How many hours can a truck driver drive per day?

A property-carrying CMV driver may drive a maximum of 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty, per FMCSR 395.3(a)(3). The 14-hour on-duty window also limits when driving can occur within a single shift.

How often do truck drivers need to take a break?

Drivers must take a 30-minute break after 8 cumulative hours of driving without a 30-minute interruption. The break can be any off-duty, sleeper berth, or on-duty not-driving period of 30+ minutes.

What is the 70-hour rule?

You may not drive after being on duty 70 hours in any 8 consecutive days (for carriers operating every day) or 60 hours in 7 consecutive days. A 34-hour restart resets this clock to zero.

What is the sleeper berth split?

Drivers can split their required 10 hours off duty into two periods: a 7/3 or 8/2 split. Neither period counts against the 14-hour window, and both periods combined must total at least 10 hours.

Do these HOS rules apply to passenger-carrying drivers?

No. Passenger-carrying drivers are subject to a different set of limits: a 10-hour driving limit and a 15-hour on-duty window after 8 consecutive hours off duty. See FMCSR 395.5.

What is the 150-air-mile short-haul exemption?

Drivers operating within a 150-air-mile radius of their work reporting location, returning within 14 hours, with at least 10 consecutive hours off duty between shifts, are exempt from maintaining a paper or electronic Record of Duty Status (RODS).

When can I extend my driving time for adverse conditions?

Per FMCSR 395.1(b), if you encounter unforeseeable adverse conditions (snow, fog, road closures), you may drive up to 2 additional hours beyond both the 11-hour driving limit and the 14-hour window to reach a safe stopping place.

Hours of Service Rules (Property-Carrying Drivers)

Federal HOS rules governing driving time, required breaks, and rest periods for CMV drivers transporting property.

Federal Hours of Service rules limit how long property-carrying CMV drivers may drive and remain on duty, and mandate rest breaks within and between shifts. Violations are one of the most common roadside-inspection citations and a leading source of out-of-service orders. Use this page as a single-screen reference at the start of every shift, when planning multi-day trips, or when training new drivers on compliance.

When to use this

→ Planning a multi-day trip and need to know your driving and on-duty windows
→ Approaching the 70-hour weekly limit and considering a 34-hour restart
→ Encountering adverse weather and considering the 2-hour adverse-conditions extension
→ Onboarding a new driver and need a single-page HOS reference

11-Hour Driving Limit

§395.3(a)(3)

You may drive a maximum of 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty.

14-Hour Window

§395.3(a)(2)

You may not drive beyond the 14th consecutive hour after coming on duty, following 10 consecutive hours off duty. Off-duty time does not extend the 14-hour window.

30-Minute Break

§395.3(a)(3)(ii)

You must take a 30-minute break after 8 cumulative hours of driving time without at least a 30-minute interruption. The break can be satisfied by any off-duty, sleeper berth, or on-duty not-driving period of at least 30 consecutive minutes.

60/70-Hour Limit

§395.3(b)

You may not drive after having been on duty 60 hours in any 7 consecutive days (carriers not operating every day) or 70 hours in any 8 consecutive days (carriers operating every day of the week).

34-Hour Restart

§395.3(c)

You may restart a 7- or 8-day period by taking at least 34 consecutive hours off duty. After the restart, the cumulative on-duty clock resets to zero.

Sleeper Berth Exception

§395.1(g)

Drivers using a sleeper berth can split their required 10 hours off duty into two periods: a 7/3 split or an 8/2 split. Neither period counts against the 14-hour window. The two periods combined must total at least 10 hours.

Short-Haul Exception

§395.1(e)(1)

Drivers who operate within a 150 air-mile radius of their work reporting location, return to that location within 14 hours, and have at least 10 consecutive hours off duty between shifts are exempt from maintaining a record of duty status (RODS).

Adverse Driving Conditions

§395.1(b)

If you encounter adverse driving conditions (snow, fog, road closures) that were not known before the trip, you may drive up to 2 additional hours beyond the 11-hour driving limit and the 14-hour window to reach a safe stopping location.

Note: These rules apply to property-carrying CMV drivers. Passenger-carrying drivers are subject to different limits (10-hour driving limit, 15-hour on-duty window). Additional state-specific rules may apply for intrastate operations.

FMCSR Part 395: Full hours of service regulations are published in Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 395. Rules were last significantly updated in 2020.

How to comply with HOS — step-by-step workflow

Verify the rule set that applies. Confirm you are a property-carrying CMV driver (these rules differ from passenger-carrying). Check whether you operate within a single state (some intrastate rules differ from federal). Identify whether you qualify for the 150-air-mile short-haul exemption from RODS.
Reset your duty cycle. Take 10 consecutive hours off duty before starting a new shift. Off-duty time can include sleeper berth time, but cannot include any work tasks (loading, fueling, paperwork).
Track the 14-hour driving window. Start the clock when you come on duty. You may not drive after the 14th consecutive hour, regardless of whether you took breaks during that window.
Cap driving time at 11 hours. Within the 14-hour window, you may drive a maximum of 11 hours total. Driving means time at the wheel of a moving vehicle — not paperwork, fueling, or pre-trip.
Take a 30-minute break after 8 hours of driving. After 8 cumulative hours of driving without a 30+ minute interruption, you must take a 30-minute break. The break can be off duty, sleeper berth, or on-duty-not-driving.
Track the 60/70-hour weekly limit. If your carrier operates 7 days a week, you may not drive after 70 hours on duty in any 8-day period. If 6 days, the limit is 60 hours in 7 days. Both reset with a 34-hour restart.
Document with an ELD or qualifying paper log. Most CMV drivers must use an Electronic Logging Device. If you qualify for an exemption (short-haul, drive-away/tow-away, pre-2000 vehicle), maintain paper logs in compliance with FMCSR 395.8.
Retain records for 6 months. Carriers must retain RODS records for at least 6 months. Drivers must produce HOS records on demand at any roadside inspection.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many hours can a truck driver drive per day?: A property-carrying CMV driver may drive a maximum of 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty, per FMCSR 395.3(a)(3). The 14-hour on-duty window also limits when driving can occur within a single shift.
What is the 14-hour rule for truck drivers?: You may not drive beyond the 14th consecutive hour after coming on duty, following 10 consecutive hours off duty. Off-duty time during the day does not extend or pause the 14-hour window.
How often do truck drivers need to take a break?: Drivers must take a 30-minute break after 8 cumulative hours of driving without a 30-minute interruption. The break can be any off-duty, sleeper berth, or on-duty not-driving period of 30+ minutes.
What is the 70-hour rule?: You may not drive after being on duty 70 hours in any 8 consecutive days (for carriers operating every day) or 60 hours in 7 consecutive days. A 34-hour restart resets this clock to zero.
What is the sleeper berth split?: Drivers can split their required 10 hours off duty into two periods: a 7/3 or 8/2 split. Neither period counts against the 14-hour window, and both periods combined must total at least 10 hours.
Do these HOS rules apply to passenger-carrying drivers?: No. Passenger-carrying drivers are subject to a different set of limits: a 10-hour driving limit and a 15-hour on-duty window after 8 consecutive hours off duty. See FMCSR 395.5.
What is the 150-air-mile short-haul exemption?: Drivers operating within a 150-air-mile radius of their work reporting location, returning within 14 hours, with at least 10 consecutive hours off duty between shifts, are exempt from maintaining a paper or electronic Record of Duty Status (RODS).
When can I extend my driving time for adverse conditions?: Per FMCSR 395.1(b), if you encounter unforeseeable adverse conditions (snow, fog, road closures), you may drive up to 2 additional hours beyond both the 11-hour driving limit and the 14-hour window to reach a safe stopping place.

Related tools

Reference

Roadside Inspection Rights

What inspectors check during HOS audits at the roadside.

Reference

Pre-Trip Inspection Checklist

What you must verify before driving.

Tool

Carrier Startup Checklist

Set up your operation including drug & alcohol testing.

Guide

Fleet Recall Workflow Guide

How to check a fleet for open NHTSA recalls.

Data sources & freshness

TruckCodex aggregates official public-sector datasets. See the Source registry for dataset-level coverage and the Freshness log for last-import timestamps.

FMCSA

Census, SAFER, SMS, Licensing & Insurance (L&I), roadside inspections, crashes, and authority history.

Refreshed daily.

NHTSA

Vehicle recall campaigns, defect investigations, and consumer safety complaints (SCRS).

Refreshed daily.

EIA

Retail diesel and gasoline price history and state fuel-tax tables.

Refreshed weekly.

Transport Canada

Cross-border carrier registry and Canadian recall campaigns where applicable.

Refreshed weekly.

TruckCodex is an independent aggregator; it is not affiliated with FMCSA, NHTSA, EIA, or Transport Canada. Always verify compliance-critical information directly with the originating agency.