Violation code

395.8(a)

HOS (Form) - Paper Log / Logging Programs Form and Manner

Hours-of-Service Compliance1Non-OOS· SMS Appendix A v3.20

395.8(a) is a Other Log/Form & Manner violation under 49 CFR §395.8(a). It falls in the Hours-of-Service Compliance BASIC with a severity weight of 1/10. Nationally it was cited 77,223 times in the last five years, with an OOS rate of 7.2%.

📊

National roadside inspection stats

as of 6/20/2026

Inspections

45,686

that found this code

Violations

77,223

total written

OOS rate

7.2%

5,546 OOS

Source: FMCSA roadside inspection data (last 5 years). The OOS rate is the share of these violations that led the officer to mark the driver or vehicle out of service.

Violation group: Other Log/Form & Manner
Regulation §: 395.8(a)
Severity weight: 1
Used in SMS: Yes
Status: Active
Updated: 6/20/2026

Last updated June 2026

⚡

Think this violation was written incorrectly?

Generate a polished DataQs challenge letter for 395.8(a) in about 5 seconds. AI quotes the CFR, predicts your grant chance.

⚡ Draft a challenge →

Notes

DSMS: Y | Comment: Added in 3.20 | Footnote: This violation moved from the Incomplete/Wrong Log group to the Other Log/Form & Manner group with the September 27, 2024 snapshot. Violations cited on or after September 1, 2023 are classified in the Other Log/Form & Manner group which has a severity weight of 1. Violations cited before September 1, 2023 are classified in the Incomplete/Wrong Log group with a severity weight of 5.

📚

Challenging 395.8(a) through FMCSA DataQs

If this violation was written incorrectly, here are the angles trucking-safety managers use to contest it. Playbook: Hours of Service.

Relevant 49 CFR49 CFR § 395.8

Driver's record of duty status

“Every motor carrier shall require every driver used by the motor carrier to record his/her duty status, in duplicate, for each 24-hour period using an automatic on-board recording device, electronic logging device, or — for drivers operating under one of the exceptions in §395.8(a)(1)(iii) — by other means.”

Common ways to challenge this code

ELD malfunction or edit-history defect
The ELD device produced or recorded incorrect duty-status data because of a malfunction, time-zone defect, or edit-history that overwrites driver entries.
Evidence that wins
- ✓ELD malfunction report (date stamped)
- ✓ELD edit history export covering the day of inspection
- ✓Manufacturer support ticket or replacement record
Time was Personal Conveyance, not driving
The duty time the officer flagged was actually Personal Conveyance under FMCSA Regulatory Guidance, and qualifies as off-duty.
Evidence that wins
- ✓ELD record showing Personal Conveyance status
- ✓Trip context (driver heading home / to lodging after relief)
- ✓Carrier Personal Conveyance policy
Adverse driving conditions exception
Driving time exceeded the 11-hour limit because adverse driving conditions extended the maximum driving window by up to 2 hours under §395.1(b)(1).
Evidence that wins
- ✓Weather report or road-closure record for the route
- ✓Driver's contemporaneous note in the log
- ✓Dispatch / load record showing planned arrival before adverse conditions
Sleeper-berth split timing
A 7/3 or 8/2 sleeper-berth split was correctly applied and resets the 14-hour driving window, but was scored as a continuous driving violation.
Evidence that wins
- ✓ELD record showing the two sleeper berth periods
- ✓Time-stamped duty-status changes

Common pitfalls — avoid these

⚠Submitting screenshots instead of the official ELD-mandated data file export
⚠Not asking for the ELD-edit-suggestions log that the driver may have rejected

⚡ Draft a challenge for 395.8(a) →Read the DataQs guide first

More codes in Hours-of-Service Compliance

Same BASIC category — ranked by national citation volume

View all Hours-of-Service Compliance codes →

Other Other Log/Form & Manner codes

Codes under the same FMCSA violation group

❓

Frequently asked questions about 395.8(a)

What does violation 395.8(a) mean?

395.8(a) is the FMCSA roadside-inspection violation code for "HOS (Form) - Paper Log / Logging Programs Form and Manner", part of the Other Log/Form & Manner group, cited under 49 CFR §395.8(a).

What BASIC does 395.8(a) affect?

395.8(a) falls under the Hours-of-Service Compliance BASIC in the FMCSA Safety Measurement System (SMS).

What is the CSA severity weight of 395.8(a)?

395.8(a) carries a severity weight of 1 out of 10. Higher weights indicate violations more closely tied to crash risk, and they count more toward a carrier's Hours-of-Service Compliance score.

Is 395.8(a) an out-of-service (OOS) violation?

No. 395.8(a) is not an out-of-service violation, so on its own it does not trigger an out-of-service order at the roadside.

How many CSA points does 395.8(a) add to a carrier's score?

The point contribution of 395.8(a) depends on its severity weight (1/10) multiplied by a time weight of 3, 2, or 1 based on how recent the inspection is. You can calculate the exact contribution with the CSA points calculator.

Can 395.8(a) be challenged through DataQs?

Yes. If you believe 395.8(a) was recorded in error, you can file a Request for Data Review (RDR) through the FMCSA DataQs system with supporting evidence. A successful challenge can remove or correct the violation on your record.

Keep going

CSA points calculator How to challenge a violation Draft a DataQs letter for 395.8(a)Hours-of-Service Compliance BASIC Carrier CSA lookup CSA glossary

395.8(a)

National roadside inspection stats

Challenging 395.8(a) through FMCSA DataQs

ELD malfunction or edit-history defect

Time was Personal Conveyance, not driving

Adverse driving conditions exception

Sleeper-berth split timing