A semi truck on an open highway at dusk, chrome grille catching the last amber light, sleeper cab behind the cab

Split Sleeper Berth Planner

See your 11 and 14-hour clocks move, and check a 7/3 or 8/2 split before you drive.

Split Sleeper Berth Planner

Build a shift below and watch your 11-hour driving clock and 14-hour window move on the timeline. Split-sleeper pairs (7/3, 8/2) are checked against 49 CFR 395; a valid split re-anchors your clocks, and you will see the drop.

Quick start:

    Your shift on the clock

    Driving left (of 11h)
    11 h
    Window left (of 14h)
    14 h
    Until 30-min break (of 8h)
    8 h

      How the split sleeper berth rule works

      The split sleeper berth provision is the single most misunderstood part of the federal hours-of-service rules, and it is also the most useful once it clicks. In plain terms, it lets you break the 10 consecutive hours off duty you normally need into two separate rest periods, so you can rest when it makes sense for your load, your parking, and your body clock instead of all at once. The catch is that the two periods have to fit a specific shape, and if they do not, you do not get the benefit. This planner exists to show you that shape and to draw the clocks so you can see, before you turn a wheel, whether your plan actually works.

      The two clocks you are always running

      Every driving shift runs two clocks at once. The 11-hour clock (49 CFR 395.3(a)(3)(i)) is your total driving time. The 14-hour clock (49 CFR 395.3(a)(2)) is your window: once 14 consecutive hours have passed since you came on duty, you cannot drive again until you reset, no matter how much of the 11 you have left. Ordinary breaks, meals, and off-duty time do not stop the 14-hour clock. That is the whole reason the split matters: a qualifying split is one of the only ways to stop pieces of that window from counting.

      What makes a split valid

      Under 49 CFR 395.1(g), a valid split for a property-carrying driver is made of two rest periods. One must be at least 7 consecutive hours in the sleeper berth. The other must be at least 2 consecutive hours, spent either off duty or in the sleeper berth. Together the two periods must add up to at least 10 hours. That is why 7/3 and 8/2 are the pairings you hear about most: 7 plus 3 is 10, and 8 plus 2 is 10, and in each case one of the periods is a 7-hour or longer sleeper stint. A 6/4 split fails, because neither period reaches 7 sleeper-berth hours. A 9/1 split fails too, because the 1-hour period is under the 2-hour floor.

      Why a valid split gives you time back

      Here is the part that feels like magic until you see it drawn. When you complete a valid pair, 49 CFR 395.1(g)(1)(iii) says two things happen. First, your 11-hour and 14-hour limits are re-calculated from the end of the first of the two rest periods, not from the start of your shift. Second, the qualifying rest periods themselves do not count against the 14-hour window. The practical effect is that the driving you did before that first rest period drops off your window, and you can often keep driving when a single short break would have left you stuck. On the timeline above, this is the moment the amber window line drops: that drop is your hours coming back.

      The 30-minute break still applies

      A split does not excuse you from the 30-minute break rule. Under 49 CFR 395.3(a)(3)(ii), you cannot drive if more than 8 hours of driving time have passed without at least one consecutive 30-minute interruption. The good news is that the interruption can be off-duty, sleeper-berth, or on-duty-not-driving time, and any qualifying rest period in your split easily covers it. The planner tracks your driving since your last break and warns you before you hit the 8-hour mark.

      Use this as a plan, not a logbook

      One more time, because it matters: this is a planning aid, not a compliance record. It does not know your real duty status, whether you qualify for a short-haul exception, or how your carrier configures your logs. Your Electronic Logging Device is the authoritative account of your hours, and it is what roadside enforcement will read. Sketch your shift here, understand the shape of your split, and then confirm every number against your ELD before you drive.

      Worked split examples

      Frequently asked questions

      What is the split sleeper berth rule?
      Under 49 CFR 395.1(g), a property-carrying driver can split the required 10 hours off duty into two periods instead of taking them all at once. One period must be at least 7 consecutive hours in the sleeper berth, and the other at least 2 consecutive hours (off duty or sleeper berth). The two periods must total at least 10 hours. Common valid pairings are 7/3 and 8/2.
      Why do neither of the split periods count against my 14-hour window?
      That is the benefit of a valid split. 49 CFR 395.1(g)(1)(iii) says the qualifying rest periods do not count against the 14-hour driving window, and your 11-hour and 14-hour limits are re-calculated from the end of the first of the two periods. In practice a valid split gives you driving time back that a single short break would not. This planner shows exactly that re-calculation on the timeline.
      Is 6/4 a legal split?
      No. A 6/4 split fails because neither period is at least 7 consecutive hours in the sleeper berth, which the rule requires. Valid combinations always include one period of 7 or more consecutive sleeper-berth hours: 7/3, 8/2, 7.5/2.5, and so on, totaling at least 10 hours. The planner flags 6/4 and similar combinations as invalid.
      Does this tool keep me legal?
      No. This is an advisory planning aid, not a compliance record. Your Electronic Logging Device and your carrier's records are the authoritative account of your hours. Use this planner to think through a shift before you drive, then confirm everything against your ELD. It does not know your real logbook, your short-haul status, or any exceptions that may apply to you.
      When do I need a 30-minute break?
      Under 49 CFR 395.3(a)(3)(ii), driving is not permitted once more than 8 hours of driving time have passed without at least a consecutive 30-minute interruption. That interruption can be off-duty, sleeper-berth, or on-duty-not-driving time. The planner tracks driving since your last qualifying break and warns you before you cross the 8-hour mark.
      Can I start the plan partway through a shift?
      The planner assumes you begin the sequence immediately after a full qualifying reset (10 consecutive hours off duty or in the sleeper berth), then it tracks everything you add. If you are already partway through a shift, add the hours you have already used as your first segments so the clocks reflect your real starting point, and always cross-check the result against your ELD.