Who this is for: CDL drivers, fleet managers, owner-operators
11-Hour Driving Limit for CDL Drivers — How It Works
Property-carrying CMV drivers may drive a maximum of 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty. Only actual time operating a CMV counts as driving time. The 11-hour limit is separate from the 14-hour on-duty window — both apply simultaneously.
What the 11-hour driving limit covers
The 11-hour driving limit under 49 CFR 395.3(a)(3)(i) prohibits a property-carrying CMV driver from driving more than 11 cumulative hours after coming off a period of 10 consecutive hours off duty. "Driving" means time spent at the controls of a CMV in operation — from the moment the vehicle begins moving until it stops. Time spent in the CMV while not moving (parked, at a stop sign, waiting at a loading dock) does not count as driving time if the driver is logged as on-duty not driving or off-duty.
What does not count as driving time
The following do not count toward the 11-hour driving limit: loading and unloading time (on-duty not driving); fueling stops (on-duty not driving); pre-trip and post-trip inspections (on-duty not driving); time spent waiting at a shipper or receiver (on-duty not driving or off-duty depending on who controls the driver's time); and off-duty breaks of any duration. These activities may count against the 14-hour on-duty window and the 60/70-hour weekly cycle.
The 11-hour limit and the 14-hour window together
Both the 11-hour driving limit and the 14-hour on-duty window apply simultaneously and independently. A driver who starts their shift at 6:00 AM has a 14-hour window that expires at 8:00 PM and an 11-hour driving budget that runs within that window. If the driver spends 3 hours on non-driving work, they have 11 hours of driving time available but only an 11-hour window remaining. The more restrictive limit controls — once either clock is exhausted, the driver cannot drive.
When the 11-hour limit resets
The 11-hour driving limit resets after a driver completes at least 10 consecutive hours off duty. After 10 consecutive hours off duty, both the 11-hour driving limit and the 14-hour on-duty window restart fresh. No partial resets occur — the driver must complete the full 10 consecutive off-duty hours before a new driving period can begin.
Split sleeper berth and the 11-hour limit
Drivers using the sleeper berth provision may split their 10-hour off-duty requirement into two periods — one of at least 7 hours in the sleeper berth and one of at least 2 hours (either off duty or in the sleeper berth). Under this provision, the 11-hour driving limit applies proportionally to the paired time periods. The split sleeper berth rules are detailed in 49 CFR 395.1(g) and have specific conditions that must be met.
Common questions about what counts as driving time
Warming up a truck with the engine running, sitting in a traffic jam without moving, and waiting at a loading dock with the vehicle not in motion all do not count as driving time — they count as on-duty not driving if the driver is subject to dispatch. The 11-hour limit only accumulates when the vehicle is in actual motion. However, because this time still runs against the 14-hour window and the weekly cycle, extended non-driving delays affect planning. A driver who sits at a shipper dock for 3 hours hasn't used 3 hours of driving time, but they've used 3 hours of their 14-hour window.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a driver take a break mid-shift and pause the 11-hour driving clock?
Yes, in the sense that only actual driving time counts against the 11-hour limit. A driver can take a break, log off-duty or on-duty not driving, and resume driving — as long as the total driving time does not exceed 11 hours. However, off-duty breaks do not pause the 14-hour on-duty window, which continues running regardless of breaks.
What happens if a driver exceeds 11 hours of driving?
Exceeding the 11-hour driving limit is an Hours of Service violation. The driver is subject to a driver out-of-service order and civil penalties. The carrier is also subject to enforcement action. HOS violations are recorded in the FMCSA's MCMIS system and affect the carrier's CSA scores.
Does idling with the engine running — sitting at a dock, stuck in traffic — count as driving time?
No. Driving time under §395.3(a)(3)(i) accumulates only while the vehicle is in motion. An idling truck at a loading dock or stopped in traffic is not "driving." That time logs as on-duty not driving if the driver is subject to dispatch, which still counts against the 14-hour window and the 60/70-hour weekly cycle — just not against the 11-hour driving limit.
Do property-carrying drivers and passenger-carrying drivers share the same 11-hour driving limit?
No. Property-carrying drivers are subject to the 11-hour driving limit under §395.3. Passenger-carrying drivers are governed by §395.5, which sets a 10-hour driving limit with a 15-hour on-duty window and an 8-hour off-duty reset. The two frameworks are distinct — drivers switching between property and passenger operations must apply the applicable rule to each day's work.