Historical textIn force on Sept. 30, 2004Source: annual CFR editions 2003–2005

§ 393.106 What are the general requirements for securing articles of cargo?

Wording in the annual edition revised as of Oct. 1, 2003, superseded by the 2006 annual edition.

govinfo, 2003 edition ↗

Compare with

Before Jan. 1, 2017 the record is one snapshot per annual CFR edition, revised as of October 1. This is the 2003 edition's wording. An amendment that took effect between Oct. 1, 2003 and Sept. 30, 2004 would not appear until the next edition, so check the citations below and the Federal Register for exact effective dates.

49 CFR § 393.106 — What are the general requirements for securing articles of cargo?. Text in force on September 30, 2004. This wording effective October 1, 2003 to October 1, 2006. Source: govinfo, 2003 edition, https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/CFR-2003-title49-vol4/CFR-2003-title49-vol4-sec393-106. Retrieved from FMCSR.com, https://fmcsr.com/reg/393.106?asof=2004-09-30, on October 26, 2026. Unofficial compilation; verify against the official source.

(a) Applicability. The rules in this section are applicable to the transportation of all types of articles of cargo, except commodities in bulk that lack structure or fixed shape (e.g., liquids, gases, grain, liquid concrete, sand, gravel, aggregates) and are transported in a tank, hopper, box or similar device that forms part of the structure of a commercial motor vehicle. The rules in this section apply to the cargo types covered by the commodity-specific rules of § 393.116 through § 393.136. The commodity-specific rules take precedence over the general requirements of this section when additional requirements are given for a commodity listed in those sections.

(b) General. Cargo must be firmly immobilized or secured on or within a vehicle by structures of adequate strength, dunnage or dunnage bags, shoring bars, tiedowns or a combination of these.

(c) Cargo placement and restraint. (1) Articles of cargo that are likely to roll must be restrained by chocks, wedges, a cradle or other equivalent means to prevent rolling. The means of preventing rolling must not be capable of becoming unintentionally unfastened or loose while the vehicle is in transit.

(2) Articles or cargo placed beside each other and secured by transverse tiedowns must either:

(i) Be placed in direct contact with each other, or

(ii) Be prevented from shifting towards each other while in transit.

(d) Minimum strength of cargo securement devices and systems. The aggregate working load limit of any securement system used to secure an article or group of articles against movement must be at least one-half times the weight of the article or group of articles. The aggregate working load limit is the sum of:

(1) One-half of the working load limit of each associated connector or attachment mechanism used to secure a part of the article of cargo to the vehicle; and

(2) One-half of the working load limit for each end section of a tiedown that is attached to an anchor point.

[67 FR 61225, Sept. 27, 2002, as amended at 68 FR 56208, Sept. 30, 2003]

Amendment history

4 distinct wordings on file since Oct. 1, 1996

Nov. 18, 2024 → presenteCFR, day-precisediff vs. previous
[67 FR 61225, Sept. 27, 2002, as amended at 68 FR 56208, Sept. 30, 2003; 71 FR 35833, June 22, 2006]
Oct. 1, 2006 → Nov. 18, 2024annual editions 2006–2016diff vs. previous
[67 FR 61225, Sept. 27, 2002, as amended at 68 FR 56208, Sept. 30, 2003; 71 FR 35833, June 22, 2006]
Oct. 1, 2003 → Oct. 1, 2006annual editions 2003–2005diff vs. previousviewing
[67 FR 61225, Sept. 27, 2002, as amended at 68 FR 56208, Sept. 30, 2003]
Oct. 1, 1996 → Oct. 1, 2003annual editions 1996–2002

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.