Hours of Service (HOS) Rules in 2026: The Complete Guide for Truck Drivers
Every HOS rule explained in plain English — driving limits, rest requirements, split sleeper berth, short-haul exemption, and how ELDs keep you compliant automatically.
What Are Hours of Service Rules?
Hours of Service (HOS) rules are federal regulations that limit how long commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers can operate before they must rest. The rules exist for one reason: preventing fatigue-related crashes.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) sets and enforces these rules under 49 CFR Part 395. Every interstate CMV driver — from long-haul truckers to regional delivery drivers — must follow them.
With an ELD like FIRST ELD, your HOS tracking is automatic. But understanding the rules is still essential — your ELD enforces them, but you need to know what they mean and how to plan your day around them.
The Core HOS Rules
The 11-Hour Driving Limit
Rule: You may drive a maximum of 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty.
What this means in practice:
- Your 11-hour driving clock starts the moment you begin driving after your 10-hour off-duty break
- Only actual driving time counts — sitting in traffic with the engine running at a dock doesn't count as driving (it's on-duty not driving)
- Once you've driven 11 hours, you must stop driving until you complete another 10-hour break
Example: You finish your 10-hour break at 6:00 AM. You can drive until 5:00 PM (11 hours total). After that, you must stop driving — even if you only have 30 miles left to the shipper.
The 14-Hour On-Duty Window
Rule: You may not drive beyond the 14th consecutive hour after coming on duty, following 10 consecutive hours off duty.
What this means in practice:
- This is a hard window — it does NOT pause for off-duty time, meals, or breaks during the day
- Once 14 hours have passed since you started your day, you cannot drive — period
- You might have driving time left on your 11-hour clock, but if your 14-hour window is up, you're done
Example: You come on duty at 6:00 AM. Your 14-hour window closes at 8:00 PM. Even if you only drove 8 of the 11 available hours (because of loading delays), you cannot drive after 8:00 PM.
This is the rule that catches most drivers. Long wait times at shippers/receivers eat into your 14-hour window without using driving time. An ELD like FIRST ELD shows your remaining hours on both clocks in real-time, so you can plan accordingly.
The 30-Minute Break Requirement
Rule: You must take a 30-minute break after driving for a cumulative 8 hours without at least a 30-minute interruption.
What this means in practice:
- The break can be off-duty, sleeper berth, or on-duty not driving (since the 2020 rule revision)
- It doesn't have to be a formal "rest stop" break — if you spend 30+ minutes at a customer being loaded, that counts
- The 8-hour clock resets after each qualifying 30-minute break
Example: You start driving at 7:00 AM and drive straight until 3:00 PM (8 hours). You must take a 30-minute break before driving again. However, if you had a 30-minute stop at 11:00 AM (4 hours in), your 8-hour clock reset and you wouldn't need a break until after 7:00 PM.
The 60/70-Hour Limit
Rule: You may not drive after accumulating 60 hours on-duty in 7 consecutive days or 70 hours on-duty in 8 consecutive days.
What this means in practice:
- Most carriers use the 70-hour/8-day cycle
- "On-duty" includes driving AND all other on-duty time (loading, unloading, inspections, paperwork)
- Hours "fall off" as days pass — the oldest day drops off when a new day starts
- You can restart the clock with a 34-hour reset (see below)
Example (70-hour/8-day): If you've worked 68 hours over the last 7 days and work 5 hours today, you've hit 73... but your 8th day ago had 10 hours that just fell off, so you're actually at 63 hours. Confusing? That's why FIRST ELD calculates this automatically and shows your available hours in real-time.
The 34-Hour Restart
Rule: You can restart your 60/70-hour clock by taking 34 consecutive hours off duty.
What this means in practice:
- After 34 hours off, your 7-day or 8-day cycle resets to zero
- The 34 hours can include sleeper berth time
- There are no current restrictions on how often you can use the restart (the 2013 restrictions requiring two 1 AM-5 AM periods were suspended)
Example: You're near your 70-hour limit on Friday afternoon. You park at 4:00 PM Friday and rest until 2:00 AM Sunday (34 hours). Your 70-hour clock resets to zero, and you start fresh.
Split Sleeper Berth Provision
The split sleeper berth rule is the most complex HOS provision, but it offers valuable flexibility for team drivers and drivers who prefer splitting their rest.
How It Works
Rule: Instead of taking a single 10-hour off-duty break, drivers can split it into two periods:
- Option 1: One period of at least 7 hours in the sleeper berth + one period of at least 2 hours off-duty or in the sleeper berth (totaling 10+ hours)
- Option 2: One period of at least 7 hours in the sleeper berth + one period of at least 3 hours off-duty or in the sleeper berth (the 2020 revision expanded this)
Key detail: Neither period counts against your 14-hour driving window. When you "pair" the two periods, the 14-hour clock pauses during each qualifying sleeper period.
Split Sleeper Example
| Time | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6:00 AM | On duty / driving | Start of day |
| 1:00 PM | Sleeper berth (7 hours) | First split — 7 hours in sleeper |
| 8:00 PM | On duty / driving | Resume driving |
| 1:00 AM | Off duty (3 hours) | Second split — 3 hours off |
| 4:00 AM | On duty / driving | Resume driving — 14-hour window calculated by pairing both splits |
Pro tip: The split sleeper math is genuinely complicated. This is one area where having a quality ELD is non-negotiable — FIRST ELD automatically calculates your available driving time under split sleeper rules, so you don't have to do the math yourself.
For a deep dive, read our guide to the split sleeper berth provision.
Short-Haul Exemption
Who Qualifies
You may be exempt from keeping Records of Duty Status (and therefore from the ELD mandate) if ALL of the following apply:
- You operate within a 150 air-mile radius of your normal reporting location
- You return to your reporting location and are released from work within 14 hours after coming on duty
- You have at least 10 consecutive hours off duty separating each on-duty period
- You do not exceed the 60/70-hour limit
Short-Haul vs. Full HOS
| Rule | Full HOS | Short-Haul Exemption |
|---|---|---|
| Driving limit | 11 hours | 11 hours |
| On-duty window | 14 hours | 14 hours |
| 30-min break | Required | Required |
| Record keeping | ELD required | Time records only |
| 150-mile radius | No limit | Must stay within 150 air-miles |
| Return to base | Not required | Must return same day |
When the Exemption Breaks
If a short-haul driver exceeds the 150-mile radius or the 14-hour window even once in a 30-day period, they need an ELD for that day. If it happens more than 8 times in 30 days, they lose the exemption entirely and must run full ELD for the rest of that period.
Smart move: Many local carriers proactively equip their short-haul drivers with ELDs anyway. It protects against accidentally losing the exemption and simplifies fleet management across all vehicles.
Adverse Driving Conditions Exception
When It Applies
If you encounter adverse driving conditions that you couldn't have reasonably anticipated (snow, fog, ice, unusual traffic from a crash), you may extend your driving window by up to 2 hours.
- Driving limit: Extends from 11 to 13 hours
- On-duty window: Extends from 14 to 16 hours
- 60/70 hour limit: NOT extended
What Counts as Adverse Conditions
- Unexpected snow, ice, or fog
- Unusual road conditions (flooding, landslide)
- Highway closures due to accidents
- Severe weather warnings issued after you departed
What Doesn't Count
- "Normal" bad weather for the season and route
- Traffic you should have anticipated (rush hour in a major city)
- Mechanical delays
- Loading/unloading delays
Personal Conveyance
What It Is
Personal conveyance is the movement of a CMV for personal use while off-duty. It does NOT count as driving time.
When You Can Use It
- Driving from a truck stop to a restaurant for dinner
- Moving to a safe parking location when asked to leave a rest area
- Driving to a nearby hotel
- Commuting between home and a terminal at the beginning or end of a trip
When You Can't Use It
- Continuing toward a load destination or any business purpose
- Driving a loaded CMV for personal use (debated — FMCSA guidance says unloaded is clearer)
- Using it to extend your driving day — that's an HOS violation
ELD tip: On FIRST ELD, switching to personal conveyance is one tap in the driver app. The system logs the distance separately so it doesn't affect your HOS calculations.
2025-2026 FMCSA Rule Changes
The FMCSA has proposed several updates to HOS and ELD regulations:
- Stricter ELD certification: Moving toward third-party testing instead of self-certification
- Enhanced data security: New requirements for how ELD data is stored and transmitted
- Clearer sleeper berth rules: Potential simplification of split sleeper calculations
- Updated malfunction reporting: More specific requirements for reporting ELD malfunctions
Stay current on regulatory changes by following FMCSA updates and ensuring your ELD provider pushes firmware/app updates promptly. FIRST ELD automatically updates to reflect any regulatory changes — no manual updates needed.
How FIRST ELD Automates HOS Compliance
Managing HOS manually is a nightmare. Here's how FIRST ELD makes it automatic:
| HOS Requirement | FIRST ELD Feature |
|---|---|
| 11-hour driving limit | Real-time countdown on driver app |
| 14-hour on-duty window | Visual timer with alerts at 13 hours |
| 30-minute break | Automatic reminder when approaching 8 hours |
| 60/70-hour limit | Running calculation with daily hours available |
| 34-hour restart | Automatic detection and clock reset |
| Split sleeper berth | Automatic calculation of paired rest periods |
| Violation prevention | Alerts BEFORE you violate — not after |
Frequently Asked Questions
How many hours can a truck driver drive per day?
A truck driver can drive up to 11 hours within a 14-hour on-duty window after taking at least 10 consecutive hours off duty.
What is the 14-hour rule for truck drivers?
The 14-hour rule means you cannot drive after the 14th hour since you came on duty. This window does not pause for breaks — once 14 hours have passed since your day started, you must stop driving.
What is the 70-hour rule?
Under the 70-hour/8-day rule, you cannot drive after accumulating 70 hours of on-duty time in any 8 consecutive days. Hours from the oldest day "fall off" as new days begin, or you can reset with a 34-hour break.
Can truck drivers drive 12 hours a day?
No — the maximum driving time is 11 hours per day. However, under the adverse driving conditions exception, drivers may extend to 13 hours if they encounter unexpected weather or road conditions.
What happens if you violate HOS rules?
Violations can result in being placed out of service (forced off the road), fines up to $16,000, negative CSA score impacts, and potential carrier-level enforcement actions from FMCSA.
Do HOS rules apply to local truck drivers?
Yes, unless the driver qualifies for the short-haul exemption (150 air-mile radius, returns to base within 14 hours). All CMV drivers operating interstate must follow HOS rules.
Stay compliant without the headache. FIRST ELD automatically tracks every HOS rule and alerts you before violations happen — not after.
👉 Try FIRST ELD → | 📞 (645) 202-0550
Last updated: March 2026
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