In this article:
- What the 14-hour rule says today
- How the 14-hour window works: a worked example
- What can extend or change the window under current rules
- What changed most recently: the 2020 HOS rule
- The proposed 14-hour pause pilot
- The flexible sleeper berth pilot
- Myths and facts
- What drivers and fleets should do now
- Recognize the drivers who run clean logs
No. As of October 2026 there is no new 14-hour rule for truck drivers. 49 CFR 395.3(a)(2) still bars driving after 14 consecutive hours from coming on duty after 10 hours off. FMCSA has proposed a pilot that would let about 256 drivers pause that window for up to 3 hours. It is not law and has not launched.
The confusion is understandable. FMCSA proposed a 14-hour pause in 2019, dropped it from the 2020 final rule, proposed a pilot in 2020 that never started, and proposed a new pilot in September 2025. This guide sorts out which of those pieces is the rule you log under today.
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What the 14-hour rule says today
The 14-hour rule is the limit in 49 CFR 395.3(a)(2): "A driver may not drive after a period of 14 consecutive hours after coming on-duty following 10 consecutive hours off-duty." It is a driving window, not a work limit. A driver can keep doing on-duty work after hour 14 but cannot drive.
As of October 2026 (eCFR text current to 2026-10-09; status: final, in effect), the property-carrying limits in 395.3 are:
| Limit | What it says | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| 10 hours off | No driving without first taking 10 consecutive hours off duty | 395.3(a)(1) |
| 14-hour window | No driving after 14 consecutive hours after coming on duty | 395.3(a)(2) |
| 11 hours driving | Up to 11 hours of driving inside the 14-hour window | 395.3(a)(3)(i) |
| 30-minute break | Needed after 8 hours of driving; off duty, sleeper berth or on-duty not driving all count | 395.3(a)(3)(ii) |
| 60/70 hours | No driving after 60 on-duty hours in 7 days, or 70 in 8 days | 395.3(b) |
| 34-hour restart | A 7- or 8-day period may end with 34 or more consecutive hours off duty | 395.3(c) |
The eCFR source note shows 395.3 was last amended at 85 FR 33452 on June 1, 2020. Nothing published since has changed the 14-hour text.
How the 14-hour window works: a worked example
The 14-hour clock runs on wall time. Breaks, meals and waiting do not stop it, unless one of the exceptions below applies. Here is an illustrative day built from the regulation text (a made-up driver, not real log data):
| Time | Duty status | What happens to the window |
|---|---|---|
| 5:00 a.m. | On-duty not driving (pre-trip inspection) | Window opens. It closes at 7:00 p.m. |
| 5:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. | Driving (6 hours) | 6 of 11 driving hours used |
| 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. | On-duty not driving (3 hours waiting at a shipper) | The window keeps running. This also satisfies the 30-minute break |
| 2:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. | Driving (4.5 hours) | 10.5 driving hours used. The window closes at 7:00 p.m. |
| After 7:00 p.m. | Any status except driving | No more driving until 10 consecutive hours off duty |
The driver still has 30 minutes of the 11 hours left, but cannot use it, because the window closed at 7:00 p.m. That is the situation the proposed pause pilot is meant to study. The 3 hours at the shipper used up window time without moving the truck.
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What can extend or change the window under current rules
Five provisions already change how the 14-hour window applies. All are final and in effect as of October 2026.
| Provision | What it does | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| Adverse driving conditions | Up to 2 more hours beyond the 395.3(a) limits when snow, fog, or unusual road or traffic conditions weren't known before the duty day or dispatch | 395.1(b)(1); definition in 395.2 |
| Split sleeper berth | Two rest periods totaling at least 10 hours, one of at least 7 consecutive hours in the sleeper and neither under 2 hours. Qualifying periods don't count against the 14-hour window | 395.1(g)(1)(ii)–(iii) |
| Oilfield waiting time | For specially trained drivers of oil-well servicing vehicles, waiting time at a well site is logged off duty and is not counted in the 14-hour period | 395.1(d)(2) |
| Short-haul exception | Drivers within 150 air miles who are released within 14 consecutive hours don't need a record of duty status. This does not lengthen the window | 395.1(e)(1) |
| Emergency relief | 395.3 does not apply while giving direct assistance in a declared regional emergency, for the emergency period or 30 days, whichever is less | 390.23(b) |
The emergency-relief change is the only 2026 final rule in this table. FMCSA's final rule of October 5, 2026 (91 FR 63156, effective that day) lengthened the automatic relief after a regional emergency declaration from 14 days to 30 days. It applies only to carriers and drivers giving direct assistance in that emergency. It is not a general change to the 14-hour rule.
What changed most recently: the 2020 HOS rule
When people say "the new 14-hour rule", they often mean the 2020 hours-of-service rule (85 FR 33396, published June 1, 2020, effective September 29, 2020). It is the last final rule to change how the 14-hour window works. According to FMCSA's summary, it:
- expanded the short-haul exception to 150 air miles and allowed a 14-hour work shift within it;
- let adverse driving conditions extend the driving window by up to 2 more hours;
- tied the 30-minute break to 8 hours of driving time instead of on-duty time, and let on-duty not driving count as the break;
- changed the split sleeper berth option to at least 7 hours in the berth (instead of at least 8) plus a separate period of at least 2 hours, together at least 10 hours (so 7/3 and 8/2 splits both work), with neither qualifying period counting against the 14-hour window.
These changes are six years old. They are not new in 2026 or 2027.
The proposed 14-hour pause pilot
The Split Duty Period Pilot Program is a proposal, not a rule. FMCSA published it on September 17, 2025, as a notice of proposed pilot program (90 FR 44872). As proposed:
- What it would allow: participating drivers could extend the 14-hour window with one off-duty, sleeper-berth or on-duty-not-driving period of at least 30 minutes and no more than 3 hours. On-duty not driving would count only if taken at a pickup or delivery location, which covers what FMCSA calls detention time.
- Who: about 256 commercial driver's license (CDL) holders who meet the eligibility criteria. Property-carrying drivers only; passenger-carrying drivers are not eligible.
- How long: each driver gives 4 months of data, 1 month under current rules and 3 months under the exemption. FMCSA estimated about 34 months (up to 36) for the whole program. Federal law limits pilot programs to 3 years.
- Why: to test whether the flexibility gives a level of safety equal to or greater than the current rules. FMCSA says it could help drivers take extra rest, avoid congestion and cope with unreasonable detention.
Status timeline, from the Federal Register
| Date | Document | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Aug. 22, 2019 | HOS proposed rule (84 FR 44190) included a single 30-minute to 3-hour pause | Proposed |
| June 1, 2020 | 2020 final rule (85 FR 33396) left the pause out | Final, without the pause |
| Sept. 3, 2020 | Proposed split duty period pilot (85 FR 55061) | Proposed; FMCSA later says it "ultimately did not initiate" it |
| Sept. 17, 2025 | New proposed pilot (90 FR 44872); comments closed Nov. 17, 2025 | Proposed |
| Oct. 6, 2026 | Information-collection notice (91 FR 63640) for the pilot's data; comments due Dec. 7, 2026 | Paperwork step before OMB review |
| As of Oct. 13, 2026 | No Federal Register notice launching the pilot found | Not launched |
The October 2026 notice is a Paperwork Reduction Act step. It asks for comment on the data FMCSA plans to collect from drivers and goes to the Office of Management and Budget for approval. It does not start the pilot and does not change any driver's hours.
The flexible sleeper berth pilot
A second proposal, published the same day, is about the split sleeper berth rather than the 14-hour window. The Flexible Sleeper Berth Pilot Program (90 FR 44790) would cut the minimum sleeper period from 7 hours to 5 for about 256 participating drivers. That would allow splits such as 6/4 or 5/5. Its data-collection notice followed on October 7, 2026 (91 FR 64214), with comments due December 7, 2026. Status as of October 2026: proposed, not launched.
Myths and facts
| What you may have heard | What the record shows (as of October 2026) |
|---|---|
| "FMCSA changed the 14-hour rule in 2026." | No. 395.3(a)(2) was last amended in 2020. |
| "Drivers can now pause the 14-hour clock for 3 hours." | Only participants in a pilot that has been proposed, not launched. |
| "Detention time no longer counts." | It still counts. Waiting at a shipper is on-duty time under 395.2 unless the driver has been relieved from duty. |
| "A 30-minute break stops the clock." | No. It satisfies 395.3(a)(3)(ii), but the 14-hour window keeps running. |
| "Split sleeper is new." | The current split (at least 7 hours in the berth plus at least 2, such as 7/3 or 8/2, with neither counting against the 14-hour window) took effect September 29, 2020. |
What drivers and fleets should do now
- Log to the current rule. Use 395.3(a)(2) as written. Don't plan routes around a pause that isn't available.
- Treat detention as window time. Under 395.2, time waiting at a shipper is on-duty time unless the driver is relieved from duty. Plan appointments with that in mind.
- Use the flexibility that exists. The split sleeper berth and the adverse-driving provision are the legal ways to work with the window today.
- Watch the Federal Register. A launch notice, a participant call or a final report would be published there. Our hours of service rules guide will be updated when that happens.
- Know the statuses. If on-duty not driving is the part that confuses your drivers, see on duty not driving: meaning and examples and the four HOS duty statuses. For sleeper-berth questions, see off duty vs sleeper berth.
Recognize the drivers who run clean logs
Logging accurately inside a fixed 14-hour window is a daily discipline. Off Duty Not Driving Rewards is a rewards program for trucking fleets. Contact our team to learn more.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Confirm requirements against the current regulation text and with your compliance counsel.
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