Since December 18, 2017, most U.S. commercial drivers who keep records of duty status have had to log their hours on an electronic logging device (ELD). In 2026 the rules have barely changed — but enforcement has. FMCSA has been steadily removing non-compliant devices from its registry, and drivers still using a revoked ELD after the deadline can be placed out of service. Here's what carriers need to know.

What is the FMCSA ELD rule?

The ELD rule (49 CFR Part 395, Subpart B) was required by Congress in the 2012 MAP-21 law. It:

• Requires commercial drivers who must keep hours-of-service records of duty status (RODS) to use an ELD
• Sets performance and design standards, and requires ELDs to be certified and registered with FMCSA
• Defines the supporting documents drivers and carriers must keep
• Prohibits carriers from using ELD data to harass drivers

The ELD doesn't change hours-of-service limits. For those, see our U.S. hours-of-service guide.

Key dates

• December 18, 2017 — ELD compliance date.
• December 16, 2019 — End of the grandfather period for older automatic on-board recording devices (AOBRDs).
• September 29, 2020 — Revised hours-of-service rules take effect, including a wider short-haul exception.
• July 22, 2026 — A printed ELD user's manual is no longer required in the cab.

Who must use an ELD?

The rule applies to most motor carriers and drivers who must keep RODS under 49 CFR 395.8 — trucks and buses alike, including Canada- and Mexico-domiciled drivers operating in the U.S. In general, that means interstate drivers of commercial motor vehicles that:

• Have a gross vehicle weight rating or gross combination weight rating (whichever is greater) of 10,001 pounds or more
• Are designed or used to carry 9 or more passengers (including the driver) for compensation, or 16 or more passengers not for compensation
• Carry hazardous materials in quantities that require placards

Many states also apply ELD requirements to intrastate carriers through their own rules, so check your state's requirements even if you never cross state lines.

Exceptions

Drivers who qualify for the short-haul exception don't have to keep RODS, so they don't need an ELD. Under 49 CFR 395.1(e)(1), a driver qualifies when they stay within a 150 air-mile radius (about 172.6 statute miles) of their normal work reporting location, and return there and are released from work within 14 consecutive hours.

These drivers still keep RODS when required, but can use paper logs instead of an ELD:

• Drivers who need RODS for no more than 8 days in any 30-day period
• Drivers in driveaway-towaway operations, where the vehicle being driven is the commodity being delivered
• Drivers of vehicles with a model year before 2000. FMCSA guidance also treats vehicles with engines older than model year 2000 as exempt, even if the VIN shows a newer model year — keep engine documentation at your principal place of business.
• Drivers of property-carrying vehicles rented for 8 days or less, under an FMCSA exemption granted to the Truck Renting and Leasing Association. Keep a copy of the rental agreement in the vehicle.

Outside that rental exemption, rented and leased vehicles are not exempt. For the full picture, see ELD exemptions in Canada and the US.

Registered vs. revoked devices: the 2026 enforcement story

U.S. ELD providers self-certify their devices and register them with FMCSA. That's a lower bar than Canada's third-party certification, and FMCSA has been actively removing devices that don't meet the technical specifications — with repeated batches of revocations through 2025 and 2026.

When a device is revoked, carriers generally get 60 days to replace it. In the meantime, FMCSA tells affected carriers to stop using the device and switch to paper logs or logging software. After the deadline, drivers still using the revoked device are cited for having no record of duty status under 49 CFR 395.8(a)(1) and placed out of service.

ELD providers aren't required to tell you if their device is removed, so check FMCSA's registered and revoked ELD lists yourself. Here's how to check your device and what to do if it's revoked.

What to do when an ELD malfunctions

Drivers must:

• Give the carrier written notice of the malfunction within 24 hours
• Reconstruct RODS for the current 24-hour period and the previous 7 days on paper, unless they already have the records or can retrieve them
• Keep paper RODS until the ELD is back in service

Carriers must repair, replace or service the ELD within 8 days of discovering the problem or being notified, whichever comes first.

Record-keeping and supporting documents

• Keep ELD RODS data, plus a backup copy on a separate device, for 6 months.
• Keep up to 8 supporting documents for each 24-hour period a driver is on duty — for example bills of lading, dispatch records, expense receipts, fleet-communication records and payroll records.
• Drivers must submit RODS and supporting documents to the carrier within 13 days of receiving them.

What needs to be in the cab?

Since July 22, 2026, a printed ELD user's manual is no longer required. Drivers still need to know how to operate their ELD and present their records at inspection, and should keep the device's data-transfer and malfunction instructions plus at least 8 days of blank paper log sheets on hand.

Roadside data transfer

Every ELD must support one of two transfer options: telematics (wireless web services and email) or local (USB 2.0 and Bluetooth). If electronic transfer fails, the driver can still show the ELD's display or a printout.

U.S. ELD compliance checklist

• Confirm which drivers need RODS and which qualify for an exception.
• Verify your device is on FMCSA's registered list — and recheck it regularly.
• Train drivers on data transfer, unidentified driving, edits and annotations, personal conveyance and yard moves.
• Keep malfunction instructions and blank log sheets in every truck.
• Retain RODS and supporting documents for 6 months.

An ELD that keeps up with the rules

Switchboard gives drivers on-screen countdowns for every hours-of-service limit, and handles both U.S. and Canadian rules for cross-border fleets. Book a demo to see how it works.

Official sources

• FMCSA: Electronic logging devices
• FMCSA: ELD rule frequently asked questions
• FMCSA: Registered and revoked ELD lists
• 49 CFR Part 395

This guide is for general information and isn't legal advice. Check with FMCSA and your state for requirements that apply to your operation.