Hours of Service Rules (Property-Carrying Drivers)

Federal HOS rules governing driving time, required breaks, and rest periods for CMV drivers transporting property.

11-Hour Driving Limit

§395.3(a)(3)

You may drive a maximum of 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty.

14-Hour Window

§395.3(a)(2)

You may not drive beyond the 14th consecutive hour after coming on duty, following 10 consecutive hours off duty. Off-duty time does not extend the 14-hour window.

30-Minute Break

§395.3(a)(3)(ii)

You must take a 30-minute break after 8 cumulative hours of driving time without at least a 30-minute interruption. The break can be satisfied by any off-duty, sleeper berth, or on-duty not-driving period of at least 30 consecutive minutes.

60/70-Hour Limit

§395.3(b)

You may not drive after having been on duty 60 hours in any 7 consecutive days (carriers not operating every day) or 70 hours in any 8 consecutive days (carriers operating every day of the week).

34-Hour Restart

§395.3(c)

You may restart a 7- or 8-day period by taking at least 34 consecutive hours off duty. After the restart, the cumulative on-duty clock resets to zero.

Sleeper Berth Exception

§395.1(g)

Drivers using a sleeper berth can split their required 10 hours off duty into two periods: a 7/3 split or an 8/2 split. Neither period counts against the 14-hour window. The two periods combined must total at least 10 hours.

Short-Haul Exception

§395.1(e)(1)

Drivers who operate within a 150 air-mile radius of their work reporting location, return to that location within 14 hours, and have at least 10 consecutive hours off duty between shifts are exempt from maintaining a record of duty status (RODS).

Adverse Driving Conditions

§395.1(b)

If you encounter adverse driving conditions (snow, fog, road closures) that were not known before the trip, you may drive up to 2 additional hours beyond the 11-hour driving limit and the 14-hour window to reach a safe stopping location.

Note: These rules apply to property-carrying CMV drivers. Passenger-carrying drivers are subject to different limits (10-hour driving limit, 15-hour on-duty window). Additional state-specific rules may apply for intrastate operations.
FMCSR Part 395: Full hours of service regulations are published in Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 395. Rules were last significantly updated in 2020.