§FMCSR.com
Historical textIn force on Sept. 30, 1998Source: annual CFR editions 1996–2016

§ 390.7 Rules of construction.

Wording first on file in the 1996 annual edition, superseded April 16, 2018.

govinfo, 1996 edition ↗
Before Jan. 1, 2017 the record is one snapshot per annual CFR edition, revised as of October 1. This is the 1996 edition's wording. An amendment that took effect between Oct. 1, 1997 and Sept. 30, 1998 would not appear until the next edition, so check the citations below and the Federal Register for exact effective dates. govinfo does not publish the 1997 edition of Parts 300–399 in machine-readable form, so the 1996 text is shown for that year.
49 CFR § 390.7 — Rules of construction.. Text in force on September 30, 1998. This wording effective October 1, 1996 to April 16, 2018. Source: govinfo, 1996 edition, https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/CFR-1996-title49-vol4/CFR-1996-title49-vol4-sec390-7. Retrieved from FMCSR.com, https://fmcsr.com/reg/390.7?asof=1998-09-30, on October 26, 2026. Unofficial compilation; verify against the official source.

(a) In part 325 of subchapter A and in this subchapter, unless the context requires otherwise:

(1) Words imparting the singular include the plural;

(2) Words imparting the plural include the singular;

(3) Words imparting the present tense include the future tense.

(b) In this subchapter the word -

(1) Officer includes any person authorized by law to perform the duties of the office;

(2) Writing includes printing and typewriting;

(3) Shall is used in an imperative sense;

(4) Must is used in an imperative sense;

(5) Should is used in a recommendatory sense;

(6) May is used in a permissive sense; and

(7) Includes is used as a word of inclusion, not limitation.

[53 FR 18052, May 19, 1988, as amended at 60 FR 38744, July 28, 1995]

Amendment history

3 distinct wordings on file since Oct. 1, 1996
  1. June 15, 2018 → presenteCFR, day-precisediff vs. previous
    [53 FR 18052, May 19, 1988, as amended at 60 FR 38744, July 28, 1995; 83 FR 16226, Apr. 16, 2018]
  2. April 16, 2018 → June 15, 2018eCFR, day-precisediff vs. previous
    [53 FR 18052, May 19, 1988, as amended at 60 FR 38744, July 28, 1995]
  3. Oct. 1, 1996 → April 16, 2018annual editions 1996–2016viewing
    [53 FR 18052, May 19, 1988, as amended at 60 FR 38744, July 28, 1995]

A new entry appears whenever the regulatory words change between government snapshots. Day-precise from the eCFR (2017 onward); before that, one snapshot per annual CFR edition (revised as of October 1). Bracketed citations are the Federal Register history printed with the section.