Minds → Commercial Trucking → What are the maximum driving time limits for property-carrying commercial vehicle drivers under 49 CFR 395.3, including the 11-hour and 14-hour rules? Answer in under 100 words. Cite only eCFR (www.ecfr.gov) sources.
US FederalFMCSA49 CFR Part 395What are the maximum driving time limits for property-carrying commercial vehicle drivers under 49 CFR 395.3, including the 11-hour and 14-hour rules? Answer in under 100 words. Cite only eCFR (www.ecfr.gov) sources.
For property-carrying commercial motor vehicles under 49 CFR § 395.3 (as most recently amended by FMCSA effective June 1, 2020), a driver may not start driving without 10 consecutive hours off-duty, may not drive past the 14th consecutive hour of being on-duty following those 10 off-duty hours, and may drive a total of only 11 hours within that 14-hour window. Driving is prohibited after 8 hours of driving time without a consecutive 30-minute interruption.
Last verified: 2026-08-26 · Sources checked: 1/1 resolving · Next scheduled review: 2026-11-24
How the daily limits work
Under § 395.3(a), no motor carrier may permit or require, and no driver may operate, a property-carrying CMV unless:
- Start of shift – The driver takes 10 consecutive hours off-duty before driving.
- 14-hour window – Once on-duty after that 10-hour rest, all driving must occur within 14 consecutive hours; non-driving time does not extend this window.
- 11-hour driving cap – Of the 14-hour window, at most 11 hours total may be spent driving.
- 30-minute break – After 8 cumulative hours of driving, driving is not permitted until at least a consecutive 30-minute interruption (off-duty, sleeper berth, or on-duty-not-driving) occurs.
These rules apply regardless of how many motor carriers employ the driver during the trip.
Numbers & thresholds
| Rule | Limit | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum pre-shift rest | 10 consecutive hours off-duty | § 395.3(a)(1) |
| Daily on-duty/driving window | 14 consecutive hours | § 395.3(a)(2) |
| Maximum driving time | 11 hours within the 14-hour window | § 395.3(a)(3)(i) |
| Break trigger | 30-minute interruption required after 8 hours driving | § 395.3(a)(3)(ii) |
| Weekly cap (non-7-day operator) | 60 hours on-duty in 7 consecutive days | § 395.3(b)(1) |
| Weekly cap (every-day operator) | 70 hours on-duty in 8 consecutive days | § 395.3(b)(2) |
| Restart | 34+ consecutive off-duty hours resets 7- or 8-day tally | § 395.3(c) |
Exceptions & edge cases
- Short-haul exception: Drivers qualifying under § 395.1(e)(1) or (2) (operations within a 100 air-mile radius) are exempt from the 30-minute interruption requirement.
- Adverse driving conditions: § 395.1 provides exceptions allowing extended driving-time beyond these caps when conditions like severe weather arise.
- Multiple carriers: Limits apply cumulatively regardless of the number of motor carriers using the driver's services in that period.
- Sleeper berth / on-duty-not-driving: Time in either status satisfies the required 30-minute interruption of driving.
Sources
- [1]U.S. National Archives, Electronic Code of Federal Regulations — 49 CFR 395.3 — Maximum driving time for property-carrying vehicles · as of 2026-08-26
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