FMCSA Regulations: All You Need to Know

FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) is a thing all truckers know really well. Truckers get to know what the FMCSA stands for, as well as its role in the industry, as early as trucking school.

Being aware of the agency that dictates all regulations about what you do for a living is always a good idea. An even better idea is to know what the FMCSCA regulations are, and of course, to follow them.

At the end of the day, it is these regulations that make the difference between getting a huge fine, losing your CDL license, or, in a worst-case scenario, getting injured or losing your life, and, well, nothing of the above.

What Is the FMCSA?

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is an agency that regulates the trucking industry in the U.S.

The primary responsibility of the FMCSA is to reduce the number of truck and bus-related crashes, injuries, fatalities, and general damage.

More than 1,000 people in all 50 states and D.C. work within the FMCSA. Its headquarters are located in Washington D.C.

What Are the FMCSA Offices

The FMCSA is divided into 8 different offices, including:

  • MC-A: Office of the Administrator
  • MC-M: Office of Administration
  • MC-C: Office of Chief Counsel
  • MC-B: Office of Chief Financial Officer
  • MC-E: Office of Enforcement
  • MC-P: Office of Policy
  • MC-R: Office of Research and Information Technology
  • MC-F: Field Operations

Additionally, the FMCSA has field organizations, the role of which is to deliver program services to FMCSA partners and customers. They include Field Operations, Service Center, and State-level motor carrier division offices.

The official FMSCA Logo
The FMCSA Logo

Is FMCSA a Part of the DOT?

The FMCSA, as an agency, functions from within the United States Department of Transportation (DOT). It was established on Jan 1, 2000, following the Motor Carrier Safety Improvement Act of 1999 (49 U.S.C. 113).

Who Is Subject to FMCSA Regulations?

The FMCSA regulates commercial motor vehicles in interstate commerce, including any vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating or gross combination weight rating (whichever is greater) of 10,001 lbs. (4,537 kg) or more. Multiple weigh combinations apply, including:

  • GVWR – Gross Vehicle Weight Rating,
  • GCWR – Gross Combination Weight Rating,
  • GVW – Gross Vehicle Weight,
  • GCW – Gross Combination Weight.

FMCSA regulations are mandatory for any persons that are subject to the Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) requirements and their employers must follow alcohol and drug testing rules from the DOT.

Who Is Exempt from FMCSA Regulations?

Although FMCSA regulations are mandatory for persons that are subject to the CDL requirements, there are a few exceptions. This includes:

  • Drivers who operate within a 100-mile air radius (150-air mile radius for vehicles not requiring CDL license);
  • Alongside the above, drivers who drive no longer than 12 hours each day are exempt from FMCSA regulations;
  • Vehicles that are older than the model year 2000;
  • Drivers who are required to complete RODS (Driver’s Records of Duty and Supporting Documentation) for eight days or fewer in a 30-day period.

The FMCSA Regulations

The FMCSA regulations are published in the Federal Register and compiled in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). This is why each FMCSA regulation has the CFR in its name.

When it comes to distinctions, the FMCSA regulations are divided into the following groups:

  • FMCSA Regulations and Interpretations – 49 CFR Parts 300-399
  • HM Regulations – 49 CFR Parts 100-177
  • HM Regulations – 49 CFR Parts 178-180

FMCSA Regulations and Interpretations – 49 CFR Parts 300-399

The 49 CFR Parts 300-399 group covers road safety, Hours-of-Service, vehicle inspections, and drug testing, to name but a few.

Below are all 49 CFR Parts 300-399 regulations by name, as well as a link to the respective regulation directly to the FMCSA site:

PartSubjectView Interpretations
303CIVIL RIGHTSView Part 303
325COMPLIANCE WITH INTERSTATE MOTOR CARRIER NOISE EMISSION STANDARDSView Part 325
350COMMERCIAL MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY ASSISTANCE PROGRAMView Part 350
355COMPATIBILITY OF STATE LAWS AND REGULATIONS AFFECTING INTERSTATE MOTOR CARRIER OPERATIONSView Part 355
356MOTOR CARRIER ROUTING REGULATIONSView Part 356
360FEES FOR MOTOR CARRIER REGISTRATION AND INSURANCEView Part 360
365RULES GOVERNING APPLICATIONS FOR OPERATING AUTHORITYView Part 365
366DESIGNATION OF PROCESS AGENTView Part 366
367STANDARDS FOR REGISTRATION WITH STATESView Part 367
368APPLICATION FOR A CERTIFICATE OF REGISTRATION TO OPERATE IN MUNICIPALITIES IN THE UNITED STATES ON THE UNITED STATES-MEXICO INTERNATIONAL BORDER OR WITHIN THE COMMERCIAL ZONES OF SUCH MUNICIPALITIES.View Part 368
369REPORTS OF MOTOR CARRIERSView Part 369
370PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES FOR THE INVESTIGATION AND VOLUNTARY DISPOSITION OF LOSS AND DAMAGE CLAIMS AND PROCESSING SALVAGEView Part 370
371BROKERS OF PROPERTYView Part 371
372EXEMPTIONS, COMMERCIAL ZONES, AND TERMINAL AREASView Part 372
373RECEIPTS AND BILLSView Part 373
374PASSENGER CARRIER REGULATIONSView Part 374
375TRANSPORTATION OF HOUSEHOLD GOODS IN INTERSTATE COMMERCE; CONSUMER PROTECTION REGULATIONSView Part 375
376LEASE AND INTERCHANGE OF VEHICLESView Part 376
377PAYMENT OF TRANSPORTATION CHARGESView Part 377
378PROCEDURES GOVERNING THE PROCESSING, INVESTIGATION, AND DISPOSITION OF OVERCHARGE, DUPLICATE PAYMENT, OR OVERCOLLECTION CLAIMSView Part 378
379PRESERVATION OF RECORDSView Part 379
380SPECIAL TRAINING REQUIREMENTSView Part 380
381WAIVERS, EXEMPTIONS, AND PILOT PROGRAMSView Part 381
382CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES AND ALCOHOL USE AND TESTINGView Part 382
383COMMERCIAL DRIVER’S LICENSE STANDARDS; REQUIREMENTS AND PENALTIESView Part 383
384STATE COMPLIANCE WITH COMMERCIAL DRIVER’S LICENSE PROGRAMView Part 384
385SAFETY FITNESS PROCEDURESView Part 385
386RULES OF PRACTICE FOR MOTOR CARRIER, INTERMODAL EQUIPMENT PROVIDER, BROKER, FREIGHT FORWARDER, AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS PROCEEDINGSView Part 386
387MINIMUM LEVELS OF FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR MOTOR CARRIERSView Part 387
388COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS WITH STATESView Part 388
389RULEMAKING PROCEDURESView Part 389
390FEDERAL MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY REGULATIONS; GENERALView Part 390
391QUALIFICATIONS OF DRIVERS AND LONGER COMBINATION VEHICLE (LCV) DRIVER INSTRUCTORSView Part 391
392DRIVING OF COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLESView Part 392
393PARTS AND ACCESSORIES NECESSARY FOR SAFE OPERATIONView Part 393
395HOURS OF SERVICE OF DRIVERSView Part 395
396INSPECTION, REPAIR, AND MAINTENANCEView Part 396
397TRANSPORTATION OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS; DRIVING AND PARKING RULESView Part 397
398TRANSPORTATION OF MIGRANT WORKERSView Part 398
399EMPLOYEE SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDSView Part 399
49 CFR Parts 300-399

HM Regulations – 49 CFR Parts 100-177

The 49 CFR Parts 100-177 regulations cover the transport of hazardous material by rail, aircraft, vessel, and public highways.

Below are all 49 CFR Parts 100-177 regulations by name, as well as a link to the respective regulation directly to the FMCSA site:

PartTable of
Contents
Headings
100-104[RESERVED]
105105.5 to 105.55HAZARDOUS MATERIALS PROGRAM DEFINITIONS AND GENERAL PROCEDURES
106106.5 to 106.130RULEMAKING PROCEDURES
107107.1 to 107.809HAZARDOUS MATERIALS PROGRAM PROCEDURES
109109.1 to 109.103DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION HAZARDOUS MATERIAL PROCEDURAL REGULATIONS
110110.1 to 110.130HAZARDOUS MATERIALS PUBLIC SECTOR TRAINING AND PLANNING GRANTS
SUBCHAPTER B—OIL TRANSPORTATION
130130.1 to 130.155OIL SPILL PREVENTION AND RESPONSE PLANS
SUBCHAPTER C—HAZARDOUS MATERIALS REGULATIONS
171171.1 to 171.26GENERAL INFORMATION, REGULATIONS, AND DEFINITIONS
172172.1 to 172.822HAZARDOUS MATERIALS TABLE, SPECIAL PROVISIONS, HAZARDOUS MATERIALS COMMUNICATIONS, EMERGENCY RESPONSE INFORMATION, TRAINING REQUIREMENTS, AND SECURITY PLANS
173173.1 to 173.477SHIPPERS—GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR SHIPMENTS AND PACKAGINGS
174174.1 to 174.750CARRIAGE BY RAIL
175175.1 to 175.900CARRIAGE BY AIRCRAFT
176176.1 to 176.907CARRIAGE BY VESSEL
177177.800 to 177.870CARRIAGE BY PUBLIC HIGHWAY
49 CFR Parts 100-177

HM Regulations – 49 CFR Parts 178-180

The 49 CFR Parts 178-180 regulations expand the regulations governing the transport of hazardous material by rail, aircraft, vessel, and public highways.

Below are all 49 CFR Parts 178-180 regulations by name, as well as a link to the respective regulation directly to the FMCSA site:

PartTable of
Contents
Headings
178178.1 to 178.1070SPECIFICATIONS FOR PACKAGINGS
179179.1 to 179.500-18SPECIFICATIONS FOR TANK CARS
180180.1 to 180.605CONTINUING QUALIFICATION AND MAINTENANCE OF PACKAGINGS
181-185[RESERVED]
SUBCHAPTER D—PIPELINE SAFETY
186-189[RESERVED]
190190.1 to 190.411PIPELINE SAFETY ENFORCEMENT AND REGULATORY PROCEDURES
191191.1 to 191.29TRANSPORTATION OF NATURAL AND OTHER GAS BY PIPELINE; ANNUAL REPORTS, INCIDENT REPORTS, AND SAFETY-RELATED CONDITION REPORTS
192192.1 to 192.1015TRANSPORTATION OF NATURAL AND OTHER GAS BY PIPELINE: MINIMUM FEDERAL SAFETY STANDARDS
193193.2001 to 193.2917LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS FACILITIES: FEDERAL SAFETY STANDARDS
194194.1 to 194.121RESPONSE PLANS FOR ONSHORE OIL PIPELINES
195195.0 to 195.591TRANSPORTATION OF HAZARDOUS LIQUIDS BY PIPELINE
196196.1 to 196.211PROTECTION OF UNDERGROUND PIPELINES FROM EXCAVATION ACTIVITY
197[RESERVED]
198198.1 to 198.63REGULATIONS FOR GRANTS TO AID STATE PIPELINE SAFETY PROGRAMS
199199.1 to 199.245DRUG AND ALCOHOL TESTING
49 CFR Parts 178-180

Most Notable FMCSA Regulations

Although pretty much everything is covered by the above regulations, there are some more notable regulations that need specific attention because they impact your work the most.

They are as follows:

  • Hours-of-Service Regulations
  • Logbooks and ELDs
  • Drug and Alcohol Testing

Hours-of-Service (HOS) Regulations

Perhaps one of the most crucial FMCSA regulations, the Hours-of-Service regulations’ main concern is safety on the road. It governs rules that limit commercial motor vehicle drivers hours of work.

The HOS regulations dictate the limits for when and how long a truck driver can legally drive. The goal is to ensure the driver has maximum awareness and alertness while driving. 

Since the Hours-of-Service regulations govern the working hours of truckers, they cover the following:

  • How long a truck driver is allowed to drive by limiting the time they drive their truck, and
  • How many total hours a truck driver can work before they are no longer permitted to drive a commercial motor vehicle.

Three maximum daily limits must be followed when Federal Hours-of-Service regulation applies, and those are:

  • The 14-hour driving window limit,
  • The 11-hour driving limit,
  • The 60-hour/7-day limit, and
  • The 70-hour/8-day limit.

More on Hours-of-Service can be found in our post “HOS Rules:How Many Hours Can a Truck Driver Drive?”

Logbooks and ELDs

The DOT truck driver logbooks and ELDs (Electronic Logging Devices) contain information about the hours the CMV driver worked. 

Logbooks are filled in manually by the truck driver, and ELDs are keeping track on how long the engine has been running and the vehicle moving automatically.

Both logbooks and ELDs contain the following information:

  • Date
  • Truck Number
  • Name of Carrier
  • Amount of miles driven in a 24hr period

Logbooks can contain additional information filled in by the driver, including:

  • Starting time and point of origination
  • Destination
  • Shipment documents (Carrier name, type of cargo)
  • Names of co-drivers

The driver fills in the logbook via progress input. They log every activity they do on an hourly basis by inputting the progress in the graphic grid of the form for each hour of the day.

A truck driver logbook example
Logbook example

More on truck driver logbooks can be found in our post “Truck Driver Logbook 101”.

Drug and Alcohol Testing

The truck driver drug tests are a strictly regulated test that each driver must pass if they are to keep their CDL license.

All DOT drug tests are performed in laboratory conditions. The test checks for the following classes of drugs:

  • Marijuana,
  • Cocaine,
  • Opiates such as opium and codeine derivatives,
  • Methamphetamines and amphetamines,
  • PCP (Phencyclidine).

When it comes to the testing itself, there are four types of truck driver drug tests:

  • Truck driving school drug test,
  • Pre-employment drug test,
  • Random drug test, and,
  • Post-accident drug test.

Additional Circumstances for a Drug Test

As an addition to the four types, there are certain circumstances under which the driver can be asked to do a drug test, including when:

  • There is a reasonable suspicion the driver is under the influence. If this is the case, the driver can be tested immediately; 
  • A driver returns-to-duty after they have been positive on a drug test refused a drug test, or broke the prohibitions of Subpart B of 49 CFR Part 382;
  • When a driver returns-to-duty after completing the process for return-to-duty with a substance abuse professional vetted by the DOT, they will be tested again, and they must be negative to start driving again;
  • Follow-up tests for drivers who were positive on a drug test – this applies to all drivers who went through the return-to-duty procedure, and the follow-ups are mandatory for six tests in 12 months. Still, they can be extended to up to four additional years of follow-up tests;
  • A company-requested drug test beyond the established regulations.

Lastly, it should be mentioned that all positive drug tests enter the driver’s DAC report, meaning they will be in your permanent driver’s record, which is accessible to every employer.

More about truck driver drug and alcohol tests can be found in our post “Truck Driver Drug and Alcohol Test – When, How, Why?”

The HOS Emergency Exemption due to COVID-19

Not long after the COVID-19 pandemic spread throughout the world, the FMCSA announced that they will be introducing an exemption from CFC Parts 390 through 399 of the Federal Motor Safety Regulations.

This exemption was intended to provide relief for CMV drivers who transport essential supplies during the time of the pandemic, as well as essential equipment and persons.

The HOS Emergency exemption was expanded multiple times throughout 2020, including:

Final Words

Although the FMCSA is considered a villain among truckers, that is far from the truth. The agency is on the forefront between the safety of the truckers and others, and total anarchy.

So, follow the regulations, fill in your logbook, don’t do drugs or drunk driving, and you will be fine in your career as a trucker.