Quick answer: For most interstate property-carrying CDL drivers, the federal limit is up to 11 hours of driving after 10 consecutive hours off duty, within a 14-hour window. Passenger-carrier rules differ, and exemptions can depend on the operation, cargo, location, and emergency declarations.
How many hours can a CDL driver drive?
The 11-hour figure is the driving limit, not a promise of an 11-hour shift. The driver must fit driving inside the 14-consecutive-hour duty window, take a 30-minute interruption after 8 cumulative hours of driving without one, and stay within the applicable 60-hour/7-day or 70-hour/8-day limit. Reaching any one of those limits can stop further driving even when another clock still shows time.
Core limits for property-carrying drivers
| Rule | Current federal limit |
|---|---|
| Required time off before a shift | 10 consecutive hours off duty |
| Driving limit | Up to 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty |
| Driving window | No driving beyond the 14th consecutive hour after coming on duty |
| Break | 30 consecutive minutes after 8 cumulative hours of driving without a qualifying interruption |
| Weekly limit | No driving after 60 hours on duty in 7 days or 70 hours in 8 days, depending on the carrier's operation |
The 11-hour and 14-hour rules are not the same
The 11-hour limit counts driving time. The 14-hour window begins when the driver comes on duty after 10 consecutive hours off. Ordinary off-duty breaks during that window do not stop the 14-hour clock. A driver may therefore have driving time left but still be unable to drive because the 14-hour window ended.
Two worked examples
| Example | Timeline | Which limit controls? |
|---|---|---|
| Drive clock ends first | On duty at 6:00 a.m.; 30-minute pre-trip; 7 hours driving; 30-minute qualifying break; 4 more hours driving. | The driver reaches 11 driving hours at 6:00 p.m. The 14-hour window remains open until 8:00 p.m., but no driving time remains. |
| Duty window ends first | On duty at 6:00 a.m.; 30-minute pre-trip; 4 hours driving; 4.5 hours on-duty detention; 3 hours driving. | The 14-hour window ends at 8:00 p.m. The driver used only 7 driving hours, but may not continue driving in an ordinary log cycle. |
These examples assume the driver has time under the 60/70-hour rule and is not using a sleeper split, short-haul exception, adverse-condition provision, or emergency relief. The actual ELD record and operation determine what is available.
How the 30-minute break works
The break is required after 8 cumulative hours of driving without at least a 30-minute interruption. FMCSA permits the interruption to be off duty, in the sleeper berth, on duty but not driving, or a consecutive combination of those statuses. It is based on driving time, not simply 8 hours since the shift began.
Sleeper-berth split
A qualifying split can combine at least 7 consecutive hours in the sleeper berth with another period of at least 2 consecutive hours off duty or in the berth. The two periods must total at least 10 hours. When used correctly, neither qualifying period counts against the 14-hour window. Split calculations are easy to misread, so drivers should verify the ELD display and carrier policy before relying on a split.
Short-haul and adverse-condition provisions
- Short haul: qualifying drivers can use the time-record exception when operating within a 150 air-mile radius and returning to the normal reporting location within a 14-hour duty period. The exception changes recordkeeping, not the duty limit.
- Adverse driving conditions: qualifying unexpected conditions can extend the driving limit and driving window by up to 2 hours. Predictable rush-hour traffic or weather known before dispatch is not automatically adverse.
- Emergency declarations: temporary relief can be limited by geography, cargo, and dates. Read the actual declaration.
What does not pause the 14-hour window?
A meal, fuel stop, ordinary off-duty break, loading delay, or detention period does not normally pause the 14-hour window. A qualifying sleeper-berth split can exclude the two qualifying periods from the calculation, but it must satisfy the complete split rule. A driver should not assume that changing a duty-status label creates more legal driving time.
A log-planning routine
- Start with available 60/70-hour time, then calculate the 14-hour window.
- Reserve time for pre-trip, fueling, loading, unloading, and post-trip work.
- Plan a legal parking option before the available drive clock becomes tight.
- Record duty status accurately as the work occurs.
- Tell dispatch early when detention, weather, or traffic makes the original plan impossible.
A delivery schedule never overrides the safety rules. FMCSA also prohibits coercing drivers to violate applicable commercial-vehicle regulations. Compare route expectations before accepting a job through our current CDL job listings.