49 C.F.R. § 383.51   Disqualification of drivers.


Title 49 - Transportation


Title 49: Transportation
PART 383—COMMERCIAL DRIVER'S LICENSE STANDARDS; REQUIREMENTS AND PENALTIES
Subpart D—Driver Disqualifications and Penalties

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§ 383.51   Disqualification of drivers.

(a) General. (1) A driver or holder of a CDL who is disqualified must not drive a CMV.

(2) An employer must not knowingly allow, require, permit, or authorize a driver who is disqualified to drive a CMV.

(3) A driver is subject to disqualification sanctions designated in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section, if the holder of a CDL drives a CMV or non-CMV and is convicted of the violations.

(4) Determining first and subsequent violations. For purposes of determining first and subsequent violations of the offenses specified in this subpart, each conviction for any offense listed in Tables 1 through 4 to this section resulting from a separate incident, whether committed in a CMV or non-CMV, must be counted.

(5) Reinstatement after lifetime disqualification. A State may reinstate any driver disqualified for life for offenses described in paragraphs (b)(1) through (b)(8) of this section (Table 1 to §383.51) after 10 years if that person has voluntarily entered and successfully completed an appropriate rehabilitation program approved by the State. Any person who has been reinstated in accordance with this provision and who is subsequently convicted of a disqualifying offense described in paragraphs (b)(1) through (b)(8) of this section (Table 1 to §383.51) must not be reinstated.

(b) Disqualification for major offenses. Table 1 to §383.51 contains a list of the offenses and periods for which a driver must be disqualified, depending upon the type of vehicle the driver is operating at the time of the violation, as follows:

                                                                Table 1 to § 383.51--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------                                                                                          For a first                                                                                     conviction or refusal                                                                                       to be tested while        For a second                                                                                        operating a CMV     conviction or refusal       For a second                                     For a first conviction                               transporting        to be tested in a    conviction or refusal                                        or refusal to be     For a first conviction   hazardous materials    separate incident of    to be tested in a                                     tested while operating     or refusal to be         required to be       any combination of    separate incident of                                         a CMV, a person     tested while operating   placarded under the      offenses in this      any combination of    If a driver operates a motor     required to have a CDL     a non-CMV, a CDL      Hazardous Materials   Table while operating     offenses in this    vehicle and is convicted of:      and a CDL holder must      holder must be       Regulations (49 CFR      a CMV, a person     Table while operating                                      be disqualified from      disqualified from    part 172, subpart F),    required to have a      a non-CMV, a CDL                                      operating a CMV for .   operating a CMV for .   a person required to   CDL and a CDL holder      holder must be                                               . .                     . .             have a CDL and CDL    must be disqualified    disqualified from                                                                                         holder must be      from operating a CMV  operating a CMV for .                                                                                       disqualified from          for . . .                 . .                                                                                     operating a CMV for .                                                                                              . .--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(1) Being under the influence of     1 year................  1 year................  3 years..............  Life.................  Life. alcohol as prescribed by State law * * *.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(2) Being under the influence of a   1 year................  1 year................  3 years..............  Life.................  Life. controlled substance * * *.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(3) Having an alcohol concentration  1 year................  Not applicable........  3 years..............  Life.................  Not applicable. of 0.04 or greater while operating a CMV * * *.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(4) Refusing to take an alcohol      1 year................  1 year................  3 years..............  Life.................  Life. test as required by a State or jurisdiction under its implied consent laws or regulations as defined in § 383.72 of this part * * *.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(5) Leaving the scene of an          1 year................  1 year................  3 years..............  Life.................  Life. accident * * *.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(6) Using the vehicle to commit a    1 year................  1 year................  3 years..............  Life.................  Life. felony, other than a felony described in paragraph (b)(9) of this table * * *.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(7) Driving a CMV when, as a result  1 year................  Not applicable........  3 years..............  Life.................  Not applicable. of prior violations committed operating a CMV, the driver's CDL is revoked, suspended, or canceled, or the driver is disqualified from operating a CMV.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(8) Causing a fatality through the   1 year................  Not applicable........  3 years..............  Life.................  Not applicable. negligent operation of a CMV, including but not limited to the crimes of motor vehicle manslaughter, homicide by motor vehicle and negligent homicide.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(9) Using the vehicle in the         Life-not eligible for   Life-not eligible for   Life-not eligible for  Life-not eligible for  Life-not eligible for commission of a felony involving     10-year reinstatement.  10-year reinstatement.  10-year                10-year                10-year manufacturing, distributing, or                                                      reinstatement.         reinstatement.         reinstatement dispensing a controlled substance * * *.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(c) Disqualification for serious traffic violations. Table 2 to §383.51 contains a list of the offenses and the periods for which a driver must be disqualified, depending upon the type of vehicle the driver is operating at the time of the violation, as follows:

                                            Table 2 to § 383.51----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------                                                                                                For a third or                                                         For a second                             subsequent                                                       conviction of any                       conviction of any                                                        combination of                          combination of                                                       offenses in this     For a third or     offenses in this                                     For a second         Table in a          subsequent          Table in a                                   conviction of any   separate incident   conviction of any   separate incident                                    combination of      within a 3-year     combination of      within a 3-year                                   offenses in this      period while      offenses in this      period while                                      Table in a       operating a non-       Table in a       operating a non-                                   separate incident   CMV, a CDL holder   separate incident   CMV, a CDL holder If the driver operates a motor     within a 3-year         must be         within a 3-year         must be  vehicle and is convicted of:       period while      disqualified from     period while      disqualified from                                  operating a CMV, a   operating a CMV,   operating a CMV, a   operating a CMV,                                  person required to   if the conviction  person required to   if the conviction                                   have a CDL and a     results in the     have a CDL and a     results in the                                  CDL holder must be      revocation,     CDL holder must be      revocation,                                   disqualified from   cancellation, or    disqualified from   cancellation, or                                    operating a CMV    suspension of the    operating a CMV    suspension of the                                       for . . .         CDL holder's          for . . .         CDL holder's                                                      license or non-CMV                      license or non-CMV                                                            driving                                 driving                                                       privileges, for .                       privileges, for .                                                              . .                                     . .----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(1) Speeding excessively,         60 days...........  60 days...........  120 days..........  120 days. involving any speed of 24.1 kmph (15 mph) or more above the posted speed limit.(2) driving recklessly, as        60 days...........  60 days...........  120 days..........  120 days. defined by State or local law or regulation, including but, not limited to, offenses of driving a motor vehicle in willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property.(3) making improper or erratic    60 days...........  60 days...........  120 days..........  120 days. traffic lane changes.(4) following the vehicle ahead   60 days...........  60 days...........  120 days..........  120 days. too closely.(5) Violating State or local law  60 days...........  60 days...........  120 days..........  120 days. relating to motor vehicle traffic control (other than a parking violation) arising in connection with a fatal accident.(6) driving a CMV without         60 days...........  Not applicable....  120 days..........  Not applicable. obtaining a CDL.(7) driving a CMV without a CDL   60 days...........  Not applicable....  120 days..........  Not applicable. in the driver's possession\1\.(8) driving a CMV without the     60 days...........  Not applicable....  120 days..........  Not applicable. proper class of CDL and/or endorsements for the specific vehicle group being operated or for the passengers or type of cargo being transported.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------\1\Any individual who provides proof to the enforcement authority that issued the citation, by the date the  individual must appear in court or pay any fine for such a violation, that the individual held a valid CDL on  the date the citation was issued, shall not be guilty of this offense.

(d) Disqualification for railroad-highway grade crossing offenses. Table 3 to §383.51 contains a list of the offenses and the periods for which a driver must be disqualified, when the driver is operating a CMV at the time of the violation, as follows:

                                            Table 3 to § 383.51----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------                                                                                       For a third or subsequent                                                           For a second conviction of      conviction of any                                                               any combination of       combination of offensesIf the driver is convicted of   For a first conviction a    offenses in this Table in      in this Table in a operating a CMV in violation   person required to have a  a separate incident within   separate incident within of a Federal, State or local   CDL and a CDL holder must   a 3-year period, a person  a 3-year period, a person      law because . . .           be disqualified from     required to have a CDL and    required to have a CDL                                operating a CMV for . . .     a CDL holder must be      and a CDL holder must be                                                                disqualified from          disqualified from                                                            operating a CMV for . . .  operating a CMV for . . .----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(1) The driver is not          No less than 60 days......  No less than 120 days.....  No less than 1 year. required to always stop, but fails to slow down and check that tracks are clear of an approaching train * * *.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(2) The driver is not          No less than 60 days......  No less than 120 days.....  No less than 1 year. required to always stop, but fails to stop before reaching the crossing, if the tracks are not clear * * *.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(3) The driver is always       No less than 60 days......  No less than 120 days.....  No less than 1 year. required to stop, but fails to stop before driving onto the crossing * * *.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(4) The driver fails to have   No less than 60 days......  No less than 120 days.....  No less than 1 year. sufficient space to drive completely through the crossing without stopping * * *.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(5) The driver fails to obey   No less than 60 days......  No less than 120 days.....  No less than 1 year. a traffic control device or the directions of an enforcement official at the crossing * * *.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(6) The driver fails to        No less than 60 days......  No less than 120 days.....  No less than 1 year. negotiate a crossing because of insufficient undercarriage clearance * * *.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(e) Disqualification for violating out-of-service orders. Table 4 to §383.51 contains a list of the offenses and periods for which a driver must be disqualified when the driver is operating a CMV at the time of the violation, as follows:

                                            Table 4 to § 383.51----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------                                                                                       For a third or subsequent                                                           For a second conviction in   conviction in a separate                                 For a first conviction    a separate incident within  incident within a 10-year                                while operating a CMV, a     a 10-year period while     period while operating a If the driver operates a CMV   person required to have a   operating a CMV, a person  CMV, a person required to  and is convicted of . . .     CDL and a CDL holder must  required to have a CDL and     have a CDL and a CDL                                  be disqualified from        a CDL holder must be           holder must be                                operating a CMV for . . .       disqualified from          disqualified from                                                            operating a CMV for . . .  operating a CMV for . . .----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(1) Violating a driver or      No less than 90 days or     No less than 1 year or      No less than 3 years or vehicle out-of-service order   more than 1 year.           more than 5 years.          more than 5 years. while transporting nonhazardous materials . ..----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(2) Violating a driver or      No less than 180 days or    No less than 3 years or     No less than 3 years or vehicle out-of-service order   more than 2 years.          more than 5 years.          more than 5 years. while transporting hazardous materials required to be placarded under part 172, subpart F of this title, or while operating a vehicle designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver . ..----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[67 FR 49756, July 31, 2002, as amended at 68 FR 4396, Jan. 29, 2003]

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