Hours of Service (HOS) Rules for Truck Drivers
The 11-hour, 14-hour, 30-minute, and 60/70-hour rules — plus the sleeper-berth split, the short-haul exemption, and what your ELD does automatically to keep you compliant.
The 7 Core HOS Rules
11-hour driving limit
You may drive a maximum of 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty.
14-hour on-duty limit
You may not drive beyond the 14th consecutive hour after coming on duty, following 10 hours off.
30-minute break
Required after 8 cumulative hours of driving time without at least a 30-minute non-driving interruption.
60/70-hour weekly limit
60 hours on-duty in 7 consecutive days (or 70 in 8). Reset with 34+ consecutive hours off duty.
Sleeper berth (split)
Split into two periods: one 7+ hours in the sleeper, another 2+ hours (in sleeper or off-duty) totaling at least 10 hours.
Adverse conditions
May extend driving by up to 2 hours if unforeseen adverse conditions arise (weather, road closure).
Short-haul (150 air-mile)
Property-carrying CMV drivers within 150 air-mile radius, returning to home base within 14 hours, may be exempt from RODS/ELD.
Property vs. Passenger HOS
| Rule | Property-Carrying | Passenger-Carrying |
|---|---|---|
| Max driving | 11 hours | 10 hours |
| On-duty window | 14 hours | 15 hours |
| Required off-duty | 10 hours | 8 hours |
| 30-min break | Required after 8 hr driving | Not required |
| Weekly cap | 60/7 or 70/8 | 60/7 or 70/8 |
How Your ELD Enforces These Rules
A compliant ELD does the math for you automatically:
- Live clocks for 11-hour drive time
- 14-hour on-duty countdown
- 30-min break warning at 7:30 drive
- 70-hour rolling weekly clock
- 34-hour restart tracking
- Sleeper split calculation
- Automatic violation alerts
- DOT inspection mode + roadside data transfer
HOS Rules FAQ
What are the current hours-of-service (HOS) rules for truck drivers?+
The core FMCSA HOS rules for property-carrying CMV drivers: 11-hour driving max, 14-hour on-duty limit, 30-minute break after 8 hours of driving, and 60/70-hour weekly cap. Reset with 34+ consecutive off-duty hours.
Did HOS rules change in 2020 or 2026?+
The last major HOS revision took effect September 29, 2020: it expanded the short-haul exemption from 100 to 150 air-miles and 12 to 14 hours, added flexibility to the 30-minute break, expanded the sleeper-berth split option, and extended the adverse-conditions exception. No major rule changes for 2026 as of publication.
What is the 30-minute break rule?+
After 8 cumulative hours of driving time (not on-duty time), you must take at least 30 minutes of non-driving status. It can be off-duty, sleeper, or on-duty-not-driving — as long as you're not driving.
How does the sleeper berth split work?+
You can split your required 10 hours off duty into two qualifying periods: one at least 7 consecutive hours in the sleeper berth, and another at least 2 hours in sleeper or off-duty. Neither period counts toward your 14-hour window.
What's the 34-hour restart?+
Take 34 or more consecutive hours off-duty (or sleeper) to reset your 60/70-hour weekly clock to zero. There's no longer a 168-hour minimum between restarts.
What are the penalties for HOS violations?+
$1,000–$16,000 per violation depending on severity. Egregious violations (falsified logs) can trigger up to $12,000 per day plus driver disqualification and out-of-service status. HOS violations directly impact your CSA score.