Hours of Service Rules Explained: What Every CDL Driver Must Know

Category: Regulations

Published: 2026-04-01

A plain-English breakdown of FMCSA's Hours of Service regulations — the 11-hour driving limit, 14-hour window, 30-minute break, and 70-hour rule.

## Hours of Service Rules Explained: What Every CDL Driver Must Know Hours of Service (HOS) regulations are FMCSA rules that govern how long commercial drivers can operate their vehicles. Violations can result in out-of-service orders, fines, and serious safety risks. Here's everything you need to know. --- ## The Core HOS Rules for Property-Carrying Drivers ### 1. 11-Hour Driving Limit You may drive a maximum of **11 hours** after 10 consecutive hours off duty. ### 2. 14-Hour On-Duty Limit 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 period. **Example:** If you start your day at 6:00 AM, you must be done driving by 8:00 PM — regardless of how many breaks you took. ### 3. 30-Minute Break Requirement You must take a **30-minute break** after driving for 8 hours without at least a 30-minute interruption. The break must be spent off duty or in the sleeper berth (not on-duty not driving). ### 4. 60/70-Hour On-Duty Limit - **60-hour/7-day rule** (carriers that don't operate every day of the week) - **70-hour/8-day rule** (carriers that operate every day) Once you hit 60 or 70 hours on duty in the applicable period, you must take a **34-hour restart** (off duty or in the sleeper berth) before driving again. --- ## Sleeper Berth Provisions If your truck has a sleeper berth, you can split your required 10-hour off-duty period into two parts: - One period of **at least 7 consecutive hours** in the sleeper berth - One period of **at least 2 consecutive hours** off duty or in the sleeper berth (in any order) Neither period counts against the 14-hour on-duty limit. --- ## Short-Haul Exemption Drivers who: - Return to their work reporting location each shift - Stay within a 150 air-mile radius - Have been on duty no more than 14 hours ...may be **exempt from ELD requirements** and the 30-minute break rule. --- ## Adverse Driving Conditions Exemption If you encounter