What 395.30E means in plain language
395.30E is a hours-of-service regulation that addresses how drivers must record and maintain their duty status information. Specifically, this code applies to requirements around documenting your work time, off-duty periods, and sleeper-berth usage in a manner that meets federal standards.
The regulation requires that your record of duty status be accurate, complete, and retained according to FMCSR guidelines. If an inspector finds that your duty-status documentation doesn't comply with these requirements—whether due to missing entries, incorrect timestamps, or improper format—you can be cited under 395.30E.
This is distinct from more serious violations involving falsification of records or deliberate misrepresentation. A 395.30E citation typically means your logs had gaps, errors, or formatting problems that inspectors determined violated the standard.
What our enforcement data actually shows
Across our 13 million+ roadside inspection records, 395.30E is extraordinarily rare. Our database shows only 25 all-time citations for this code, with zero citations in the last 12 months and zero in the last 90 days. This places 395.30E at rank #1860 out of 3,036 FMCSR codes by citation volume—far below the typical violation threshold.
Of the 25 citations recorded, none resulted in an out-of-service order. The 0.0% OOS rate for 395.30E contrasts sharply with the all-FMCSR average OOS rate of 31.4%, indicating that inspectors have not deemed this violation severe enough to ground vehicles or remove drivers from service.
The absence of recent activity in our 90-day and 12-month enforcement snapshots suggests this code is being cited very infrequently—possibly because the newer ELD (electronic logging device) mandate has reduced the types of record-keeping errors that once triggered this violation.
Who gets cited most
Our inspection records do not show state-level concentration for 395.30E due to the extremely low citation volume. The top carrier cited under this code was SG TRUCKING LLC (USDOT 3658995) with 6 citations across our historical data, followed by KINGZ TRANSPORT 20 LLC (USDOT 3650918) with 4 citations. The remaining citations were distributed among eight other carriers, each with a single citation.
The distribution across vehicle makes shows Freightliner units were involved in 12 of the 25 citations, followed by Ford and HD Trailer units with 6 citations each. This pattern likely reflects market prevalence rather than any heightened risk associated with these makes.
How severe is this compared to similar codes
395.30E sits in the hours-of-service category alongside several far more frequently cited violations. For context, 395.24 (HOS ELD—form and manner) generated 106,486 citations with a 0.0% OOS rate. Another peer code, 395.8E (false record of duty status), shows 83,660 citations and a 9.6% OOS rate, indicating that outright falsification is treated more seriously than record-keeping errors.
Moreover, 395.8A1 (failing to maintain required property-carrier records) and 395.8(a)(1) (not using the appropriate method to record hours) both carry 92.9% and 93.2% OOS rates respectively—meaning inspectors remove drivers immediately when those violations are found. By contrast, the 0.0% OOS rate for 395.30E signals that this violation is treated as administrative rather than safety-critical.
How to avoid it
Given that no 395.30E citations have occurred in the last 90 days across 13 million inspections, the practical risk is minimal, especially if you operate modern ELDs. However, if you still maintain manual logs or transition between manual and electronic records, take these steps:
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Review your logs daily before signing off. Ensure every timestamp is accurate, all duty-status changes are recorded, and no gaps exist between one entry and the next. If you're using an ELD, verify that it synchronized correctly with your vehicle's engine data.
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Understand your ELD's certification process. Many recent citations in the hours-of-service category involve drivers who failed to review or properly certify their electronically generated logs. Before submitting your daily recap, confirm that all entries match your actual activity.
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Keep backup documentation for any manual adjustments. If you have to correct a log entry or add a missing record, document why and when. Inspectors want to see that errors were intentional corrections, not sloppy record-keeping.
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Check for time-zone misalignment. If you cross state lines, ensure your ELD is set to the correct time zone for your current location. Misalignment can create the appearance of violations even if your actual driving was compliant.
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Maintain consistent pre-trip routines. Before each shift, verify that your ELD is powered on, synchronized, and displaying the correct time. A failure to monitor these basics can lead to documentation gaps.