Enter any two rest periods. The calculator checks each possible pairing and shows the numbers behind it.
Pairing check
Assumptions used
Important — read before relying on this result
This calculator is an unofficial planning aid and is not a substitute for your ELD, your carrier policies, or current FMCSA requirements. Verify your schedule and the applicable rules before relying on the result.
How this calculator works
Enter any two rest periods and their types. The calculator tests each period in both roles — the long sleeper berth period and the shorter paired period — and shows you which combination works, which does not, and by how much.
It is the quick version of the Sleeper Berth Calculator. Use this one when you want to check a specific pairing; use that one when you want the full day drawn out with the recalculated driving window.
What qualifies
One period of 7+ consecutive hours in the sleeper berth, another of 2+ consecutive hours off duty or in the berth, totalling 10+ hours.
What does not
Any pairing where neither period reaches 7 consecutive berth hours, or where the total falls short of 10 — regardless of how close it gets.
Order is irrelevant
The berth period can be first or second. Only the lengths and the types decide whether the pair works.
Common pairings, checked
| Pairing | Total | Qualifies? | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8h berth + 2h off duty | 10h | Yes | Berth period clears 7h, short period clears 2h, total reaches 10h |
| 7h berth + 3h off duty | 10h | Yes | The minimum viable long period, paired comfortably |
| 9h berth + 2h off duty | 11h | Yes | Exceeds every minimum |
| 6h berth + 4h off duty | 10h | No | Neither period reaches 7 consecutive berth hours |
| 7h berth + 2h off duty | 9h | No | Both minimums met, but the pair falls an hour short of 10 |
| 7h off duty + 3h berth | 10h | No | The 7h period is off duty, not in the berth |
| 10h berth alone | 10h | N/A | Not a split — this is a standard unbroken 10-hour reset |
The last three rows are where drivers most often go wrong. Two of them total exactly 10 hours and still fail, because the total is only one of three conditions.
The three conditions
1. one period ≥ 7 consecutive hours IN THE SLEEPER BERTH 2. one period ≥ 2 consecutive hours off duty or in the berth 3. the two periods together ≥ 10 hours all three must hold — meeting two is not a partial pass
What a qualifying split buys you
When the pair qualifies, neither period counts against the 14-hour driving window, and the window is recalculated from the end of the first qualifying period. That is the whole benefit, and it is a substantial one — it is what lets a delayed day still be finished legally.
When the pair does not qualify, both periods sit inside the 14-hour window like any other break. The rest still counts as rest, but it does not buy back any driving time.
The one-line version
Seven consecutive hours in the berth, plus at least two consecutive hours anywhere off duty, adding up to at least ten. Get all three and the window restarts. Miss any one and it does not.
Things this calculator does not model
- Time riding in the passenger seat, which FMCSA treats under separate conditions.
- Interruptions inside a rest period — each period is treated here as one unbroken block.
- Your driving hours or your weekly cycle. Use the Hours of Service Calculator for those.
- FMCSA pilot programme splits, which apply only to enrolled drivers.
- Passenger-carrying rules, which use a different sleeper berth provision entirely.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 8/2 split still allowed?
Yes. Any pairing works provided one period is at least 7 consecutive hours in the sleeper berth, the other is at least 2 consecutive hours off duty or in the berth, and together they reach at least 10 hours. So 8/2, 7/3 and 9/2 all fit.
Can I do a 6/4 split?
Not under the general rule, because neither period reaches 7 consecutive hours in the sleeper berth. FMCSA operates a Flexible Sleeper Berth pilot programme that adds 6/4 and 5/5 options, but it applies only to enrolled drivers.
Does the shorter period have to be in the sleeper berth?
No. It can be off duty, in the sleeper berth, or a combination of both. Only the longer period is restricted to the berth.
Do the two periods have to be on the same calendar day?
No. They have to be the two periods you are pairing, which can straddle midnight. This calculator checks the pair you enter rather than reading your full log.
What if my two periods total more than 10 hours?
That is fine. Ten hours is a minimum, not a target. A 9-hour berth period plus a 3-hour break totals 12 and qualifies comfortably.
Why does 7 plus 2 fail when both minimums are met?
Because the pair totals 9 hours, an hour short of the 10-hour requirement. All three conditions have to be satisfied at once.
Can I pair a berth period with time in the passenger seat?
FMCSA treats passenger-seat time under separate conditions that this calculator does not model. Check the current rules before relying on it.
Does a qualifying split reset my 11-hour driving limit?
No. Only a full 10 consecutive hours off duty resets the driving limit. A split changes how the 14-hour window is counted, which is a different thing.
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