Everything to Know About Canadian Hours of Service Rules

Everything to Know About Canadian Hours of Service Rules

December 11, 2025
Lightspeed

Canadian Hours of Service (HOS) rules ensure drivers remain alert, safe, and compliant on the road. For carriers and owner-operators in Canada, following these regulations is essential to avoid penalties, maintain safety ratings, and improve operational efficiency.

Understanding the Canadian Hours of Service Rule

Hours of Service rules are designed to prevent fatigue-related accidents by limiting how long truck drivers can operate without rest. These regulations apply to most commercial vehicles weighing more than 4,500 kg and to all federally regulated motor carriers. They control the maximum daily driving time, on-duty limits, off-duty requirements, sleeper berth usage, cycle management, and log-keeping methods.

AVAAL’s hours of service and Logbook training program is specifically designed to help drivers, dispatchers, and fleet managers understand and apply these regulations with confidence. Through clear explanations, practical examples, and regulatory guidance, the course connects legal requirements to real-world driving scenarios. By completing this training, participants will gain the knowledge needed to maintain accurate logbooks, manage driving schedules effectively, and remain compliant with Canadian transportation regulations

Daily Driving Limits for Canadian Truck Drivers

Canadian HOS rules introduce strict daily driving limits to reduce the risk of fatigue on the road. The maximum time a driver may operate a commercial motor vehicle in one day is 13 hours. Once this limit is reached, the driver must stop driving until the required off-duty period is completed. This allows drivers to remain alert and helps prevent fatigue-related accidents.

The rules also include a fourteen-hour maximum on-duty limit. This limits the total amount of work that can be performed in a day, including pre-trip inspections, loading and unloading, fueling, paperwork, and driving. Even if a driver has not reached the 13-hour driving limit, they cannot continue working once they reach 14 hours of total on-duty time.

In addition to these limits, drivers may not continue driving beyond 16 hours since the start of their day. This rule prevents drivers from stretching their workday beyond reasonable limits, even when they take breaks.

Daily Off-Duty Requirements for Drivers Across Canada

Rest is a critical part of road safety, and Canadian HOS rules require every driver to take at least ten hours off-duty within each twenty-four-hour window. Of these ten hours, at least eight must be taken consecutively. This ensures drivers get a full period of uninterrupted rest, promoting alertness and overall road safety.

The remaining two hours can be taken in shorter blocks throughout the day. Drivers often use these shorter breaks for meals, fueling stops, or brief rest periods before continuing their route. While these flexible hours are helpful, they must still be logged accurately, something that AVAAL-supported ELDs do automatically.

Canada also allows drivers to defer up to two hours of their daily off-duty time to the following day under specific conditions. This is known as the off-duty deferral option. While helpful for reaching safer parking locations or completing time-sensitive deliveries, it must be used correctly and recorded accurately.

Understanding Canadian HOS Cycles

Canadian drivers operate under one of two cycles, each with a different maximum weekly on-duty limit. Under Cycle 1, drivers can work up to 70 hours over 7 consecutive days. Once they reach this limit, they must take a thirty-six-hour reset before starting a new cycle. This cycle is most common among regional carriers or drivers who frequently return home.

Cycle 2 allows greater flexibility, permitting up to 120 on-duty hours within 14 consecutive days. Drivers using Cycle 2 must take a seventy-two-hour reset once they reach the maximum limit. This cycle is ideal for long-haul drivers, especially those who travel across provinces or into the United States.

Regardless of the cycle, all drivers must take at least twenty-four consecutive hours off-duty every fourteen days. AVAAL TMS is built to monitor cycle hours automatically, notify dispatchers of upcoming limits, and prevent illegal dispatch assignments.

Electronic Logging Device (ELD) Requirements in Canada

Canada fully enforces the ELD mandate, requiring federally regulated carriers to use Transport Canada–certified ELDs. These devices automatically track driving and on-duty time, eliminate manual logbook errors, and prevent tampering. ELDs strengthen road safety by ensuring drivers cannot falsify logs or exceed their driving limits.

Unlike the United States, Canada requires that ELDs be tested and certified by an accredited third-party organization. Carriers cannot self-certify devices. This ensures that only high-quality, fully compliant devices are used across the industry.

Many Canadian fleets choose AVAAL’s ELD solutions and Safety & Compliance services because they integrate seamlessly with AVAAL transport management software. This integration allows dispatchers to view real-time driver availability, hours remaining, violations, and route history, making compliance easier than ever.

Common Exemptions to Canadian HOS Regulations

Although most drivers must follow HOS rules, Canada provides several exemptions for specific circumstances. One of the most common is the short-haul exemption, which applies to drivers operating within a 160-kilometre radius of their home terminal and who return at the end of each shift. These drivers may not need to maintain detailed logs, but carriers must still keep accurate time records.

Other exemptions apply to emergency response drivers, agricultural workers during harvest seasons, and certain oilfield operations. Each exemption has strict qualifications, and misunderstanding them can lead to violations. AVAAL Safety & Compliance services help fleets understand whether an exemption applies and maintain proper documentation.

How Canadian HOS Rules Differ From U.S. Regulations

Drivers who operate cross-border must switch between Canadian and American HOS rules depending on their location. While Canada allows thirteen hours of driving per day, the United States permits only eleven. Canada also offers greater flexibility with sleeper berth splits, while the U.S. limits drivers to specific combinations, such as the eight-and-two or seven-and-three splits.

Cycle limits also differ. Canadian Cycle 1 and Cycle 2 provide higher maximum on-duty hours than the U.S. 70-hour, 8-day rule. Understanding these differences is crucial for cross-border operations, and AVAAL TMS automatically adjusts HOS calculations based on the country where the driver is operating.

Common HOS Violations and How to Avoid Them

Some of the most frequent HOS violations include exceeding driving limits, failing to take the required off-duty time, incorrect ELD records, and falsified logs. These violations can result in fines, out-of-service orders, and damage to a carrier’s safety rating.

Carriers can prevent these violations by planning routes properly, training drivers effectively, maintaining reliable ELD systems, and using AVAAL TMS to track driver hours in real time. These tools ensure that dispatchers do not assign loads to drivers who do not have sufficient hours available.

Why HOS Compliance Matters for Carriers and Drivers

Hours-of-Service compliance is essential not only for staying legal but also for improving overall operational safety. By following these rules, carriers reduce accidents, avoid penalties, and maintain a positive safety rating. For drivers, proper rest leads to better health, reduced stress, and improved job satisfaction.

Using AVAAL’s TMS and Safety & Compliance solutions ensures that carriers remain compliant at all times. These tools automate critical tasks, reduce administrative workload, and help companies operate more efficiently.

Final Thoughts

Canadian Hours of Service rules are designed to protect drivers, carriers, and the public. With the full enforcement of ELD requirements and increasing regulatory oversight, compliance has become more important than ever.

AVAALTechnology Solutions is a recognized leader in delivering efficient, cost-effective solutions to the transportation industry. From comprehensive education and training programs that strengthen regulatory knowledge, to professional consulting services that support business startup and growth. Combined with innovative, cutting-edge technology, AVAAL equips transportation companies with the tools needed to remain compliant, competitive, and positioned at the forefront of the industry.