Canadian rules for US drivers
A US driver who crosses into Canada is on Canadian hours of service rules from the moment of crossing, with every hour worked in the States counted. Canada allows 13 hours of driving in a shift and 13 in a day, 14 on duty, and no driving after 16 hours from the start of the shift.
What changes at the line, going north
| Rule | US rules | Canadian rules |
|---|---|---|
| Driving | 11 hours after 10 hours off in a row49 CFR 395.3(a)(3)(i), 49 CFR 395.3(a)(1) | 13 hours in a work shift and 13 in a daySOR/2005-313 s. 13(1), SOR/2005-313 s. 12(1) |
| Work on duty | No cap on work hours. Driving stops when the 14 hours end.49 CFR 395.3(a)(2) | 14 hours in a work shift and 14 in a daySOR/2005-313 s. 13(2), SOR/2005-313 s. 12(2) |
| Time from the start of the shift | No driving after 14 hours from coming on duty49 CFR 395.3(a)(2) | No driving after 16 hours from the end of the last restSOR/2005-313 s. 13(3) |
| Rest that starts a new shift | 10 hours off in a row49 CFR 395.3(a)(1) | 8 hours off in a rowSOR/2005-313 s. 13(1), (2) |
| Time off each day | No daily rule. The limits count from coming on duty.49 CFR 395.3(a)(2) | 10 hours, with at least 2 outside the 8 hours in a rowSOR/2005-313 s. 14(1), SOR/2005-313 s. 14(3) |
| Cycle | 60 hours in 7 days, or 70 in 8 if the carrier runs every day49 CFR 395.3(b)(1), 49 CFR 395.3(b)(2) | Cycle 1: 70 hours in 7 days. Cycle 2: 120 in 14, and no more than 70 without 24 hours off.SOR/2005-313 s. 26, SOR/2005-313 s. 27(a), SOR/2005-313 s. 27(b) |
| Cycle starts over after | 34 hours off in a row49 CFR 395.3(c) | 36 hours off in a row on Cycle 1, 72 on Cycle 2SOR/2005-313 s. 28(1)(a), SOR/2005-313 s. 28(1)(b) |
| A day off | No rule | 24 hours off in a row in the last 14 days, or no drivingSOR/2005-313 s. 25 |
On a cross-border run this means
Going north, the trap is the day. A driver can take a full rest in the States, start a fresh shift, and still be close to Canada's 13 hours for the day because of driving done earlier the same day.
A northbound run after a full rest, for a driver who already drove earlier the same day.
- Direction
- US to Canada
- Hours read at
- 15:00 EDT on Mon Oct 5
- Came on duty at
- 15:00, after 10 h off
- This shift so far
- 0 m driving, 0 m on duty, 0 m driving since the last break
- Earlier today
- 5 h driving and 5 h on duty, before the rest that started this shift
- Canadian cycle
- Cycle 1 (70 hours in 7 days)
- US cycle
- 70 hours in 8 days
- On-duty hours
- 40 h in the last 7 days, 40 h in the last 8 days
- 24 hours off in a row in the last 14 days
- Yes
- The run
- Leaves at 15:00, drives 30 m to the border, then 8 h 30 m after it
This is the answer the free check gives for these hours.
Not legal as planned. The run breaks the Canadian 13-hour driving limit.
Why
Binding limit: Canadian 13-hour driving limit (SOR/2005-313 s. 12(1)). This is the daily limit. The carrier's day starts at 00:00. Hours worked on both sides of the border count toward it.
What makes this a GO
1 h off duty from 15:00, then depart at 16:00 EDT on Mon Oct 5 or later. The rest of the run stays the same.
At the border, under Canadian rules
| Driving left | 7 h 30 m |
|---|---|
| On-duty time left | 8 h 30 m |
| 16-hour window left | 15 h 30 m |
| Cycle 1 left | 29 h 30 m |
Where the hours came from
Hours entered by hand.
BorderHOS is a planning aid. It does not replace your ELD, the driver's judgment, or the regulations. Results depend on the hours used.
How this was worked out
- Hours read at 15:00 on Mon Oct 5: 0 m driving and 0 m on duty this shift. Hours count under both countries' rules; only the rules change at the border.
- Earlier today, before the rest that started this shift: 5 h driving and 5 h on duty. Canada counts them toward the day's 13 hours of driving and 14 hours on duty.
- Departs 15:00, drives 30 m in the US, crosses at 15:30, then 8 h 30 m in Canada.
- At the border under Canadian rules: 7 h 30 m of driving left, 8 h 30 m of on-duty time left, 15 h 30 m of the 16-hour window left, 29 h 30 m of Cycle 1 left.
- First limit broken: the Canadian 13-hour driving limit at 23:00, in Canada.
- Earliest legal departure, resting off duty from 15:00: 16:00 on Mon Oct 5.
What this check does not cover
- Sleeper-berth splits are not modeled.
- Canadian deferral of daily off-duty time is not modeled.
- Adverse driving conditions are not modeled.
- Team drivers, north of 60, oil-well permits and short-haul exemptions are not modeled.
- Border wait is not added. Time waiting in line counts as on duty.
- The date of the driver's last 24 hours off was not given. It is assumed to fall within the last 14 days for the whole run.
- Canada requires records of duty status for the current day and the preceding 14 days on board. Confirm before crossing.
Engine 1.0.1. Rule values 1.1.0, verified by CVORReady Inc.
Check it
Open the example in the free check with the hours filled in, then change them to match your driver.
Pick the time the driver went off duty and see when the US 34-hour restart and the Canadian 36 and 72-hour resets end.
Questions
Does a 34-hour restart count in Canada?
Not as a Canadian reset. Cycle 1 starts over after 36 hours off in a row and Cycle 2 after 72. A driver who needs a reset in Canada needs the full Canadian one.
Do US drivers need 24 hours off in 14 days to drive in Canada?
Yes. No driving in Canada unless the driver has taken at least 24 hours off in a row in the last 14 days, however many cycle hours are left.
Can a US driver drive 13 hours in Canada?
Up to 13 in a shift and 13 in a day, counting the hours driven in the States. A driver who drove 11 in the US that day has only what is left of the 13.
When the check says NO-GO
- I thought my driver could drive 13 in Canada. Why the NO-GO?
Canadian 13-hour driving limit
- My driver has driving hours left. Why can't they drive in Canada?
Canadian 14-hour on-duty limit
- How late can my driver drive after crossing into Canada?
Canadian 16-hour limit
- I took my 10, so why am I still over for the day in Canada?
Canadian 10 hours off in a day
- My driver took a 34. Why are they out of cycle hours in Canada?
Canadian Cycle 1, 70 hours in 7 days
- My driver hasn't had a day off in two weeks. Can they drive in Canada?
Canadian 24 hours off in 14 days
- Does my driver need a 36 to go into Canada?
Canadian 36-hour reset
- My ELD switched at the border and flagged my driver. Why?
Legal on one side, over on the other
More rules
- Canadian vs US hours of service, every difference
Every difference between Canadian federal and US FMCSA hours of service, side by side, cited to the regulation. Verified and dated.
- Cycle 1 vs Cycle 2
70 hours in 7 days or 120 in 14. What each Canadian cycle allows, the second Cycle 2 limit, and the 36 and 72-hour resets.
- 13 hours vs 11 hours
Canada allows 13 hours of driving a day, the US 11 after 10 off, and the hours carry across. What is left at the border, with a worked run.
Sources
- Commercial Vehicle Drivers Hours of Service Regulations, SOR/2005-313 (Justice Canada)
- 49 CFR 395.3, Maximum driving time for property-carrying vehicles (eCFR)
- FMCSA, Hours of service requirements for cross-border drivers
Values verified by CVORReady Inc. Last verified 25 Oct 2026. Sources: SOR/2005-313 s. 12(1), SOR/2005-313 s. 14(1), 49 CFR 395.3(c), SOR/2005-313 s. 13(1), SOR/2005-313 s. 12(2), SOR/2005-313 s. 13(3), SOR/2005-313 s. 28(1)(a), SOR/2005-313 s. 28(1)(b), SOR/2005-313 s. 25, 49 CFR 395.3(a)(3)(i), 49 CFR 395.3(a)(1), 49 CFR 395.3(a)(2), SOR/2005-313 s. 13(2), SOR/2005-313 s. 13(1), (2), SOR/2005-313 s. 14(3), 49 CFR 395.3(b)(1), 49 CFR 395.3(b)(2), SOR/2005-313 s. 26, SOR/2005-313 s. 27(a), SOR/2005-313 s. 27(b).