If you drive for hire, whether your rig or someone elses, you must have a CDL if the unit has a GVWR of 26,000 pounds or more or if the combined GVW of the truck and trailer is at or exceeds the 26,000 pound GVWR. If you're pulling your own trailer for pleasure or driving a motor coach that is owned by you, you aren't required to have a CDL. The C stands for commercial which is the key word. But if you're driving for hire or making money driving you can't afford not to have a CDL because the penalty can be VERY expensive.

 

Generally that is true, but be careful of across the board statements. Any state can, and some do, require a CDL for non-commercial rigs. California comes easily to mind. Read for yourself, CDL required for non-RV trailers over 10,000 GVWR and also RV doubles.

From http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/cdl_htm/sec1_a.htm

Who Needs A CDL?

To operate commercial vehicles, you must apply for a CDL. Only California residents may obtain a California CDL. Residency is established by any of the following: registering to vote here, paying resident tuition at a public institution of higher education, filing for a California homeowner’s property tax exemption, obtaining a license (such as a fishing license), or any other privilege or benefit not ordinarily extended to nonresidents. You need a CDL if you operate a vehicle or combination of vehicles which requires a Class A or Class B license or Class C license with endorsements.

A commercial motor vehicle is a motor vehicle or combination of vehicles designed or used for either the transportation of persons for compensation or property and:

Has a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 26,001 pounds or more.
Tows any vehicle with a GVWR of 10,001 pounds or more.
Tows more than one vehicle or a trailer bus.
Has three or more axles (excludes three axle vehicles weighing 6,000 pounds or less gross).
Is any vehicle (bus, farm labor vehicle, general public paratransit vehicle, etc.) designed, used, or maintained to carry more than 10 passengers including the driver, for hire or profit, or is used by any nonprofit organization or group.
Transports hazardous materials requiring placarding.*
Transports hazardous wastes (Health and Safety Code §§25115 and 25117).*

As you can see CA has added/modified a couple things to the normal FMCSA rules regarding CDLs.

Unlike at least one other member, I can provide links to support my statements.

 

FMCSA regs state that to keep federal money coming in states have to at least meet FMCSA regs at a MINIMUM. That leaves a lot of leeway for three states that i run in on a regular basis to be stricter than the feds. Kansas, S. Carolina and Mn all have clauses in their state regs that i havent seen in other states.

 

Now how'd I know you'd hafta make that kinda comment?



chaikwa.

 

Do you have the links to the codes for these? I'd like to read up on them.

 

Length; http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/search/...et=DPSInternet



Vehicle Combinations
A combination of not more than three vehicles, may be coupled together if the combination of vehicles, other than a truck-tractor combination, is not longer than 65 feet.
A passenger car or another motor vehicle that has an unloaded weight of less than 2,500 pounds may not be coupled with more than one other vehicle or towing device at one time.
A house trailer or towable recreational vehicle and motor vehicle combination may not be longer than 65 feet.

DL; http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/search/...et=DPSInternet

I wasn't able to cut & paste from there, but pages 1-4/1-5 para 3 shows a regular class C DL allows combos that do not require a class A or B, page 1-7 para 4 exempts RVs from a CDL.

For more info; Texas Department of Public Safety, P.O. Box 4087, Austin TX 78773; (512) 424-2000.

In case you were asking about MI;
http://www.michigan.gov/sos/0,1607,7...5410--,00.html
Recreational Double "R" Endorsement

A "recreational double" is a pickup truck pulling a fifth wheel trailer designed for recreational living purposes, with a second trailer attached to the rear of the fifth wheel trailer. The pickup truck must have a towing rate equal to, or greater than, the total weight being towed. To operate a recreational double, you must have an "R" endorsement on your driver license. Anyone age 18 or older with a valid driver license may apply for this endorsement at a branch office. A knowledge test is required. There is no skills test. Drivers holding a Group "A" CDL with a "T" double or triple trailers endorsement can operate a recreational double without the "R" endorsement. Triple trailers are not permitted in Michigan. For more information, obtain a copy of the brochure A Recreational Double Endorsement at a Secretary of State branch office or from this web site

 

 

As far as CDL requirements go for commercial drivers that is totally incorrect. FMCSA regs are uniform in every state, and the requirements for a CDL are also uniform. Private use drivers license have reciprical agreements as well. For instance, CA requires their residents to have a CDL to tow a noncommercial cargo trailer with a GVWR over 10,000 pounds. Since I am not from CA I can still tow my 14,000 pound GVWR flatbed through CA with my state's non-commercial class C.