ELD Manual Requirement Now Removed by FMCSA

FMCSA Removes ELD Manual Requirement From Commercial Vehicles

Truck drivers may soon have one less document to keep in the cab. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has finalized a rule that removes the requirement for a printed ELD Manual to be carried inside commercial motor vehicles. The agency says the change will reduce paperwork burdens while maintaining current safety standards.

The final rule is scheduled to be published in the Federal Register on June 22, 2026, and will take effect 30 days later.

ELD Manual No Longer Required in the Truck

Current federal regulations require drivers using electronic logging devices (ELDs) to carry several supporting documents in the vehicle. One of those documents has been a printed ELD Manual that explains how the device works.

Under the new rule, FMCSA is removing that requirement. Drivers and carriers will no longer be required to keep a paper copy of the this manual inside the truck.

The agency says the requirement has become outdated because many ELD systems already contain electronic versions of their manuals, making a separate paper copy unnecessary.

More Than 3,000 Drivers Were Cited

According to FMCSA, more than 3,000 drivers were found in violation of the ELD Manual requirement during 2024.

While these violations were not related to unsafe driving behavior, they could still appear during roadside inspections and create compliance issues for carriers and drivers.

Supporters of the rule change argued that a missing ELD Manual does not affect a driver’s ability to safely operate a commercial vehicle and that eliminating the requirement could reduce unnecessary violations.

What Drivers Still Need to Carry

Although the printed ELD Manual is being removed from the regulations, other ELD documents must still remain available in the truck.

Motor carriers are still required to ensure drivers have instructions explaining how to transfer ELD data to enforcement officials and how to provide hours-of-service records during a roadside inspection.

The rule also does not change any hours-of-service requirements or ELD usage requirements.

Drivers must still accurately maintain their records of duty status and be able to demonstrate how their ELD functions if requested by an enforcement officer.

Why FMCSA Decided to Remove the ELD Manual Requirement

FMCSA received 24 comments on the proposal. Eighteen supported removing the ELD Manual requirement, while four opposed it. The comments came from trucking organizations, consultants, businesses, and individual drivers.

Supporters pointed out that most ELD systems already contain digital manuals and that maintaining paper copies creates extra work for carriers. They also noted that violations related to a missing ELD operator’ manual can affect inspection records even though the document has little impact on safety.

Those opposed to the change argued that some drivers and enforcement officers may not know how to access electronic manuals and that different ELD systems can make finding information more difficult.

After reviewing the comments, FMCSA concluded that electronic manuals are widely available and that requiring a paper copy is redundant. The agency also noted that copies of approved ELD manuals are available through FMCSA’s online ELD registry.

Drivers Can Still Keep an ELD Manual

FMCSA emphasized that the final rule does not prohibit drivers or carriers from continuing to carry an ELD Manual if they find it useful.

Drivers who are new to a particular ELD system or who prefer having a paper reference in the truck may still choose to keep one on hand.

The difference is that carrying the manual will become optional rather than mandatory.

What Truck Drivers Should Know

Drivers should not remove their ELD Manual immediately. The rule is scheduled to be published on June 22 and will not become effective until 30 days after publication.

Until then, current regulations remain in effect.

Once the rule takes effect, truck drivers will no longer be required to carry a printed ELD Manual, but they will still need to comply with all ELD and hours-of-service requirements. According to FMCSA, the change is expected to reduce paperwork burdens while having no impact on highway safety.