Check the scope.
Identify the driver’s applicable rule set and any documented exception.
Compliance Center / Hours of Service
Hours of Service
Understand the driving limits—and the different clocks behind them.
Four limits to understand.
| Rule | General property-carrying baseline |
|---|---|
| 11 hours | Maximum driving after 10 consecutive hours off duty. |
| 14 hours | Driving must stop after the 14th consecutive hour following the start of duty. Ordinary off-duty time does not extend this window. |
| 30 minutes | A qualifying interruption is needed after eight cumulative driving hours without a 30-minute interruption. Consecutive non-driving time can satisfy it. |
| 60 / 70 hours | No driving after 60 on-duty hours in seven days, or 70 in eight days, as applicable. A qualifying 34-hour break can restart the cycle. |
A driving limit is not a blanket prohibition on all work. The driving allowance, elapsed window, break requirement, and cycle must be considered together.
Do not apply an exception by label alone.
Short-haul, sleeper-berth, adverse-condition, and other provisions have specific conditions. Passenger-carrier rules differ. Confirm applicability before changing a calculation.
For eligible sleeper-berth pairings, one period includes at least seven consecutive sleeper hours, the other at least two hours, totaling at least ten. Qualifying paired periods are excluded from the 14-hour calculation.
Review the complete record.
Check the activity.
Review the sequence of duty statuses and any missing context. A single remaining-time figure is not the whole record.
Check the source.
Use current official instructions for complex situations before deciding whether driving is permitted.
Official sources
FMCSA · Hours of Service summary ↗Reviewed September 11, 2026. This is an introductory guide, not an exhaustive rulebook or a determination for your operation. Check current requirements and applicable exceptions.
Explore Ankor ELD.
ANKOR’s products are being planned and developed. Product previews describe an intended workflow; they do not establish regulatory approval or guaranteed compliance.