Hours of Service Rules 2026

It's hour 13 of your 14-hour window. You're 45 minutes from the delivery. You can make it if traffic cooperates.

Then you hit construction. Now you're looking at 90 minutes to destination.

Do you keep driving and risk an HOS violation? Or do you pull over, burn your 10-hour reset, and deliver late tomorrow?

This guide breaks down exactly what the Hours of Service rules are in 2026, what happens if you violate them, and how to avoid the mistakes that get drivers fined or placed out of service.

What Hours of Service Rules Are (and Why They Exist)

HOS = Hours of Service regulations

These are federal rules limiting how long truck drivers can operate commercial vehicles before taking mandatory rest breaks.

The purpose: Prevent driver fatigue and reduce accidents caused by tired drivers.

Who they apply to:

• Commercial motor vehicles (CMVs)
• Vehicles over 10,001 lbs GVWR
• Interstate commerce (crossing state lines)
• Most intrastate commerce (within state, depending on state rules)

Who enforces them:

• FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration)
• State DOT inspectors
• Roadside inspections
• Audits and compliance reviews

Current status in 2026: The HOS rules last updated in 2020 remain in effect. New pilot programs are being tested in 2026 (more on that later), but the standard rules below apply to all drivers unless you're selected for a pilot program.

The 5 Core HOS Rules

Rule #1: 11-Hour Driving Limit

What it means: You can drive a maximum of 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty.

Example:

• You finish your 10-hour break at 6:00 AM
• You can drive until 5:00 PM (11 hours later)
• After 11 hours of driving, you MUST stop driving

Important: This is 11 hours of DRIVING time, not on-duty time.

What counts as driving:

• Vehicle in motion
• Behind the wheel (even if stuck in traffic)

What doesn't count as driving:

• Fueling
• Loading/unloading
• Pre-trip inspection
• Waiting at shipper (on-duty not driving)

Rule #2: 14-Hour On-Duty Window

What it means: You cannot drive after being on-duty for 14 consecutive hours, following 10 hours off duty.

This is the rule that catches most drivers.

Example:

• 6:00 AM: Come on duty (start 14-hour clock)
• 6:00 AM - 7:00 AM: Pre-trip, fuel up (1 hour on-duty not driving)
• 7:00 AM - 2:00 PM: Drive (7 hours driving)
• 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM: Wait at warehouse for loading (1.5 hours on-duty not driving)
• 3:30 PM - 7:00 PM: Drive (3.5 hours driving)
• 8:00 PM: 14-hour window ENDS (even though you only drove 10.5 hours)

You CANNOT drive after 8:00 PM, even though you have 30 minutes of drive time left (11-hour limit).

The 14-hour clock DOES NOT stop for:

• Breaks
• Fueling
• Waiting time
• Lunch

The 14-hour clock ONLY resets after 10 consecutive hours off duty.

Rule #3: 30-Minute Break Requirement

What it means: You must take a 30-minute break when you have driven for 8 cumulative hours without at least a 30-minute interruption.

The break must be:

• At least 30 consecutive minutes
• Off-duty or sleeper berth
• Taken BEFORE exceeding 8 hours of driving

Example:

• 7:00 AM - 3:00 PM: Drive 8 hours straight
• BEFORE continuing, you must take 30-minute break
• 3:00 PM - 3:30 PM: Break (off-duty)
• 3:30 PM onward: Can drive remaining hours (up to 11-hour limit and 14-hour window)

What counts as a valid break:

• Off-duty status
• Sleeper berth
• Any combination totaling 30+ minutes

What does NOT count:

• Fueling (on-duty not driving)
• Loading/unloading (on-duty not driving)
• Pre-trip inspection (on-duty not driving)

Driving time "resets" after 30-minute break: After your break, the 8-hour driving clock starts over.

Rule #4: 60/70-Hour Limit

Two versions depending on your carrier's operation:

60-hour/7-day limit: For carriers who do NOT operate every day of the week.

You cannot drive after being on-duty 60 hours in any 7 consecutive days.

70-hour/8-day limit: For carriers who operate every day of the week.

You cannot drive after being on-duty 70 hours in any 8 consecutive days.

How it works: Your hours "roll off" day by day.

Example (70/8):

• Day 1: 11 hours on-duty
• Day 2: 12 hours on-duty
• Day 3: 10 hours on-duty
• Day 4: 11 hours on-duty
• Day 5: 12 hours on-duty
• Day 6: 10 hours on-duty
• Day 7: 4 hours on-duty (total = 70 hours, limit reached)
• Day 8: Cannot drive until Day 1 hours roll off
• Day 9: Day 1 hours (11) roll off, you gain 11 hours back

Most drivers hit this limit after 6-7 days of running hard.

Rule #5: 34-Hour Restart

What it means: You can "restart" your 60/70-hour clock by taking 34 consecutive hours off duty.

How it works: After 34+ consecutive hours off-duty or sleeper berth, your 60/70-hour running total resets to zero.

Example:

• You've been on-duty 68 hours over the last 7 days
• You take 34 hours off (Friday 6 PM to Sunday 4 AM)
• Your 60/70-hour total resets to 0
• You start fresh on Sunday

What counts toward 34-hour restart:

• Off-duty time
• Sleeper berth time
• Any combination

What does NOT count:

• On-duty not driving
• Driving

The 34 hours must be CONSECUTIVE. If you go on-duty even for 5 minutes during the 34 hours, the restart doesn't count and you start over.

New 2026 Pilot Programs (Not Yet Available to All Drivers)

In 2026, FMCSA is testing two pilot programs to give drivers more flexibility. These are PILOT PROGRAMS ONLY - not changes to standard rules.

Pilot #1: Pause the 14-Hour Clock

Allows drivers to pause the 14-hour on-duty window for 30 minutes to 3 hours.

Example of how it would work:

• 6:00 AM: Start 14-hour clock
• 12:00 PM: Take 2-hour break, PAUSE 14-hour clock
• 2:00 PM: Resume driving, 14-hour clock continues from where it paused
• 8:00 PM + 2 hours = 10:00 PM: 14-hour window ends

Currently, that 2-hour break counts toward your 14 hours. With the pilot, it wouldn't.

Pilot #2: Split Sleeper Berth (6/4 and 5/5)

Currently, split sleeper berth allows 8/2 or 7/3 splits.

The pilot would test 6/4 and 5/5 splits.

How it works now (8/2 split):

• Drive 8 hours
• Take 2-hour sleeper berth break (doesn't count toward 14-hour clock)
• Drive remaining hours
• Take 8-hour sleeper berth break (satisfies 10-hour break requirement when combined with the 2-hour break)

How pilot would work (6/4 or 5/5): Same concept, but with more flexible split options.

Participation:

• Approximately 256 drivers per pilot (512 total)
• Not open to all drivers
• Must be selected to participate
• Results will determine if changes become permanent

Bottom line: Unless you're selected for pilot programs, follow the standard 5 rules above.

HOS Violation Penalties

Getting caught violating HOS is expensive.

Fines for Drivers

Standard violations: $1,000 to $4,812 per violation

Egregious violations (driving 3+ hours beyond 11-hour limit): Up to $4,812 (maximum)

Falsifying logs: Up to $15,846 if done knowingly

Fines for Carriers

Per violation: Up to $19,246

Knowing falsification: Up to $15,846

Allowing or requiring violations: Criminal penalties possible (fines, license suspension, jail time)

Non-Monetary Penalties

Out-of-service order: If you're caught during a roadside inspection with an HOS violation, you can be placed "out of service" until you accumulate enough off-duty time to be compliant.

Example: You're pulled over at hour 12 of driving (1 hour over 11-hour limit). Inspector places you out of service. You must take 10-hour break before driving again.

That means:

• Delayed delivery
• Lost revenue
• Angry customer
• Potential loss of contract

CSA points: HOS violations add points to your CSA (Compliance, Safety, Accountability) score.

Too many points = more inspections, higher insurance, potential loss of operating authority.

Criminal Penalties

For knowing and willful violations, criminal charges can be brought:

• Fines
• License suspension
• Jail time

This typically applies to carriers who force drivers to violate HOS or to drivers who falsify logs to hide serious violations.

What Triggers HOS Violations

From research and TruckersReport forums:

HOS violations are the #1 reason drivers are placed out of service - nearly 32% of all driver-related violations.

When combined with false logbook entries (9%), over 40% of driver violations are HOS-related.

Most Common HOS Violations

1. Form and Manner Issues (70% of HOS violations)

These are recordkeeping errors:

• Not keeping logs current
• Missing required information on logs
• Logs not matching actual activity
• ELD malfunctions not properly documented

Easy to spot during inspections, easy to fix with attention to detail.

2. Exceeding 11-Hour Driving Limit

Driving beyond 11 hours in a driving period.

From TruckersReport forum:

"Minor time overruns - most companies allow a few violations a month and will require retraining if you go over that. Going over by 3-5 minutes when missing exits or finding parking."

Going over by a few minutes is common but still a violation. Inspectors have discretion, but don't count on it.

3. Exceeding 14-Hour On-Duty Window

Driving after the 14-hour clock expires.

This is the easiest rule to violate accidentally:

• Traffic delays
• Long wait times at shippers/receivers
• Misjudging drive time to destination

4. No 30-Minute Break

Driving for 8+ hours without taking required 30-minute break.

Easy mistake: You're on hour 7:45 of driving. Just 15 more minutes to the truck stop where you planned to take your break. You drive 30 minutes instead. Now you violated the rule by driving 15 minutes past the 8-hour mark.

5. Exceeding 60/70-Hour Limit

Driving after accumulating 60 (7-day) or 70 (8-day) hours on-duty.

Common with drivers running hard all week without taking 34-hour restart.

What "Egregious" Means

FMCSA defines egregious violations as:

Exceeding the 11-hour driving limit by more than 3 hours.

So driving 14+ hours in a single duty period = automatic maximum penalty.

Penalties:

• Maximum fines
• Guaranteed out-of-service order
• Potential criminal referral if willful

Common HOS Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)

Mistake #1: Forgetting to Change Duty Status

The problem: You stop for fuel but forget to switch ELD to "on-duty not driving." ELD stays in "driving" status. Now your logs show you drove through the fuel stop.

Why it matters: Form and manner violation. Logs don't match reality.

How to avoid:

• Make changing duty status a habit EVERY time you stop
• Set ELD to alert you if status hasn't changed after vehicle stops for 5+ minutes
• Review logs daily for errors

Mistake #2: Misjudging the 14-Hour Window

The problem: You think you have time to make delivery, but traffic/delays eat up your remaining hours. Now you're 30 minutes from delivery with 10 minutes left on your 14-hour clock.

Why it happens: Drivers focus on the 11-hour driving limit and forget the 14-hour window includes ALL on-duty time.

How to avoid:

• Plan for delays (add 30-60 minute buffer)
• Check 14-hour window expiration, not just drive time remaining
• If you're cutting it close, take your 30-minute break earlier in the day to maximize drive time later

Mistake #3: Taking "Break" But Staying On-Duty

The problem: You stop for 30 minutes to eat lunch, but stay in "on-duty not driving" status. This does NOT satisfy the 30-minute break requirement.

Requirement: Break must be off-duty or sleeper berth.

How to avoid: Switch ELD to "off-duty" for your 30-minute break.

Mistake #4: Not Taking 34-Hour Restart Correctly

The problem: You start your 34-hour restart on Friday at 6 PM. Saturday afternoon you move the truck to a different parking spot (5 minutes on-duty). Your 34-hour restart is now INVALID.

Requirement: 34 hours must be CONSECUTIVE off-duty or sleeper berth. Any on-duty time breaks the restart.

How to avoid:

• Plan your restart location carefully (won't need to move truck)
• If you must move truck, wait until AFTER 34 hours complete
• Use sleeper berth status, not off-duty, if you're in truck (so brief movements don't break restart)

Mistake #5: Relying on ELD to Prevent Violations

The problem: "My ELD will stop me if I'm about to violate."

Reality: ELDs track and record. They don't enforce. You can override warnings and keep driving.

From TruckersReport forums:

"HOS violations are the most common reason drivers are placed out of service - nearly 32% of all driver-related violations."

Most of those drivers had ELDs. ELDs help, but YOU are responsible for compliance.

How to avoid:

• Check remaining hours BEFORE starting a trip
• Plan routes based on available hours
• Don't ignore ELD warnings

ELD Requirements (2026)

ELDs have been mandatory since December 2017 for most commercial drivers.

Who must use ELDs:

• Interstate commerce
• Vehicles requiring CDL
• Most intrastate commerce (check state rules)

Who is exempt:

• Drivers using paper logs for 8 days or fewer in any 30-day period
• Driveaway-towaway operations
• Vehicles manufactured before 2000

What ELDs must record:

• Engine hours
• Vehicle miles
• Location information
• Driver identification
• Duty status changes
• Date and time

Penalties for not using ELD: If required to have ELD but don't:

• Automatic out-of-service order
• Driver and carrier fines
• 10-hour break required before driving again

Malfunctioning ELD: If ELD malfunctions, you have 8 days to get it repaired. During those 8 days, use paper logs.

After 8 days, if still not repaired, you must stop driving until ELD is fixed (unless you qualify for paper log exemption).

How to Avoid HOS Violations

1. Plan Your Day Before You Start

Check:

• Available drive time (11-hour limit)
• Available duty time (14-hour window)
• Hours remaining on 60/70-hour clock
• When you need to take 30-minute break (after 8 hours driving)

2. Add Buffer Time

Don't plan trips that use 100% of your available hours.

Instead of: "I have 11 hours, destination is 10.5 hours away, I'm good."

Do this: "I have 11 hours, destination is 10.5 hours away, but I'll budget 11.5 hours to account for traffic/delays. I need to find a delivery time that accommodates this."

3. Take Your 30-Minute Break Early

Don't wait until hour 7:59 to take your break.

Take it at hour 6 or 7. This gives you flexibility later if you hit delays.

4. Use Split Sleeper Berth (If It Works for Your Schedule)

8/2 split allows you to extend your effective drive time.

Not for everyone, but helpful if:

• Long wait times at shippers/receivers
• Running out of 14-hour window but have drive time left
• Want to maximize productivity

5. Check Logs Daily for Errors

From forums:

"Over 70% of HOS violations are form and manner issues."

Most form and manner violations are simple errors:

• Forgot to change duty status
• ELD glitch not corrected
• Missing required info

Review logs every day. Fix errors before an inspector finds them.

6. Communicate with Dispatch/Customers

If you're going to run out of hours before delivery:

• Tell dispatch ASAP (not 30 minutes before delivery)
• Reschedule delivery if possible
• Don't violate HOS to meet delivery window

Better to deliver late than get fined and placed out of service.

HOS Exemptions (Limited Situations)

Short-Haul Exemption (100 air-mile radius):

If you operate within 100 air-miles of your normal work reporting location AND return to that location at the end of each day, you may be exempt from the 30-minute break and ELD requirements.

Requirements:

• Work within 100 air-miles
• Return to start location each day
• Work no more than 12 hours per day
• Have 10 consecutive hours off between shifts

Adverse Driving Conditions:

If you encounter adverse driving conditions (snow, ice, fog, accident on route), you get 2 extra hours on your 11-hour drive limit and 14-hour window.

Requirements:

• Conditions must be unexpected
• Conditions must make safe operation difficult
• You can extend drive time by UP TO 2 hours

This does NOT give you unlimited time. You still can't exceed 13 hours of driving or 16-hour window.

Agricultural Exemptions:

Varies by state. Some states exempt agricultural hauling from HOS during harvest season.

What Happens During Roadside HOS Inspection

Inspector will check:

1. Your ELD or paper logs
2. Current duty status (are you legal to drive right now?)
3. Recent duty history (last 7-8 days)
4. Violations (did you exceed limits?)

If violation found:

Minor violation (form and manner):

• Warning or citation
• Possible fine
• Fix the error and continue

Major violation (exceeded drive time):

• Out-of-service order
• Mandatory break (usually 10 hours)
• Fine
• CSA points

Egregious violation (3+ hours over limit):

• Out-of-service order
• Maximum fines
• Potential criminal referral
• Carrier investigation

What out-of-service means: You CANNOT drive until you've taken the required break (usually 10 hours off-duty).

If you continue driving while under out-of-service order:

• Additional fines ($2,000+)
• Criminal charges possible
• License suspension

How FF Dispatch Helps Owner-Operators

HOS violations cost money in fines, but the bigger cost is lost revenue from being placed out of service. A 10-hour out-of-service order means 10 hours you're not earning.

At $1.60/mile, those 10 hours (roughly 600 miles) cost you $960 in lost gross revenue. At $2.60/mile, you lose $1,560. Higher per-mile rates mean HOS violations hurt more, but also mean you can afford to plan conservatively and turn down loads that force you to run illegal hours.

FF Dispatch negotiates rates (averaging $2.40-2.80/mile) that give you the margin to plan trips properly, take required breaks, and operate legally without feeling pressured to violate HOS just to make ends meet.

We handle load booking for 6% of gross revenue. No contracts, no hidden fees.

Contact: (302) 608-0609 | gia@dispatchff.com

Bottom Line

Hours of Service rules in 2026 (unchanged from 2020 update):

The 5 core rules:

1. 11-hour driving limit - Maximum 11 hours driving after 10 hours off
2. 14-hour on-duty window - Cannot drive after 14 hours on-duty (clock doesn't stop for breaks)
3. 30-minute break - Required after 8 hours of driving
4. 60/70-hour limit - 60 hours in 7 days OR 70 hours in 8 days
5. 34-hour restart - Resets 60/70-hour clock after 34 consecutive hours off

Penalties:

• Drivers: $1,000-$4,812 per violation
• Carriers: Up to $19,246 per violation
• Egregious violations (3+ hours over limit): Maximum penalties
• Out-of-service orders: Mandatory 10-hour break
• CSA points, higher insurance, potential criminal charges

Most common violations:

• Form and manner issues (70% of violations - recordkeeping errors)
• Exceeding 11-hour driving limit
• Exceeding 14-hour window
• Missing 30-minute break
• Exceeding 60/70-hour limit

How to avoid violations:

• Plan trips before starting (check available hours)
• Add buffer time for delays
• Take 30-minute break early (hour 6-7, not hour 7:59)
• Review logs daily for errors
• Communicate with dispatch if running out of hours
• Don't rely on ELD warnings - YOU are responsible

New 2026 pilot programs (not available to most drivers):

• Pause 14-hour clock (30 min to 3 hours)
• Split sleeper berth 6/4 and 5/5 options

Unless selected for pilot, follow standard rules.

Bottom line: HOS violations are the #1 reason drivers are placed out of service. Plan ahead, monitor your hours, and don't cut it close.

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Sources:

• Hours of Service Regulations - FMCSA
• DOT Pilot Programs for HOS Flexibility - Trucking Dive
• Summary of Hours of Service Regulations - FMCSA
• DOT Hours of Service Complete Guide - Matrac
• Interstate Truck Driver's Guide to HOS - FMCSA
• DOT Hours of Service Fines 2025/2026
• HOS Violation Penalties - Vector
• 5 Easy Fixes for HOS Violations - BigRoad
• HOS Violations Discussion - TruckersReport Forum
• Your Experience with Violating HOS - TruckersReport Forum