Towing and License Requirements

[CARLnJANIS]

I got my Texas Class A Exempt license in 2012. GCVW for F450 and EXCEL fiver was 28,750 lbs. I too got nothing but deer-in-headlights blank looks from the DPS office staff when I stated I needed to apply for a Class A Exempt license. I had several staff members and a DPS Officer tell me that all I needed was my Class C license. Knowing they were wrong, I said thank you and went home and called DPS headquarters in Austin. I talked with a high ranking official who assured me I was right and she would educate my local DPS office. A few days later, at the same local DPS office, I once again stated I needed to apply for a Class A Exempt license. The staff was a little cold but professional. Of course, after the test they stated I will need to schedule a driving skills test. Since it had been almost 30 years since I pulled a large trailer, I asked for a learners permit. Blank stares again. After several staff members huddled in a corner and then one made a phone call, they smiled and issued me a learners permit. I took my driving skills test at a local office close to where I stored the trailer. They were aware of the Exempt license for RVs.

Texas has since added the Exempt license information to the DPS website and have consolidated the driving skills testing sites for the CDL and Class A and B Exempt driving skills testing to 1 in the Fort Worth/Tarrant county area. Hopefully I will not have to endure a retesting at that site.

[mitchmitchel]

I read through the thread, and agree with what has been said for Texas (can't comment on other states). We have a 2015 F-450 that is 'waiting' to get a large 5ver one of these days.

So what came up in discussion with my wife was whether she would need to get a Class A along with me. She decided to get one as well, but that peaked my interest as to whether our liability insurance would cover us if we drove our truck with a large 5ver w/o a Class A license.

So I called our two insurance companies and spoke to the underwriters -- both said that if she had to drive the truck and trailer w/o having a class A she would be covered by our liability policy as long as her name was on the policy as a driver of the truck (which of course she can drive with her Class C when we aren't towing).

Both representatives emphasized that this varies by company but this means in our case my wife would be covered if she had to drive in an emergency before she gets her Class A license (still could be ticketed of course).

So if you have a spouse or S/O that doesn't have the higher license class, check with your insurance to make sure they are covered if they ever have to drive the rig in an emergency.