 10-hour off-duty period into two segments, provided one segment is at least 7 consecutive hours in the sleeper berth and the other is at least 2 consecutive hours (in the sleeper berth, off duty, or a combination). Neither segment alone counts against the 14-hour window; instead, the 14-hour clock is paused during the qualifying sleeper berth time. This allows team-driving operations and long-distance solo drivers to maximize productivity while meeting rest requirements.
Important: the 8-hour cumulative driving threshold for the 30-minute break resets only after a qualifying off-duty or sleeper berth break of at least 30 minutes. Drivers using the split sleeper berth provision should confirm with their fleet manager or ELD provider how their specific device handles the break-reset calculation.
Adverse Driving Conditions — 2-Hour Extension
Under 49 CFR § 395.1(b)(1), drivers may extend both the 11-hour driving limit and the 14-hour on-duty window by up to 2 hours when adverse driving conditions are encountered that were not reasonably foreseeable at the start of the trip. Qualifying conditions include snow, ice, sleet, fog, other hazardous weather, or a highway closure due to an accident. The extension does not apply to the 60/70-hour weekly limit, nor may a driver use it to start a trip that was already prohibited. The driver must note the adverse conditions on the log or ELD annotation.
HOS Violations and Consequences
FMCSA HOS violations carry significant financial and operational penalties. A driver found in violation during a roadside inspection may be placed out of service immediately — unable to move the vehicle until enough off-duty time has elapsed to return to compliance. Out-of-service orders delay deliveries, damage shipper relationships, and increase deadhead costs. Common fine ranges:
- ELD/RODS violation (minor): $1,000 – $2,750 per violation
- Exceeding driving-time limits: $1,000 – $11,000 per offense
- False log entries (HOS fraud): up to $16,000 per violation
- Operating with a fatigue-related out-of-service violation: up to $25,000
Every HOS violation also generates CSA (Compliance, Safety, Accountability) points in the Hours-of-Service Compliance BASIC. Points are weighted by severity and recency. A high CSA score triggers targeted roadside inspections, New Entrant Audit eligibility, and eventually an FMCSA intervention — up to and including a compliance review that can result in operating authority suspension. Owner-operators with high CSA scores are also routinely flagged and avoided by brokers and shippers, directly reducing load availability and rates.
Carriers with a pattern of HOS violations — multiple violations across multiple drivers over a 12–24 month period — face the highest scrutiny. FMCSA can issue a Notice to Appear, conduct an off-site or on-site compliance review, and ultimately downgrade a carrier's safety rating to Unsatisfactory, which triggers automatic authority revocation. See our New Entrant Audit guide and DOT compliance checklist to stay ahead of these risks. For ELD selection to ensure accurate log capture, see best ELDs for owner-operators 2026.
11-Hour Driving Limit
May drive a maximum of 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty.
Exceptions
- • Adverse driving conditions: +2 hours (13 hours total) per 49 CFR 395.1(b)(1)
Driver: up to $2,750 per violation. Carrier: up to $16,000 per violation.
14-Hour Driving Window
May not drive beyond the 14th consecutive hour after coming on duty, following 10 consecutive hours off duty. Cannot be extended by off-duty time (except sleeper berth).
Exceptions
- • Adverse driving conditions does NOT extend the 14-hour window
- • Sleeper berth splits can pause the 14-hour clock
Driver: up to $2,750. Carrier: up to $16,000.
30-Minute Break
Must take a 30-minute break when you have driven for a period of 8 cumulative hours without at least a 30-minute interruption. Break can be off-duty, sleeper berth, or on-duty not driving.
Exceptions
- • Short-haul drivers (150 air-mile radius) exempt from this requirement
- • The break does NOT need to be consecutive with the start/end of driving
Driver: up to $2,750. Carrier: up to $16,000.
60/70-Hour Limit
May not drive after being on duty 60 hours in any 7 consecutive days (if carrier does not operate every day) or 70 hours in any 8 consecutive days (if carrier operates every day of the week).
Exceptions
- • 34-hour restart: resets the 60/70-hour clock after 34 consecutive hours off-duty
Driver: up to $2,750. Carrier: up to $16,000.
Sleeper Berth Provisions
Drivers using a sleeper berth can split their 10-hour off-duty into two periods: one must be at least 7 hours in the sleeper, and the other at least 2 hours (either off-duty or sleeper). Neither period counts against the 14-hour window. 2025 pilot program testing flexible 6/4 split.
Exceptions
- • Both periods must total at least 10 hours
- • Neither period alone counts against the 14-hour window
- • 2025 FMCSA pilot program testing 6/4 split flexibility
Improper sleeper berth use: same as other HOS violations.
34-Hour Restart
A driver may restart a 7/8 consecutive day period after taking 34 or more consecutive hours off duty. This resets the 60/70-hour clock to zero.
Exceptions
- • No limits on how often the restart can be used
- • No requirement for specific time windows (the 1am-5am requirement was suspended)
N/A (this is a provision, not a restriction).
150 Air-Mile Radius Short-Haul Exception
49 CFR 395.1(e)(1)
Drivers operating within a 150 air-mile radius of their work reporting location are exempt from ELD and RODS requirements if ALL conditions are met.
ALL conditions must be met:
- 1Operate within a 150 air-mile radius of normal work reporting location
- 2Return to work reporting location within 14 consecutive hours
- 3Do not drive after 14 hours on duty
- 4Do not drive after 11 hours of driving
- 5Have at least 10 consecutive hours off-duty between shifts
- 6Do not drive after 60/70 hours on duty in 7/8 consecutive days
- 7Carrier maintains accurate time records (start time, end time, total hours) for 6 months
Important Notes
- • ELD is NOT required under this exception
- • Paper RODS are NOT required under this exception
- • Carrier must keep time records showing start/end times
- • If ANY condition is violated, full ELD/RODS requirements apply for that day
Personal Conveyance
Movement of a CMV for personal use while off-duty. Recorded as off-duty, does not affect driving or on-duty hours.
Acceptable Uses
- • Driving from rest stop to hotel/restaurant
- • Driving to find safe parking after exhausting hours
- • Personal errands near rest location
- • Commuting between home and terminal (bobtail or unladen)
NOT Acceptable
- • Driving to the next shipper/receiver
- • Moving closer to next dispatch location
- • Hauling revenue freight
- • Repositioning vehicle for operational advantage
Rules
- • Vehicle must be unladen or laden only with carrier property (not revenue cargo)
- • No distance limit (but must be reasonable and truly personal)
- • Cannot be used to extend driving time or circumvent HOS
- • Location recorded at reduced precision (~10-mile radius) for privacy
ELD Malfunction Procedures
If your ELD stops working, you have specific steps to follow.
Procedure
- 1Note the malfunction on the ELD (if possible) or paper RODS
- 2Reconstruct RODS for the current 24-hour period and previous 7 consecutive days on graph-grid paper
- 3Continue using paper RODS until ELD is repaired
- 4Report malfunction to carrier within 24 hours
- 5Carrier must repair or replace ELD within 8 calendar days
- 6Keep documentation of the malfunction and repair
Required in Every Truck
- • ELD user manual
- • Instruction sheet for recording malfunctions/data transfer
- • Supply of blank graph-grid RODS for minimum 8 days
Frequently Asked Questions — FMCSA Hours of Service
Can I drive after 11 hours if I haven't used my full 14-hour window?
No. The 11-hour driving limit and the 14-hour on-duty window are independent constraints — both must be satisfied. Once either limit is reached, driving must stop. Unused time in one limit cannot be borrowed against the other.
What exactly is the 34-hour restart and when should I use it?
The 34-hour restart allows you to reset your entire 60- or 70-hour weekly accumulation by taking at least 34 consecutive off-duty hours that include two 1 a.m.–5 a.m. periods. Use it when your weekly hours are running low and you need a full fresh week — typically after a heavy week of runs where you've burned 50+ hours by Thursday. You may only use one restart per 168-hour period.
Can I split my 10-hour off-duty into two periods?
Yes, but only under the sleeper berth split provision. One segment must be at least 7 consecutive hours in the sleeper berth; the other must be at least 2 consecutive hours (in the berth or off-duty). When both conditions are met, neither period counts against your 14-hour window. You cannot split the 10 hours arbitrarily — the 7+2 minimum split is strictly enforced.
What is an HOS violation worth in fines and CSA points?
Fines vary by severity: ELD/RODS violations typically run $1,000–$2,750; exceeding driving limits can reach $11,000 per offense; falsifying logs can hit $16,000. Beyond fines, HOS violations add CSA points to your Hours-of-Service Compliance BASIC score. A high score puts you on FMCSA's radar for targeted inspections and compliance reviews. Out-of-service violations carry the heaviest weight and remain on record for 24 months.