---
title: "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."
canonical: https://www.m-i-n-d.ai/minds/commercial-trucking/maximum-driving-time-limits-property-carrying-commercial-vehicle-drivers-under
jurisdiction: "US Federal · FMCSA · 49 CFR Part 395"
last_verified: 2026-08-26
license: CC BY 4.0 — https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
attribution: "Source: MIND (m-i-n-d.ai)"
---

# 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.

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.

## 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 · https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/section-395.3 · as of 2026-08-26