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When did ELDs become mandatory?

The idea of the ELD mandate actually began in 2012. In March 2014, the FMCSA released its ELD proposal, and on December 16, 2015, the final ELD rule was published by the FMCSA.

It was then implemented in three phases:

Phase #1: Awareness and Transition. This phase refers to the period between February 16, 2016 to December 18, 2017. During this phase, motor carriers were encouraged to install ELDs on a voluntary basis.
Phase #2: Phased-in Compliance. The second phase (from December 18, 2017 to December 16, 2019) required non-exempt drivers to install compliant electronic logging devices. Drivers could also use automatic on-board recording devices (AOBRDs) and remain compliant if AOBRDs were installed and in use before December 18, 2017.
Phase #3: Full Compliance. The third phase (after December 16, 2019) requires all non-exempt commercial drivers to use FMCSA-compliant ELDs. AOBRDs no longer help compliance with the ELD mandate.