ELD Requirements for Trucking Companies

ELD requirements for trucking companies come from two rules. In the US, the FMCSA requires an electronic logging device for most drivers who must keep records of duty status. In Canada, federally regulated carriers must use an ELD certified by a third-party certification body. Both rules include exemptions for short-haul drivers and pre-2000 vehicles.

An electronic logging device (ELD) connects to the truck's engine and records driving time automatically, so hours of service (HOS) logs come from the vehicle instead of a paper logbook. If your trucks cross the border, you answer to both rules at once. Here is what each one requires as of July 2026, with every claim linked to the official source.

US ELD Requirements (FMCSA)

The FMCSA ELD rule ties the device to the logbook: if a driver has to prepare records of duty status (RODS) under the federal hours of service regulations, that driver generally has to record them on an ELD. The device must appear on the FMCSA registered ELD list. US devices are self-certified by the manufacturer; the FMCSA does not test or endorse them.

The FMCSA lists specific exceptions to the ELD requirement:

• Short-Haul Drivers: Drivers who qualify for the short-haul exception in 49 CFR 395.1(e), working within a 150 air-mile radius on time records instead of RODS.
• 8 Days in 30: Drivers who keep RODS no more than 8 days in any 30-day period.
• Driveaway-Towaway: Operations where the vehicle being driven is the commodity being delivered.
• Pre-2000 Vehicles: Trucks with engines older than model year 2000, including glider kits and engine swaps. Carriers claiming this exemption keep documentation of the engine model year on file.

Canada ELD Requirements

Canada's ELD mandate took effect June 12, 2021, and enforcement with penalties began January 1, 2023. It applies to federally regulated carriers, meaning fleets that cross provincial or international borders, whenever their drivers must keep a record of duty status. US carriers running into Canada fall under it too. Most provinces have also extended ELD requirements to provincially regulated carriers on their own timelines, so a fleet that never leaves Ontario, Quebec, or BC is not off the hook. Check your provincial regulator.

The big difference from the US rule: Canada does not accept self-certification. A device must be tested and certified by a certification body accredited by Transport Canada and appear on the certified ELD list. A device on the FMCSA list is not automatically legal in Canada, so cross-border fleets need a device that appears on both lists.

Canada's stated exemptions:

• Short-Haul Drivers: Drivers working within 160 km of their home terminal who return there each day.
• Pre-2000 Vehicles: Vehicles manufactured before model year 2000. Unlike the US rule, a newer truck with a pre-2000 engine is not exempt.
• Short-Term Rentals: Trucks on a rental agreement of 30 days or less that is not extended.
• Permits and Statutory Exemptions: Carriers operating under a federal permit issued by a provincial director, or under an exemption granted under the Motor Vehicle Transport Act.

What ELD Data Is Worth Beyond Compliance

The ELD satisfies the regulation. The data it produces is worth more than that. When your ELD or telematics platform connects to your TMS, hours and location data sit beside dispatch, so you can see who has hours left before assigning the next load. TransPlus integrates with telematics and ELD providers including Samsara, ISAAC, and Motive. And for fleets running both sides of the border, TransPlus TMS for Canadian trucking companies covers the operational side of cross-border work: CAD and USD invoicing, IFTA reporting, and customs paperwork.

READ MORE: Canada's ELD Mandate: What You Need to Know and How to Prepare

Rules change, and this post reflects the requirements as of July 2026. For current details, go straight to the FMCSA and Transport Canada pages linked above. And if your ELD data still lives on its own island, contact TransPlus or get a demo to see how TransPlus connects with your ELD provider.