State Drivers Licence

[hermanmullins]

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ALL STATES LICENSING REQUIREMENTS

****Check out the January 2015 edition of Family Motor Coaching, pages 196 to 200. MOTORHOME REGULATIONS. It's a State by State listing showing each States information on Motorhomes including license requirements.****

Herman

[V8chpr]

We called and talked to a NCDMV officer and was told it was not needed and our insurance agent said the same thing.

From the NC General Statutes:

§ 20-4.01. Definitions.

Unless the context requires otherwise, the following definitions apply throughout this Chapter to the defined words and phrases and their cognates:

(2a) Class A Motor Vehicle. - A combination of motor vehicles that meets either of the following descriptions:

a. Has a combined GVWR of at least 26,001 pounds and includes as part of the combination a towed unit that has a GVWR of at least 10,001 pounds.

b. Has a combined GVWR of less than 26,001 pounds and includes as part of the combination a towed unit that has a GVWR of at least 10,001 pounds.

(2b) Class B Motor Vehicle. - Any of the following:

a. A single motor vehicle that has a GVWR of at least 26,001 pounds.

b. A combination of motor vehicles that includes as part of the combination a towing unit that has a GVWR of at least 26,001 pounds and a towed unit that has a GVWR of less than 10,001 pounds.

(2c) Class C Motor Vehicle. - Any of the following:

a. A single motor vehicle not included in Class B.

b. A combination of motor vehicles not included in Class A or Class B.

§ 20-7. Issuance and renewal of drivers licenses.

(a) License Required. - To drive a motor vehicle on a highway, a person must be licensed by the Division under this Article or Article 2C of this Chapter to drive the vehicle and must carry the license while driving the vehicle. The Division issues regular drivers licenses under this Article and issues commercial drivers licenses under Article 2C.

A license authorizes the holder of the license to drive any vehicle included in the class of the license and any vehicle included in a lesser class of license, except a vehicle for which an endorsement is required. To drive a vehicle for which an endorsement is required, a person must obtain both a license and an endorsement for the vehicle. A regular drivers license is considered a lesser class of license than its commercial counterpart.

The classes of regular drivers licenses and the motor vehicles that can be driven with each class of license are:

(1) Class A. - A Class A license authorizes the holder to drive any of the following:

a. A Class A motor vehicle that is exempt under G.S. 20-37.16 from the commercial drivers license requirements.

b. A Class A motor vehicle that has a combined GVWR of less than 26,001 pounds and includes as part of the combination a towed unit that has a GVWR of at least 10,001 pounds.

(2) Class B. - A Class B license authorizes the holder to drive any Class B motor vehicle that is exempt under G.S. 20-37.16 from the commercial drivers license requirements.

(3) Class C. - A Class C license authorizes the holder to drive any of the following:

a. A Class C motor vehicle that is not a commercial motor vehicle.

b. When operated by a volunteer member of a fire department, a rescue squad, or an emergency medical service (EMS) in the performance of duty, a Class A or Class B fire-fighting, rescue, or EMS motor vehicle or a combination of these vehicles.

c. A combination of noncommercial motor vehicles that have a GVWR of more than 10,000 pounds but less than 26,001 pounds. This sub-subdivision does not apply to a Class C license holder less than 18 years of age.

[john_harris]

WV specifically exempts Recreational Vehicles so I carry a copy of the WV DOT regulations in the RV just in case I am pulled over out of state in a small town where a "Barney Fiffe" type deputy might have a different opinion.

I figured having something in writing may be a bit better than saying "I called and they told me I was OK...."

[tbutler]

I just went back through this discussion and nowhere does it mention that your drivers license is also recognized in Canada which is the case. If you are legally licensed in your state then you are also good for Canada.

When we moved to Texas and went to the DMV for our driver's licenses we got the class B license without a test because the license we held in another state (South Dakota in this case) was the proper license for driving an RV (over 26,000 pounds) in that state. So if you have the proper license for your motor home in your current state of residence you can turn it in and get the proper Texas license without taking a test. The clerk at the DMV office had to call Austin (the state capitol) to verify that a South Dakota regular driver's license (same license for an auto) was the proper license for driving a Class A motor home over 26,000 pounds in South Dakota. Once that was done, we were issued Texas Class B (non-commercial) driver's licenses. If you are currently a Texas resident and don't have the proper license you will have to take a test to get the Class B or Class A license - or you could move to South Dakota and then move back to Texas!

So if you are living somewhere else and want to move to Texas, don't let the license thing stop you.

And oh-yes, if your license office or your insurance agent tell you that a special license isn't required but the law says otherwise, either follow the law or get everything in writing. In the case of the insurance agent, I'd ask for an official letter from the underwriting company office. When we were licensed in South Dakota I had a letter from the South Dakota drivers license state office stating that a regular South Dakota driver's license was all that was needed to drive any RV. I kept it handy in the motor home in case it was needed.

[Daveht]

I knew nothing of this law when I bought my coach. Dealer never said a word and insurance company never said a thing. The only way I found out the need for a license was on the Irv2 Forum.

I took the written and driving test a week ago and passed.

What if I was never to look on a forum and see this info. I would have been screwed if I was stopped or even worse I was in a crash and there was bodily injury or death.

I shutter to think of it now!

By the grace of GOD I thee go!!!

[hermanmullins]

David,

Yes and no. Other then the difference between an Operator's and a CDL License most officers have no clue as to which is required. This is not a slap at any law officer. Thank goodness we have them.

The same for most insurance agents and RV sales people.

Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Herman

[Dkstall]

I knew nothing of this law when I bought my coach. Dealer never said a word and insurance company never said a thing. The only way I found out the need for a license was on the Irv2 Forum.

I took the written and driving test a week ago and passed.

What if I was never to look on a forum and see this info. I would have been screwed if I was stopped or even worse I was in a crash and there was bodily injury or death.

I shutter to think of it now!

By the grace of GOD I thee go!!!

Dave has it right. It's not the police officer that concerns me, it's the attorney that wants in my pocket, or the insurance company that wants to get out of paying a claim. I just bought a coach in UT that was titled in CA. CA doesn't show GVWR on the title and TX does. I thought the Federal Certificate would do the trick, but no the Tax Assessor-Collector (that's who registers vehicles in TX) office sent me to get a certified weight ticket and used that weight for the GVWR on my new TX title. Of course that's wrong, about 5,000# light. My coach on it's Freightliner chassis has a GVWR of 26,350# no matter what my title says. The good news is that any officer that stops me will rely on the registration record that says I'm under 26,000# and I'll never get a ticket for not having a Class B license. The bad news is that if I'm ever in an accident, no matter whose fault, a sharp attorney or claim adjuster might make an issue of the real GVWR and my license class if it's not Class B. So I'm in the process of getting the TX non-CDL Class B license. And if you're in TX don't forget that your Class B vehicle is required to have a fire extinguisher and emergency signals (flares/reflectors) on board.

[campcop]

Dave has it right. It's not the police officer that concerns me, it's the attorney that wants in my pocket, or the insurance company that wants to get out of paying a claim. I just bought a coach in UT that was titled in CA. CA doesn't show GVWR on the title and TX does. I thought the Federal Certificate would do the trick, but no the Tax Assessor-Collector (that's who registers vehicles in TX) office sent me to get a certified weight ticket and used that weight for the GVWR on my new TX title. Of course that's wrong, about 5,000# light. My coach on it's Freightliner chassis has a GVWR of 26,350# no matter what my title says. The good news is that any officer that stops me will rely on the registration record that says I'm under 26,000# and I'll never get a ticket for not having a Class B license. The bad news is that if I'm ever in an accident, no matter whose fault, a sharp attorney or claim adjuster might make an issue of the real GVWR and my license class if it's not Class B. So I'm in the process of getting the TX non-CDL Class B license. And if you're in TX don't forget that your Class B vehicle is required to have a fire extinguisher and emergency signals (flares/reflectors) on board.

That could work against you if you ever get weighed and they go by your registration....

Doesn't your MH have a plate somewhere that states the correct weight?

[wolfe10]

David is correct. Actual scale weight is how Texas registers motorhomes.

Has nothing to do with GVWR, etc.

Been there, done that.

[wayne77590]

I'm going to jump in here, just can't resist.

For Texas, a CDL-2 form is requried. The form is for a "Texas Class A or B Driver License Application Non-CDL Exempt Vehicles"

If you look at the link I provided it specifically states this sentence under Certification:

"I will operate one or more of the following commercial motor vehicle(s) that exceeds 26,000 lbs GVWR or GCWR and requires a Class A or B license that is exempted by the Texas Commercial Drivers License Act" (Blue highlight is my design)

Rv's are one of the exempt if it is driven for personal use.

Now why would one have to fill out the CDL-2 for exemption when the statement above specifically states, "I will operate one or more of the following commercial vehicle(s)..."

We are not operating a commercial vehicle unless you go by Federal law that states that vehicles that weigh 26,000 lbs or more are commercial vehicles. I wonder why the left hand writing states Commercial and the right hand writing does not - must be a buch of beauracratic mumbo jumbo and if an operator gets stopped they will be at the mercy of the State(s) jurisdiction.

Again, why is it necessary to sign a CDL-2 for exemption if the RV is not considered commercial. It is.

By the same token, a business owner could have an RV with decals on it that is definately used in the business but employees drive the vehcile with the proper licensing. Now comes vacation time and the owner wants to take the RV on a two week trip. He has a standard Class A, B, or C as appropriate for the state he is in and he is driving the RV for "Personal Use Only." Is he allowed.

Strange laws, eh?

Texas CDL-2 Form

p.s., Note that the statement quoted is for 26,000 lbs GVWR or GCWR so if the MH weighs 25,000 pounds and the toad weighs 3500 pounds, that is over 26,000 lbs and a proper class license is reqired, namely a Class B since the toad is under 10,000 lbs.

And look at the bottom of the form, "For Department Use Only" and it states, among other itmes, "Written Exam Required: Texas Commeercial Rules

I think we are driving commercial vehicles but just don't need a CDL.

p.s., it really depends on who is on duty that day. I acquired a CDL back in 1986. At that time I was driving for a private company with a 1 ton truck towing a 14,000 lb trailer. A Class B was required because the trailer was in excess of 10,000 lbs.

Laws change, but somehow a lot of the manuals do not. Also, when searching using the Google Encyclopedia some of the information that it displays is real old information so it is imperative to check the date on information and stay abreast of the laws. Many sties, including Government sites have confusing information.