Trucking Laws · Nationwide · October 23, 2026

ELD and Hours of Service Rules Explained in Plain English

Federal hours of service rules decide how long a truck driver can drive and work before taking time off. Federal rules also require carriers, with some exceptions, to record that time on electronic logging devices, or ELDs. This guide explains the rules for property-carrying drivers, the ones who haul freight, in plain terms.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules can change and exceptions apply, so check the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) website or 49 CFR Part 395 before making decisions on the road.

The daily limits

The 11-hour driving limit

According to FMCSA, a property-carrying driver may drive a maximum of 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty.

The 14-hour window

A driver may not drive beyond the 14th consecutive hour after coming on duty, following 10 consecutive hours off duty, FMCSA says. The clock keeps running during lunch, fuel stops and other off-duty time. Off-duty time does not extend the 14-hour period. In other words, the 11 hours of driving have to fit inside that 14-hour window.

The 30-minute break

Drivers must take a 30-minute break after 8 cumulative hours of driving without at least a 30-minute interruption. FMCSA says the break can be any non-driving period of 30 consecutive minutes: on duty not driving, off duty, sleeper berth, or a mix of those taken back to back. Drivers who qualify for the federal short-haul exceptions do not need the break, under 49 CFR 395.3.

To sketch out how these three limits fit into one day, try the free hours of service break calculator. It is a planning aid only, and your ELD and the FMCSA rules govern your actual hours.

The weekly limits

60 hours in 7 days or 70 hours in 8 days

A driver may not drive after 60 hours on duty in 7 consecutive days, or 70 hours on duty in 8 consecutive days. Federal rules tie the choice to the carrier: the 60-hour limit applies when the carrier does not run trucks every day of the week, and the 70-hour limit applies when it does.

The 34-hour restart

FMCSA says a driver may restart a 7-day or 8-day period by taking 34 or more consecutive hours off duty. After the restart, the weekly count begins again.

The sleeper berth split

Drivers with a sleeper berth can split the required 10 hours off duty into two pieces. Under FMCSA's rules:

• One period must be at least 7 consecutive hours in the sleeper berth.
• The other period must be at least 2 hours, in or out of the sleeper berth.
• The two periods together must add up to at least 10 hours.
• When used together, neither period counts against the 14-hour window.

That allows what drivers often call a "7/3" or "8/2" split.

Pilot programs are not the rule yet

FMCSA is testing two pilot programs. In an August 27, 2026, release, the agency said a Flexible Sleeper Berth pilot would let participating drivers split their time into two periods totaling at least 10 hours, with one period of at least 5 consecutive hours in the sleeper berth. A Split Duty Period pilot would test pausing the 14-hour window for up to three hours a day. FMCSA said both pilots are planned for a full launch in 2027, with each expected to include 256 enrolled drivers. For everyone else, the current rules above still apply.

Two common exceptions

Adverse driving conditions

FMCSA says drivers may extend the 11-hour driving limit and the 14-hour window by up to 2 hours when they run into adverse driving conditions.

Short-haul drivers

A driver who stays within a 150 air-mile radius of the normal work reporting location, and returns and is released within 14 consecutive hours, is exempt from the logbook and ELD requirements, FMCSA says. The carrier must still keep time records for that driver for 6 months, under 49 CFR 395.1.

The ELD rule

What an ELD does

According to FMCSA, an ELD synchronizes with the truck's engine to automatically record driving time, which makes hours of service records easier and more accurate. Federal rules required carriers to have drivers using ELDs by December 18, 2017. FMCSA says the ELD rule did not change any of the basic hours of service rules or exceptions. It changed how the hours are recorded.

Who can still use paper logs

Under 49 CFR 395.8, a carrier may let a driver keep a paper record of duty status instead of using an ELD when the driver:

• Needs a duty status record on no more than 8 days in any 30-day period
• Is in a driveaway-towaway operation where the vehicle being driven is part of the shipment
• Is in a driveaway-towaway operation moving a motor home or recreational vehicle trailer
• Drives a vehicle manufactured before model year 2000, as shown by the VIN on its registration

No tampering

Federal rules bar drivers and carriers from disabling, jamming or tampering with an ELD so that it does not record accurately.

Fleet technology keeps changing how hours are tracked. For one example, see Big Rig Daily's report on Motive's new AI agents, which include an hours of service tool. Roadside inspections also check compliance, as in this story on El Paso's truck inspection operation.

New to the industry? The step-by-step CDL guide explains how to get licensed, and the owner-operator vs company driver guide explains how the two paths differ.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the 30-minute break be on duty?

Yes. FMCSA says any 30 consecutive minutes of non-driving time counts, including on duty not driving, off duty or sleeper berth time.

Does a lunch break stop the 14-hour clock?

No. FMCSA says off-duty time does not extend the 14-hour period. The exception is a qualifying sleeper berth split, where neither rest period counts against the window.

How does the 34-hour restart work?

A driver who takes 34 or more consecutive hours off duty may start a new 7-day or 8-day period, which resets the 60-hour or 70-hour count.

Do older trucks need an ELD?

Federal rules let carriers use paper logs for vehicles manufactured before model year 2000, based on the VIN shown on the registration.

Are 5/5 and 6/4 sleeper splits legal now?

Not for most drivers. FMCSA said its Flexible Sleeper Berth pilot, which would allow them for enrolled drivers only, is planned for a full launch in 2027.

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