Class B non-CDL (IL)

[MarkCHI]

Originally Posted by Camp CA

Having gone through that in California suggest contacting the IL DMV about whether you need to take the skills test with your own or can take it with a rental vehicle https://online-cdl-test.com/Illinois...qs#state-links. In California I was required to take the test with my own.

That's without doubt, the dumbest rule I've ever heard. It's a test for a class of vehicle, not a specific vehicle. Dealing with these bureaucrats drives me mad

[theroc]

Congratulations on your skoolie purchase.

Yes, Illinois from what I can determine by reading their driver's licensing requirements does require a non-commercial driver's license for vehicles that exceed a determined GVWR ...as you say, 16,000 lbs. GVWR.

What I think is confusing is when you said "I just bought my class B" because we as RVers interpret that as a Class B RV which rarely will exceed the weight ratings in states that require non-commercial driver's licenses ...Illinois being one of them.

The other issue that I'm not sure you're clear on by what you have written is that when you say "if you drive a vehicle over 16,000lbs in IL, you need a different class of license preiod. (sic) I want to make sure you're understanding that correctly.

It's not what the vehicle actually weighs. The state determines its driver's license requirements by GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) and not actual weight (or scale weight). GVWR is a RATING and is static. It stays with the vehicle essentially for life as it's the weight that the manufacturer has determined the vehicle should NOT exceed. Therefore, you always want to keep the weight of the vehicle under the GVWR or never should exceed it.

But that isn't your question and I hope you're not offended by my attempting to clarify.

So pertaining to your actual question, if you are adamant on not driving at all without a proper license, the second option would be out as you'd still legally need somebody with a proper license to accompany you even if renting a vehicle.

Legally, your only option as I see it, is to find somebody to accompany you that has a CDL or a non-commercial license with the same or greater classification you are seeking.

However, if you read the forum with threads asking the same question, many here will say "just drive the vehicle to the testing location as they never ask how you got to the testing station." We've heard that before.

But yes, ideally, find somebody who can accompany you to the testing station. Many in your state will posses either a CDL or a non-commercial class-based license. If you start asking around, e.g. relatives, friends, neighbors, etc. somebody undoubtedly will have that license or know somebody who does that might be willing to do it without even asking for anything in return as I've done it for several people who I initially didn't even know but were referred to me as my friends and relatives all knew that I'd do it as a courtesy for another RVer. If they refuse money, you can always take them to dinner, or do something in return for them.

I always refused money but I had one guy offer to help me change oil in my DP for accompanying him to the DMV for testing. I took him up on the offer.




eta: for others who are curious about Illinois (I'm not an Illinois resident BTW), I have taken a screenshot of page 4 from the licensing classifications pertaining to GVWR from the Illinois Rules of the Road - Non-CDL Vehicles published by the state:

[Winterbagoal]

I'll assume you've noticed that the post/thread has been moved to a more appropriate sub-forum?
Apology accepted.

[sbleiweiss]

if you drive a vehicle over 16,000lbs in IL, you need a different class of license preiod.

Wow. I lived in IL with a class A motorhome for years and didn't know that or do that.

[Winterbagoal]

https://ilsos.gov/departments/driver...l.html#require

Scroll down to
"Vehicles Requiring a CDL"

and the following section
"Drivers Exempt From Obtaining a CDL"

In both cases, it appears that recreational vehicles (under 26,000lbs) and recreational vehicles used for personal use, are exempt from any requirements for special driver's licenses. You might want to check into this before proceeding.
You may already be good to go. If your current license falls into the acceptable list a little further down the page.

[theroc]

Originally Posted by Winterbagoal

https://ilsos.gov/departments/driver...l.html#require

Scroll down to
"Vehicles Requiring a CDL"

and the following section
"Drivers Exempt From Obtaining a CDL"

In both cases, it appears that recreational vehicles (under 26,000lbs) and recreational vehicles used for personal use, are exempt from any requirements for special driver's licenses. You might want to check into this before proceeding.
You may already be good to go. If your current license falls into the acceptable list a little further down the page.

I don't know for sure but I'm not interpreting it that way but like I say, I'm not an Illinois resident.

Yes, operating recreational vehicles are exempt from having a CDL but it doesn't anywhere infer that they are completely exempt from having a non-commercial special license.

The fact that the state goes to the trouble to publish a special booklet or manual that is actually titled "NON-CDL VEHICLES" with images of RVs included, that I linked in my previous post, seems to me to suggest that it is required so I agree with the OP:

Manual/Booklet from the State of Illinois:

Illinois Rules of the Road - NON-CDL VEHICLES

[Lt Dan]

It sounds like Illinois law is similar to Texas which has almost the same wording in the CDL statutes. However, in the operator's license statutes anything over 26,000 lbs requires either a Class B or Class A Operator's license depending on the weight being towed.

[Winterbagoal]

Originally Posted by theroc

I don't know for sure but I'm not interpreting it that way but like I say, I'm not an Illinois resident.

Yes, operating recreational vehicles are exempt from having a CDL but it doesn't anywhere infer that they are completely exempt from having a non-commercial special license.

The fact that the state goes to the trouble to publish a special booklet or manual that is actually titled "NON-CDL VEHICLES" that I linked in my previous post seems to me to suggest that it is required so I agree with the OP:

Manual/Booklet from the State of Illinois:

Illinois Rules of the Road - NON-CDL VEHICLES

I'm not an Illinois resident either, and I have no skin in this game either way, but before I'd start trying to get someone with a CDL and a commercial vehicle to help me try to get a special or CDL license I may not even need, I think it would be useful to ask the Illinois State Police for their take on it, as they are named as the enforcement persons in all the links, and contact the Illinois Secretary of State's office and ask them as well. Why do something you don't need to do, as "sbleiweiss" stated? He lived there, drove a class A, and never bothered with any special or CDL type licenses. I don't think the OP's "gutted skoolie" qualifies as anything near to commercial any more, and is more RV than bus now.

[NLOVNIT]

I don't know how many skoolie owners frequent iRV2. If the OP doesn't want to do the research to contact someone from IL to find out the details, Social Knowledge/RVLIFE has a forum dedicated to skoolies, https://www.skoolie.net/forums/ . I'm sure those folks will know.

We don't like to send folks to others of our forums, but this one might have a better knowledge base than iRV2.

[theroc]

Originally Posted by Winterbagoal

I'm not an Illinois resident either, and I have no skin in this game either way, but before I'd start trying to get someone with a CDL and a commercial vehicle to help me try to get a special or CDL license I may not even need, I think it would be useful to ask the Illinois State Police for their take on it, as they are named as the enforcement persons in all the links, and contact the Illinois Secretary of State's office and ask them as well. Why do something you don't need to do, as "sbleiweiss" stated? He lived there, drove a class A, and never bothered with any special or CDL type licenses. I don't think the OP's "gutted skoolie" qualifies as anything near to commercial any more, and is more RV than bus now.

Maybe Mark has already checked with the state of Illinois (state patrol, DMV, etc.) and that's why he's so confident that he needs a non-commercial special license. But that's not really the question in his post #9 if he needs one or not as that's the post I was responding to ...it appears a moderator merged two threads at some point.

My point was not necessarily the usage --commercial or non-commercial-- but rather the weight class and if Mark understood it is the GVWR rather than actual weight of the vehicle that is the determining factor. No matter, I know now that his vehicle is obviously over 16,000 lbs. GVWR and it's being used for non-commercial purposes. Therefore, my interpretation is that he does need a non-commercial special license but yes, not a CDL. It seems he already has determined that.

I've known plenty who were not licensed properly in our state of domicile (NV) when we were full-timing but I always urged those who I did run into who owned a diesel pusher that didn't know or who were just too lazy to get their non-commercial license to do so. However, the consequences of not being properly licensed is usually not an issue for those who refuse to obtain the license. Mark did express that he wanted to be properly licensed, however.

Originally Posted by Lt Dan

It sounds like Illinois law is similar to Texas which has almost the same wording in the CDL statutes. However, in the operator's license statutes anything over 26,000 lbs requires either a Class B or Class A Operator's license depending on the weight being towed.

Yes! I think Illinois is the only state that I know of that requires it at 16,000 lbs. GVWR as most states that do require a special non-commercial license of their residents use a 26,000 lbs. GVWR threshold.

That indicates that even gas Class A motorhomes might need one. I'd have to guess that many in Illinois that have gas Class A's are not getting tested.

[MarkCHI]

Originally Posted by theroc

Congratulations on your skoolie purchase.

Yes, Illinois from what I can determine by reading their driver's licensing requirements does require a non-commercial driver's license for vehicles that exceed a determined GVWR ...as you say, 16,000 lbs. GVWR.

What I think is confusing is when you said "I just bought my class B" because we as RVers interpret that as a Class B RV which rarely will exceed the weight ratings in states that require non-commercial driver's licenses ...Illinois being one of them.

The other issue that I'm not sure you're clear on by what you have written is that when you say "if you drive a vehicle over 16,000lbs in IL, you need a different class of license preiod. (sic) I want to make sure you're understanding that correctly.

It's not what the vehicle actually weighs. The state determines its driver's license requirements by GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) and not actual weight (or scale weight). GVWR is a RATING and is static. It stays with the vehicle essentially for life as it's the weight that the manufacturer has determined the vehicle should NOT exceed. Therefore, you always want to keep the weight of the vehicle under the GVWR or never should exceed it.

But that isn't your question and I hope you're not offended by my attempting to clarify.

So pertaining to your actual question, if you are adamant on not driving at all without a proper license, the second option would be out as you'd still legally need somebody with a proper license to accompany you even if renting a vehicle.

Legally, your only option as I see it, is to find somebody to accompany you that has a CDL or a non-commercial license with the same or greater classification you are seeking.

However, if you read the forum with threads asking the same question, many here will say "just drive the vehicle to the testing location as they never ask how you got to the testing station." We've heard that before.

But yes, ideally, find somebody who can accompany you to the testing station. Many in your state will posses either a CDL or a non-commercial class-based license. If you start asking around, e.g. relatives, friends, neighbors, etc. somebody undoubtedly will have that license or know somebody who does that might be willing to do it without even asking for anything in return as I've done it for several people who I initially didn't even know but were referred to me as my friends and relatives all knew that I'd do it as a courtesy for another RVer. If they refuse money, you can always take them to dinner, or do something in return for them.

I always refused money but I had one guy offer to help me change oil in my DP for accompanying him to the DMV for testing. I took him up on the offer.




eta: for others who are curious about Illinois (I'm not an Illinois resident BTW), I have taken a screenshot of page 4 from the licensing classifications pertaining to GVWR from the Illinois Rules of the Road - Non-CDL Vehicles published by the state:

thanks for commenting and you make some very good points. I see the class B RV vs Class B vehicle confusion. Also true about the weight. I was meaning GVWR when I said "weight" I should have been clearer

thanks Again

[153stars]

Your probably right why they don't see a lot of testing. The non commercial info is not as easily found and if you look at CDL there is or was a big pic of class A MH that has exempt over it ,instead of any info to explain difference of class A orB non commercial .

Originally Posted by theroc

Maybe Mark has already checked with the state of Illinois (state patrol, DMV, etc.) and that's why he's so confident that he needs a non-commercial special license. But that's not really the question in his post #9 if he needs one or not as that's the post I was responding to ...it appears a moderator merged two threads at some point.

My point was not necessarily the usage --commercial or non-commercial-- but rather the weight class and if Mark understood it is the GVWR rather than actual weight of the vehicle that is the determining factor. No matter, I know now that his vehicle is obviously over 16,000 lbs. GVWR and it's being used for non-commercial purposes. Therefore, my interpretation is that he does need a non-commercial special license but yes, not a CDL. It seems he already has determined that.

I've known plenty who were not licensed properly in our state of domicile (NV) when we were full-timing but I always urged those who I did run into who owned a diesel pusher that didn't know or who were just too lazy to get their non-commercial license to do so. However, the consequences of not being properly licensed is usually not an issue for those who refuse to obtain the license. Mark did express that he wanted to be properly licensed, however.






Yes! I think Illinois is the only state that I know of that requires it at 16,000 lbs. GVWR as most states that do require a special non-commercial license of their residents use a 26,000 lbs. GVWR threshold.

That indicates that even gas Class A motorhomes might need one. I'd have to guess that many in Illinois that have gas Class A's are not getting tested.

[MarkCHI]

Originally Posted by Winterbagoal

https://ilsos.gov/departments/driver...l.html#require

Scroll down to
"Vehicles Requiring a CDL"

and the following section
"Drivers Exempt From Obtaining a CDL"

In both cases, it appears that recreational vehicles (under 26,000lbs) and recreational vehicles used for personal use, are exempt from any requirements for special driver's licenses. You might want to check into this before proceeding.
You may already be good to go. If your current license falls into the acceptable list a little further down the page.

Don't know how many times I have to say this I AM NOT GETTING A CDL. YOU NEED A NON-CDL LICENSE FOR THE GVWR OF THE VEHICLE. RV'S ARE NOT EXEMPT FROM THIS.

[MarkCHI]

Originally Posted by theroc

I don't know for sure but I'm not interpreting it that way but like I say, I'm not an Illinois resident.

Yes, operating recreational vehicles are exempt from having a CDL but it doesn't anywhere infer that they are completely exempt from having a non-commercial special license.

The fact that the state goes to the trouble to publish a special booklet or manual that is actually titled "NON-CDL VEHICLES" with images of RVs included, that I linked in my previous post, seems to me to suggest that it is required so I agree with the OP:

Manual/Booklet from the State of Illinois:

Illinois Rules of the Road - NON-CDL VEHICLES

THANK YOU. I'm glad someone can read :-)