DOT Regulations Reference

Before allowing a driver to operate a CMV, carriers must conduct a pre-employment drug test and receive a negative result. Drivers who have not driven a CMV for more than 30 days must also be pre-employment tested. Alcohol testing before employment is prohibited unless the carrier chooses to require it.

FMCSA sets annual minimum random testing rates based on industry-wide positive test results. All safety-sensitive employees must be in a random testing pool. Selections must be made by a scientifically valid method ensuring each driver has an equal chance of selection each time.

Testing is required after accidents involving a fatality, a citation and bodily injury requiring treatment away from the scene, or a citation and disabling vehicle damage. Drug tests must be conducted within 32 hours. Alcohol tests must be conducted within 2 hours (documentation required after 2 hours; prohibited after 8 hours).

Drivers who violate drug/alcohol rules must be evaluated by a Substance Abuse Professional (SAP), complete prescribed treatment, pass a return-to-duty test with a verified negative result, and complete a minimum of 6 follow-up tests in the first 12 months following return to duty.

Motor carriers subject to Part 382 must submit an Annual MIS Data Report to FMCSA by March 15 each year for the prior calendar year. The report covers all testing conducted including random, pre-employment, post-accident, reasonable suspicion, return-to-duty, and follow-up tests.

A property-carrying driver may drive a maximum of 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty. Drivers may not drive beyond the 11th hour, even if they take breaks during the shift.

Drivers may not drive after the 14th hour following coming on duty (after 10 hours off). This window cannot be extended by taking breaks. Once 14 hours have elapsed since coming on duty, the driver must take 10 consecutive hours off duty.

Drivers may not drive more than 8 cumulative hours without a 30-minute break. The break may be taken as off-duty time or as time in a sleeper berth. The break restarts the 8-hour clock for purposes of the break requirement only — not the 11-hour or 14-hour limits.

Drivers may not drive after accumulating 60 on-duty hours in 7 consecutive days (if carrier does not operate every day of the week) or 70 on-duty hours in 8 consecutive days (if carrier operates every day). A 34-hour restart resets the weekly clock.

Every commercial motor vehicle must pass a periodic inspection at least once every 12 months. The inspection must be conducted by a qualified inspector. The inspection report must be retained for 14 months and a copy must be on the vehicle or readily available.

Drivers must prepare a written report at the end of each day's work covering defects or deficiencies in the vehicle. The report must cover: service brakes, parking brake, steering, lights, tires, horn, windshield wipers, rearview mirrors, coupling devices, wheels/rims/lug nuts, and emergency equipment.

Motor carriers must systematically inspect, repair, and maintain all CMVs subject to their control. Records of inspections, repairs, and maintenance must be kept for each vehicle for as long as the vehicle is operated and for 1 year thereafter.

Federal minimum liability insurance requirements vary by operation type. These are federal minimums — state requirements may be higher.

For-hire carriers engaged in interstate commerce must have their insurance company file an MCS-90 endorsement (or Form E bond) with FMCSA. This endorsement ensures the carrier's insurance covers any bodily injury, death, or property damage, even if the policy would otherwise be voided.

Motor carriers must maintain an accident register for all recordable accidents involving their CMVs. A recordable accident is one that results in a fatality, bodily injury requiring treatment away from the scene, or disabling vehicle damage requiring a tow. The register must be retained for 3 years.

Required accident register fields: date/time, location, driver name, number of injuries, number of fatalities, hazmat spill (yes/no).

Most drivers required to keep records of duty status (RODS) must use an FMCSA-registered ELD. ELDs must be on the FMCSA ELD Registry. Drivers must be able to display, print, or transfer ELD data to an enforcement officer.

Before hiring a CDL driver, carriers must conduct a pre-employment full query of the FMCSA Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse (with driver consent). Annual limited queries must be conducted for all current CDL drivers. A full query is required if a limited query returns a record of violations.

Employers must report drug/alcohol program violations to the Clearinghouse within 3 business days. This includes positive tests, refusals to test, actual knowledge violations, and return-to-duty/follow-up testing completion. MROs and SAPs also have reporting obligations.

Since February 7, 2022, individuals applying for a CDL for the first time, upgrading their CDL class, or obtaining a Passenger or School Bus endorsement must complete ELDT from an FMCSA-registered Training Provider. Training includes a theory component and a behind-the-wheel component.

All supervisors who are authorized to require drivers to undergo reasonable suspicion testing must complete at least 60 minutes of training on alcohol misuse and 60 minutes on drug use. Training must cover the physical, behavioral, speech, and performance indicators of probable drug/alcohol use.

Commercial motor carriers engaged in interstate commerce must register with FMCSA and obtain a USDOT number if they operate vehicles with a GVWR over 10,000 lbs, transport hazardous materials requiring a placard, or transport 9+ passengers for compensation (or 16+ passengers not for compensation).

Motor carriers, freight forwarders, and leasing companies operating in interstate commerce must register annually with the UCR program and pay an annual fee based on fleet size. UCR registration must be renewed each year. Failure to register is a violation and may result in being placed out of service.