Community Forums

**Spdracr39** · 04-03-2018, 08:12 PM

There are Non CDL RV endorsement requirements in some states but you follow the rules of your state of residence.

Wayne M · 04-03-2018, 09:10 PM

Rollondown, see my post #11.

Also in Texas a Class B license is for GVWR of 26,001 pounds or more providing the towed package GVWR is not greater than 10,000 pounds.

A Class A is required for a GCWR of 26,001 pounds or more and the towed package GVWR is greater than 10,000 pounds.
Note: Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR) when the total package and trailer >10,000 pounds is above 26,000 pounds.

Reference: Texas Driver License Manual

Reciprocal agreement: If you are leagal in your state you are legal in the other states pertaining to driver's licenses. A driver still has to abide by road signs regarding weights and lengths in any state.

Don_T · 04-08-2018, 08:04 AM

To add to what Wayne typed above, I had a conversation with a Texas DPS officer. Some people think RVs are exempt from the licensing laws, he said they are not. Some people think if their actual weight is below the 26,001 pounds they don’t need more than a Class C license. He said that is not true, all they look at are the VIN tags for the GVWR numbers. If they total more than 26,000 pounds a Class A license is required. Some people think if their registration shows a lower weight they are ok. Again, not the case. All they go by are the GVWR numbers on the VIN tags. He also said if you are ever pulled over and the officer notices your tags total over 26,000 pounds and you have a Class C license he will ticket you for being improperly licensed. He said this amounts to driving without a license and the officer may not let you proceed. You will have to get a tow or someone that is properly licensed to drive it for you.

V3600 · 04-08-2018, 08:11 AM

Still, a CDL is not required in TX to drive your RV. It may seem like a CDL but it's not. TX calls it a Non-Commercial Driver License. You can get a Class A or B but they're not CDL's. Here's a link to the DMV page: http:https://www.dps.texas.gov/Drive...lClasses.htm//

One thing that is always required for a real CDL is a DOT medical card. You got to get a DOT approved medical exam and without that you don't get a CDL. And you gotta get a new medical exam every two years or your CDL gets suspended.

WorldCat25 · 04-08-2018, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by V3600

Still, a CDL is not required in TX to drive your RV. It may seem like a CDL but it's not. TX calls it a Non-Commercial Driver License. You can get a Class A or B but they're not CDL's. Here's a link to the DMV page: http:https://www.dps.texas.gov/Drive...lClasses.htm//

One thing that is always required for a real CDL is a DOT medical card. You got to get a DOT approved medical exam and without that you don't get a CDL. And you gotta get a new medical exam every two years or your CDL gets suspended.

Same in Maryland but Class B license required over 26,000#, not Class A. Suspect the same in Texas. I gave up my Class A CDL but was able to keep the Class A license. Big 5ers may need Class A even though tow rig is under 26,000#. Need to check before buying.

I'll wager that 50% of the big RVs driven by Maryland drivers are being driven illegally.

Wayne M · 04-08-2018, 09:29 AM

Any license issued in any state that is not a CDL is a Non-Commercial License. I think we are all playing at words here.

Texas has two categories of licenses with different classes in each category.

1. Commercial Drivers License: Class A, B, and C

2. Standard License (non commercial) Class A. B. C. and M

For a standard (regular, non commercial, whatever words one would like to use) license.

Class A requirements:

A vehicle or combination of vehicles with a gross combination weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 lbs. or more, provided the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle(s) towed is in excess of 10,000 lbs

My Note: The weight is a combination of the two items and the towed vehicle has to be over 10,000 pounds. A motorhome weighing 25,000 pounds and a trailer weight of 10,001 pounds being towed by that motorhome requires a Texas Class A license.

Class B requirements:

A single vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 26,001 lbs. or more and any such vehicle towing either a vehicle with a GVWR that does not exceed 10,000 lbs. or a farm trailer with a GVWR that does not exceed 20,000 lbs.

My Note: Just a single motorhome weighing 26,001 pounds or more and not pulling anything, or pulling a trailer weighing 10,000 pounds or less requires only a Texas Class B license.
-----------------------------------

Federal Law classifies ALL vehicles over 26,000 pounds to be a commercial vehicle. For Texas, check the wording in the CDL-2 form.

Here are the instructions from that form: (Bold is my emphasis)

"There are certain motor vehicles that are classified as commercial motor vehicles (based upon gross vehicle weight rating or gross combination weight rating) that do not require the driver to hold a commercial driver license. Drivers of these vehicles are required to hold a Class A or B non-commercial driver license based upon the gross vehicle weight rating or gross combination weight rating of the vehicle that the driver will be operating. Select the appropriate box(es) that apply to you and certify below."

One of the boxes is for a recreational vehicle.
-----------
A little math:
A heavy duty pickup truck, such as the Sierra GMC, has a GVWR of 10,500 pounds. Let's say you are pulling a 5th wheel weighing 15,501 pounds. What class Texas license would be required?

Ans: A Texas Class A because the total GCWR is 26,001 pounds

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Any single (motorized) vehicle with a GVWR under 26,001 pounds pulling a trailer with a GVWR of under 10,001 pounds only needs a Texas Class C

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Sorry for the long dissertation but this is a subject I have been following for over 30 years. Please remember that laws change. Driver license manuals change and I can give instances for at least two occasions.

Mr_D · 04-08-2018, 09:38 AM

WA specifically exempts RV drivers from special licensing requirements.

Wayne M · 04-08-2018, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don_T

To add to what Wayne typed above, I had a conversation with a Texas DPS officer. Some people think RVs are exempt from the licensing laws, he said they are not. Some people think if their actual weight is below the 26,001 pounds they don’t need more than a Class C license. He said that is not true, all they look at are the VIN tags for the GVWR numbers. If they total more than 26,000 pounds a Class A license is required. Some people think if their registration shows a lower weight they are ok. Again, not the case. All they go by are the GVWR numbers on the VIN tags. He also said if you are ever pulled over and the officer notices your tags total over 26,000 pounds and you have a Class C license he will ticket you for being improperly licensed. He said this amounts to driving without a license and the officer may not let you proceed. You will have to get a tow or someone that is properly licensed to drive it for you.

Thanks Don, and to add to the fire, many of us older folks got our licenses way back when the license manuals were worded a lot differently than today. They used to have the Texas Code sections at the beginning of the paragraphs.

The categories of "non comercial" and commercial DL's are in the Texas Transportation Codes.

Section 521 is for the regular licenses and section 522 is for the commercial licenses.

Back in the day when us old fogies were searching for the proper license many of us would search for CDL Exempt. It would jump down to the CDL Section 522 paragraph that gave the recreational vehicle exemption. Hey, search over right? If we had read section 521 we would have had a whole different perspective on what class of license we should have. I'm glad to see the new manual, now all one has to do is read it.

Wayne M · 04-08-2018, 09:57 AM

Dang! Dang! Dang!
My apologies to 42QD Dreamer. I did not see any indication of what state you are in and just now re-read this thread and then checked your profile. Since you are in Oregon non of my posts pertain to your licensing requirements.

Please check the Oregon driver license manual for the correct Oregon information.

Well, at least I have something to cut and paste if Texas comes up again.

Sorry!

W5CI · 04-08-2018, 10:04 AM

No state requires a Commercial Drivers License to drive or pull a RV unless you are driving for HIRE

Wayne M · 04-08-2018, 10:14 AM

Danny,
Please read post #11 on page 1. There are states that require a CDL to operate a motorhome if certain conditions are met.

KE5QG

MisterT · 04-08-2018, 10:14 AM

....

this subject is an unknown for a lot of folks, and very confusing to many. add to that the fact that even many employees at DMVs within these states are not even clear on this...

-a CDL is not for us RVrs, it is ONLY for Commercial Truck Drivers, period.

-a 'additional license DESIGNATION, otherwise known as an endorsement to your license(a 'letter' designation), or whatever a state may call it, is simply an additional written test and driving test(in the vehicle in question) that you must pass in order to drive certain PERSONAL vehicles, due to either LENGTH or their stated GVWR WEIGHT, and/or if your combined Tow Vehicle(truck) and RV(trailer or fifth wheel) EXCEED certain stated weights for YOUR state.
All that said, 'most' RVs will not need anything additional, but once you reach 40' for a motorhome, or over 26,000lbs, or certain 'combo' lengths, you 'MAY' need to for YOUR state.

Even if your state has an additional requirement, you will be fine in every other state, even if they have other requirements, or NO requirements for their own licensed drivers.
If your state has NO requirement, then you will ALSO be fine in every other state, EVEN if they have additional requirements.
States provide for 'reciprocity' when it comes to these differences between state rules.

NOW, having said that - only YOUR state is going to potentially cause you issues if your are driving within it's borders without any proper endorsement that may be required.

in essence, get the license endorsement for YOUR licensed state, if required, and you'll be fine everywhere else.

capisce? fun, ain't it!

palehorse89 · 04-08-2018, 10:36 AM

Lets try and simplify this thread ........CDL= non-commercial and commercial .......RV'ers might need a non commercial only .......per their state laws.

Wayne M · 04-08-2018, 05:18 PM

Mr T, Can you explain the District of Columbia's (Not a state, but still) law for driving anything over 26,000 pounds. You will not find anything in the "car" category handbook, but you have to look at their definition under the CDL laws.

It states that: "Any vehicle with a semi-trailer or trailer with two or more axles. This group also includes any combination of vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating greater than 26,000 pounds, provided that the gross vehicle weight rating of the towed vehicle is in excess of 10,000 pounds."

So to say that no State requires a CDL is not really the facts.

I can tell you the facts of DL's for the State of Texas but I will never tell you what the regulations are for your state or any other state without a lot of searching.

As stated: "Per their State law."

I have said it before and others have said it before and after, the ONLY way to find out what your state requires is to check with the officials of your state, or read the state manuals.