What It Means
An unidentified driving records diagnostic event means the ELD has accumulated driving time or motion events under the 'unidentified driver' profile — a placeholder used when the vehicle is moving but no driver is logged in. When this accumulated time exceeds the threshold defined in the ELD technical specification, the device flags it as a data diagnostic event to prompt review and assignment.
Unidentified driving time typically occurs when a driver moves the vehicle without logging in, when the wrong driver account is active, when a yard move or personal conveyance status is not properly selected, or when the device is being used by a driver who has not yet registered on the ELD system.
What To Record
Note the time and duration of the unidentified driving events. The ELD should display the specific events that were logged without driver identification. Identify who was driving during those periods and ensure a record is available to assign them correctly.
What Drivers Should Do
Review the unidentified driving records on the device and claim any driving time that belongs to you. Most ELD systems allow a logged-in driver to review and accept or reject unidentified events within the required timeframe. Once assigned, the records become part of the driver's HOS log.
If the unidentified events were from another driver, that driver should log in and claim their events. If they cannot be assigned to any driver (for example, a yard move by an unauthorized person), document the circumstances and follow your carrier's procedure for unassigned driving time.
What Not To Do
Do not ignore unidentified driving records. Under 49 CFR 395.32, unidentified driving time must be reviewed and, if it belongs to a driver, assigned to that driver within a specified time. Unassigned driving time remaining in the unidentified profile after the review deadline can create compliance issues. Do not assign unidentified time to the wrong driver to close out the event.
Related Pages
Related Fault Code Pages
Sources
- ELD Malfunctions and Data Diagnostic Events Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration · government · accessed 2026-05-05 · confidence high
Source: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, ELD Malfunctions and Data Diagnostic Events. This page paraphrases factual fields only and is not a substitute for the original document.
Open source - 49 CFR 395.34 - ELD malfunctions and data diagnostic events Electronic Code of Federal Regulations · government · accessed 2026-05-05 · confidence high
Source: Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, 49 CFR 395.34 - ELD malfunctions and data diagnostic events. This page paraphrases factual fields only and is not a substitute for the original document.
Open source - 49 CFR Part 395 Appendix A to Subpart B - Functional Specifications for ELDs Electronic Code of Federal Regulations · government · accessed 2026-05-05 · confidence high
Source: Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, 49 CFR Part 395 Appendix A to Subpart B - Functional Specifications for ELDs. This page paraphrases factual fields only and is not a substitute for the original document.
Open source
FAQ
How long does a driver have to review and claim unidentified driving records?
Under 49 CFR 395.32, drivers must review unidentified driving records that may belong to them. The specific timeframe for review and the procedure for claiming records are defined in the regulation and may vary by device implementation. Consult the current regulatory text in 49 CFR 395.32 and your ELD provider's documentation for device-specific review deadlines.
Can unidentified driving records cause an HOS violation?
Unidentified driving records that belong to a driver — if unassigned and therefore missing from that driver's HOS log — could leave the driver's records incomplete. If the unidentified driving caused the driver to exceed HOS limits and it is eventually attributed to the driver, it would appear as a violation on the HOS record for that period. Timely review and assignment prevents this uncertainty.
What is the most common cause of unidentified driving records in fleet operations?
In fleet settings, unidentified driving most often occurs when a driver moves a truck without logging in — pre-trip inspection movements, shop movements, or fueling trips. It also occurs when a driver's login session expired or the device logged out due to inactivity and the driver began moving without noticing. Some carriers address this by configuring the ELD to prompt for login when vehicle motion is detected without an active driver session.