Livestock 28-hour law timer
Enter when the last animal went on the trailer and how long the trip will take. You get the time animals must be unloaded for feed, water and rest.
By Gustavo · Updated October 2026
UNLOAD FOR FEED, WATER, REST BY
- Loaded
- ...
- Limit
- 28 h
- Arrive (plan)
- ...
- Rest stop
- 5 h min, unloaded
This trip fits the clock. We plan reloads around timing like this, and you approve every load.
How the timer works
- Start = the time the last animal was loaded. The clock counts confinement, not driving.
- Deadline = start + 28 hours, or 36 hours with a written request from the owner or custodian.
- Arrival = start + your planned trip time, breaks included.
- If arrival is after the deadline, the trip needs an unload stop of at least 5 consecutive hours with feed and water.
The countdown updates on its own while the page is open. Nothing is sent anywhere. Keep the page open on your phone during the trip, or note the deadline on your paperwork.
SOURCE: Law: 49 U.S.C. 80502 (checked Oct 2026). Enforced by USDA APHIS.
Worked example
EXAMPLE
- Loaded
- Mon 6:00 AM
- Limit
- 28 h
- Unload by
- Tue 10:00 AM
- Planned trip
- 31 h
A 31-hour trip runs three hours past the clock. With a written request for 36 hours, the same trip fits. Without one, the plan needs a 5-hour unload stop at a facility that can feed and water the animals, which pushes arrival to about 36 hours after loading.
Planning around both clocks
- Driver hours. Hours of service can force a 10-hour break that also stops the animals on the trailer.
- Loading time. The clock starts when the last animal is on, so a slow load-out shortens the trip window.
- Rest stations. Know where you can unload before you leave.
- Weather. Heat and cold change how long animals should stay confined, whatever the law allows.
Read more on driver hours in hotshot ELD and hours of service rules.
Keep a record
Write down when loading started and ended, every stop, and any unload with its start and end times. If the owner asked for 36 hours, keep the written request with the trip papers. Inspectors can ask, and a clear record answers the question in seconds. Shippers and receivers appreciate it too, because the animals' condition on arrival is their business.
Hauling livestock legally
Livestock haulers often run under agricultural exemptions to hours of service within a set distance of the source, and outside it the normal rules apply. Combined with the 28-hour law and the animals' welfare, timing on livestock loads is tighter than almost any other freight. Ask the shipper about loading times and receiving hours before you agree.
Good and bad results
A trip that arrives with hours to spare is a good plan. Within an hour of the deadline is too tight: a closed road or a slow unload puts you over. Over the deadline means a planned rest stop or a written extension before you leave.
Loads with timing that works
We plan pickup and delivery windows that fit your hours and your freight, and you approve every load. The rate confirmation comes straight to you. See rates and fees.
Questions about this calculator
Q01What is the 28-hour law?
A federal law, 49 U.S.C. 80502, that limits how long animals can be confined in a vehicle crossing state lines without being unloaded for feed, water and rest. The limit is 28 consecutive hours.
Q02How long must animals rest?
At least 5 consecutive hours, unloaded, with feed and water, before the trip continues.
Q03When can the limit be 36 hours?
When the owner or the person in custody of the animals asks in writing, separate from the bill of lading. Sheep may also go 8 more hours when the 28 hours end at night.
Q04Are there exceptions?
The law doesn't apply when the animals have food, water, space and an opportunity to rest inside the vehicle. It also doesn't cover every species in the same way; check with USDA for your load.
Q05Does the 28-hour law replace hours of service?
No. The driver's hours of service still apply, with some agricultural exemptions. Plan both clocks: the animals' and the driver's.