CA License Limitations

[TahoeTops]

I have a normal Class C license in the state of CA. What is the maximum I am allowed to drive? Is it 26,000 lbs? Or is it as long as the RV is less than 40 feet? Does anyone know which one the CHP goes by?


I also want to tow a trailer. What is the maximum I can legally tow behind a new RV with this current license?


Do I need to keep my GCW under 26,000lbs? (RV + Trailer)



Or do I read it correctly and it says I can drive an RV up to 26,000lbs along with a trailer that weighs no more than 10,000lbs?



Thanks for any input.

[YC1]

A couple of different issues for sure. The manuals are online.

I have been gone for ten years now after growing up there but at the time my C was good for driving a 40 ft or less RV. NO ONE could actually tell me how to measure the RV. I ran it far up the flag pole even going in physically and talking to "this guy will have the answer". He did not and advised me to write someone in Sacramento. I left it at that point.

Not to digress. Not only are there limitations on length via a Class C license, there are roads you are not allowed on if longer than 40 ft. I remember some along the coast near Ft. Bragg.

I could pull my toad or boat with the Class C and my (40 footer).

Calif began cracking down over ten years ago when the 5th wheels began to grow into mansions on wheels. Triple axels and weights were astronomical.

Sorry I can't get more specific these days. Before leaving I tried to get my Class B license. The DMV was befuddled when I told them I wanted to test for it. After five days they called me in and gave me parts of two different tests. Part of that was the air braking systems.

Passing that was easy and then I told them I would like to schedule a drive test. They said it would be six weeks.

We now live in Florida and my standard license allows me to drive any size RV and I can return to CA using my Fl license.

Driving long RV's and towing can quickly get you over the 65 ft length max if that is still the rule.

If you use the little box above that says powered by google, your should get buried in previous discussions on this issue.

[egwilly]

I Googled Calif DMV and found this.....

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/handbo...-requirements/

I know when I had my fifth wheel, I had to apply and written test for an endorsement to tow over 10000lbs to 15000 lbs. I think 65 feet overall is still the rule regardless if you are towing or not. 45 foot motorhomes are another issue here in Calif.

It appears you're good with your class C.

[HighDesert]

When I lived in Ca, and had a large 5th wheel, I had to take a written test as the Alpenlite I had was over 10,000 pounds. I don't recall any specific requirements for Class A units.

[YC1]

Originally Posted by HighDesert

When I lived in Ca, and had a large 5th wheel, I had to take a written test as the Alpenlite I had was over 10,000 pounds. I don't recall any specific requirements for Class A units.

Over 40 ft., class B non-commercial. No one can seem to figure out how to measure one though.

[Stevegd007]

You are correct. Anything more, you will need to obtain a different class license.

[KidzBox]

With our 5th Wheel I was supposed to get a endorsement but never did. Over 15 years of towing and I never had an issue.

We use to go to Pismo Beach weekly and on occasion there was a CHP check coming off the beach but we just waited until they left

[TravelSolo]

Combined weight under 26k
Max trailer of 10k GVWR
You can get an endorsement for up to 15k 5th wheel RV, but still subject to 26k combined.

[Ollie Rogers]

Originally Posted by TravelSolo

Combined weight under 26k
Max trailer of 10k GVWR
You can get an endorsement for up to 15k 5th wheel RV, but still subject to 26k combined.

I was not able to find the portion of the quoted above that I have underlined and highlighted in bold in the CA DMV handbook, nor on the CA DMV website.

TravelSolo, can you show us where you found any published guidance from CA that states that California Class C license holders are "still subject to 26K combined" even if they have an endorsement to tow up to a 15K 5th Wheel travel trailer, and/or even if their travel trailer is under 10K GVWR?

I am not finding any 26K limitation under the two circumstances described.

Here is what is stated in the CA DMV guidance is that Basic Class C license holders:

You May Drive:
- A 2-axle vehicle with a GVWR of 26,000 lbs. or less.

- A 3-axle vehicle weighing 6,000 lbs. gross or less.

- Any housecar 40’or less.

- A motorized scooter.

And You May Tow:

- A single vehicle with a GVWR of 10,000 lbs. or less including a tow dolly, if used.

- If the towing vehicle weighs 4,000 lbs. or more unladen, you may tow a:

- - Trailer coach not exceeding 9,000 lbs. gross.

- - Trailer coach or 5th-wheel travel trailer under 10,000 lbs. GVWR when towing is not for compensation.

- - 5th-wheel travel trailer exceeding 10,000 lbs. but not exceeding 15,000 lbs. GVWR, when towing is not for compensation.


Applying the foregoing guidelines into scenarios...

I may drive a two axle Super C Class C based on an M2-106 with a GVWR of 26,000 lbs, and I may tow a trailer with a GVWR of 10,000 lbs. The combination of these two vehicles obviously exceeds 26,000 lbs by 10,000 lbs, and is not prohibited by the guidance.

On the other hand, while I may drive an E-450 based Class C with a 14,500 lb GVWR, I may not tow an 10, 500 lb GVWR trailer, even though the combination of the 14,500 lb GVWR Class C plus the 10,500 GVWR trailer adds up to only 25,000 lbs GVWR combined... a full 1,000 lbs less than 26,000 lbs, yet this combination is not supported by the DMV guidance (nor is it supported by the model code provided by the FMCSA).

The key is the trailer GVWR. As long as the trailer GVWR does not exceed 10,000 lbs GVWR, there is no restriction on towing that trailer with a vehicle that is up to 26,000 lbs GVWR, as long as the tow vehicle is greater than 4,000 lbs GVWR.

If you have a specific resource that you can link to that supports your interpretation, it would be useful to post it. The resource that I am using is posted up thread, but I will repeat it with the link below:

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/handbo...-requirements/