# CDL truck and trailer



## T.P. (Dec 11, 2014)

It says that a CDL is required for a GCWR of above 26,000lbs for combination vehicles. What about for pick ups and trailers, how does this apply? A lot of 1 ton truck and trailers exceeds this and I see folks all the time pulling goosenecks with tractors or travel trailers and am doubtful they have a CDL. 

Is this for commercial vehicles only? Or for everyone?


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## Uncle Dawg Bone (Dec 11, 2014)

Like you said it reads just over 26,000, does not make a distinction . This stinks for people that do not use their vehicles for business.


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## CC Rider (Dec 11, 2014)

You must have seen me on 85 south Wednesday morning.


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## T.P. (Dec 11, 2014)

Lol.. no, didn't see you, cc.

That brings up another question. Does a guy pull up to the DMV in a pickup truck and trailer and get a cdl?


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## Gadestroyer74 (Dec 11, 2014)

I also done what your referring to and it's called hot shot and yes if your vehicle can haul 26001 pounds or more you must have a cdl if you are hauling to make money. You have to have us dot numbers and all that stuff ifta etc


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## GIII (Dec 11, 2014)

Rv's are exempt from the CDL requirement. They are also exempt from the medical card requirement.


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## 3d foam killer (Dec 11, 2014)

So if my truck trailer tractor plus attachment weigh 26,001 I'm required to have a cdl even if its not for the use of making money?


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## Gadestroyer74 (Dec 11, 2014)

Only if you plan to use it as interstate commerce to make money be leased to someone etc. if it's for personal use or private you do not need a cdl on a private vehicle like  a dually or 3/4 ton if it has air brakes that's another subject


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## T.P. (Dec 11, 2014)

3d foam killer said:


> So if my truck trailer tractor plus attachment weigh 26,001 I'm required to have a cdl even if its not for the use of making money?



Actually, it's the Weight rating of your vehicle and trailer. For example, my F-350 has a GWR of around 13,000lbs, as seen on the door sticker.

A common trailer has a GWR of 14,000 lbs.

The GCWR is now 27,000lbs which is 1000 over the limit. The truck and trailer can be empty and you'd still need a cdl license.


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## T.P. (Dec 11, 2014)

Uncle Dawg Bone said:


> Like you said it reads just over 26,000, does not make a distinction . This stinks for people that do not use their vehicles for business.





Gadestroyer74 said:


> Only if you plan to use it as interstate commerce to make money be leased to someone etc. if it's for personal use or private you do not need a cdl on a private vehicle like  a dually or 3/4 ton if it has air brakes that's another subject



Two different answers...which is correct?


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## lbzdually (Dec 11, 2014)

Ready for your head to spin?

-Any vehicle engaged in commerce and has a GVWR over 10k means DOT number and you must have medical card.  Over 150 air mile radius, you must have logbook.
-Any single vehicle  in engaged in commerce with GVWR over 26k must have CDL in addition to what I have mentioned above.
-A combination vehicle where the total GCWR (GVWR of truck and trailer) is over 26k AND the trailer weight is 10,000 GVWR or over must have a class A CDL.

-In other words, if your truck has GVWR or 13k and trailer has GVWR of 14k for a total of 27k, then you have to have a CDL.

-If truck has GVWR of 25,999 lbs and trailer has GVWR of 9999lbs, for a GCWR of 35,998, then you don't need a CDL.

-If you are hauling a triple axle 21k RV behind a 14k GVWR dually for your own personal use, then you don't have to have any type of special license AFAIK.


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## T.P. (Dec 11, 2014)

I have a cdl so its not an issue with me. But all my work trucks are 350's and 450's. So the other day I got the bright idea to buy a pivot deck trailer so the guys could haul scissor lifts and the occasional fork lift to jobs behind their truck. 

In the past we've been hiring a wrecker to move the forklifts and hauling the scissor lifts on a gooseneck, which required a crane or another forklift to unload.

I guess I didn't think that one through enough.lol

The 450's are way over the 26,000 limit.


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## T.P. (Dec 11, 2014)

Has anyone ever gotten a cdl license in a pickup truck? What were the exclusions on the license?


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## T-N-T (Dec 11, 2014)

lbzdually said:


> Ready for your head to spin?
> 
> -Any vehicle engaged in commerce and has a GVWR over 10k means DOT number and you must have medical card.  Over 150 air mile radius, you must have logbook.
> -Any single vehicle  in engaged in commerce with GVWR over 26k must have CDL in addition to what I have mentioned above.
> ...



I push my limits on one of these statements weekly.  But thats the way it is I guess.

I also think that if you are "farm use" you get exemptions???


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## jimbo4116 (Dec 11, 2014)

Class A truck
Any combination of vehicles with a GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) of 26,001 or more pounds (11,793 kg) provided the GVWR of the vehicle(s) being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds (4536 kg).
Class B truck
Any single vehicle with a GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) of 26,001 or more pounds (11,793 kg), or any such vehicle towing a vehicle not in excess of 10,000 pounds (4536 kg) GVWR.
Class C truck
Any single vehicle, or combination of vehicles, that does not meet the definition of Class A or Class B, but is either designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver, or is placarded for hazardous materials.

O.C.G.A. § 40-5-156 
Effective Date: 9/2/2009
1-1-.02   Commercial Driver's License Exemptions. Amended.
1.     The following drivers are exempt from the requirement of obtaining a commercial driver's license prior to operating a commercial motor vehicle:

A.     Active duty military personnel, members of the reserves and national guard on active duty (including personnel on full time national guard duty), personnel on part-time training, and national guard military technicians (civilians who are required to wear military uniforms and are subject to the code of military justice);

B.     Firefighters and operators of emergency equipment operating vehicles equipped with audible and visual signals while in the employ of a volunteer or paid firefighting organization. Emergency equipment such as a fire truck, hook and ladder truck, foam or water transporter, or other vehicles used only in response to emergencies are included;

C.    Farm vehicle operators, provided, the vehicle is:

a.     Controlled and operated by a farmer, farm employee, or farmer's family member;

b.     Used to transport either agricultural products, farm machinery, farm supplies, or both, to or from a farm;

c.     Not used in the operations of a common or contract motor carrier; and

d.     Used within 150 miles of the farmer's farm;

D.    Operators of recreational vehicles;


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## T-N-T (Dec 11, 2014)

Thanks Jimbo,  Farmers exempt.  
And I see them loading down a trailer around here...


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## T.P. (Dec 11, 2014)

TopherAndTick said:


> Thanks Jimbo,  Farmers exempt.
> And I see them loading down a trailer around here...



They come by with 25 round bales on a 30 ft trailer. .. I ride way behind them. Lol

But seriously, why would farmers and military be exempt? Why would anyone be exempt?


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## work2play2 (Dec 11, 2014)

I don't have a cdl I pull that much or more and don't have any lights on the trailer.


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## The Longhunter (Dec 11, 2014)

God help you if you ever have to go south over the Florida state line, they will write tickets for crimes you never knew existed.

I got dinged for a 1/2 ton PU with a flatbed trailer.


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## tree cutter 08 (Dec 11, 2014)

Ahh just go down the road till u get stopped. May never. May get stopped tomorrow. They make things to confusing these days.


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## Gadestroyer74 (Dec 12, 2014)

As far as  the log book rule that was mentioned above it's 100 not 150. I have been a cdl driver for 22 years I did hot shot aswell for a couple years. If you hook to a trailer and that trailer gives you a combined weight over 26,001 pounds and you are for hire or leased or making money you have to have a cdl license and medical card and all that bull. Like shown abound ag private use not for hire motorhome etc you do not. If you have a business and transport your product machinery etc you have to have usdot icmc number and cdl license when transporting or hauling over 26001 it's complicated and a royal pain in the rear end. There are so many laws and stuff it's difficult to keep up with it.. Don't even get started on hazmat


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## Rivershot (Dec 12, 2014)

The Longhunter said:


> God help you if you ever have to go south over the Florida state line, they will write tickets for crimes you never knew existed.
> 
> I got dinged for a 1/2 ton PU with a flatbed trailer.



Dinged for what?


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## NOYDB (Dec 12, 2014)

The laws were set up to accomodate the temsters union and their cronys. The regulations were writen by bureaucrats at federal and state versions of what was in one version of the alphabit soup as the ITC (and others). Exemptions were given to protect the oxen of groups that were members of groups that had members of congress already paid for or were part of large voting blocks.

Same as it ever was.


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## bluemarlin (Dec 12, 2014)

T.P. said:


> Has anyone ever gotten a cdl license in a pickup truck? What were the exclusions on the license?



No tractor trailer
No air brakes


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## Gadestroyer74 (Dec 12, 2014)

Just because it doesn't have air brakes doesn't mean you don't have to have cdl as you do reguardless of the vehicle if it has a combined gvrw of 26001 or more and it's not private or a motorhome and your hauling for hire or profit etc you have to have a cdl.. As been mentioned above


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## bluemarlin (Dec 12, 2014)

Rivershot said:


> Dinged for what?



I got hit w over length in the panhandle. 10 hours out plus $1,000 fine that had to be paid before I could leave.


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## Lilly001 (Dec 12, 2014)

I tried to research this issue and am still confused.
I pull a tri axle gooseneck with a 3/4 ton PU. The P/U is registered at 7999 lbs. The tag on the door jamb says GVWR is 9000. The trailer is home made with the six tires rated at 3000 lbs each.
The truck manual says it can tow 12300.
The trailer registration says it weighs 4000 net but does not list a GVWR.
I haul a tractor that weighs no more than 6000.
I am totally private. I make no money hauling. The registrations are in my name only. I have a Fl. Class E (operators) license.
I go through the weight stations and have only once been stopped at the scale, then waved on with no discussion.
I am going by the thought that I can plead ignorance if I run into problems. But I usualy carry a couple K in cash just in case.
Do you all think I'm OK?


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## T.P. (Dec 12, 2014)

Its the weight rating of your axles on the trailer that make up the gvrw of the trailer. If you have (3)- 6k lb axles, you're over weight. 

Back in the heyday, when every guy had a dually and a bobcat trailer running around doing landscaping, I seriously doubt they all had cdl licenses. Which makes me question how often they get checked. But most of them didn't have dot #'s on their door either. I've found out when you paste those numbers on your door youre guilty until proven innocent.


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## T-N-T (Dec 12, 2014)

Seems that if you keep your truck plain and without lettering for a business you are doing yourself a favor.  No business,  no money making rules to follow.  Just tell them that the equipment on the back is for your farm.  Even if its lift.  Tell em its to stack hay.


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## bluemarlin (Dec 12, 2014)

Yep. Not For Hire, if you can swing it.


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## NE GA Pappy (Dec 12, 2014)

Gadestroyer74 said:


> Only if you plan to use it as interstate commerce to make money be leased to someone etc. if it's for personal use or private you do not need a cdl on a private vehicle like  a dually or 3/4 ton if it has air brakes that's another subject



not according to the DOT and the $300 fine I got for not having fire extinquishers in the non commercial truck I was driving.  It was a Izuzu cab over flat bed truck that I used to haul hay for my cows. I did not have any hay on the truck at the time.  I had 5 or 6 lengths of black iron pipe that we were gonna use to run an air line.

I have had a CDL for over 20 years.  I got mine grandfathered in when they changed from a chauffers license in the early 80's.


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## tree cutter 08 (Dec 12, 2014)

Yea when u put the numbers on the door u better know what they expect.


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## LTZ25 (Dec 12, 2014)

Those guys are the only form of police that I don't respect !


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## Dr. Strangelove (Dec 12, 2014)

One other interesting point is that if you hold a CDL, your BAC level for DWI is .04 in _*any vehicle at any time*_.  One of the reasons I dropped my CDL years ago.  (I'm not condoning drunk driving, I'm just saying watch out, that's only two beers)


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## Gadestroyer74 (Dec 12, 2014)

Dr. Strangelove said:


> One other interesting point is that if you hold a CDL, your BAC level for DWI is .04 in _*any vehicle at any time*_.  One of the reasons I dropped my CDL years ago.  (I'm not condoning drunk driving, I'm just saying watch out, that's only two beers)



You cannot even have alcohol period In a commercial vehicle. If you have been drinking the engine can not be running period. They are big jack legs. Yet you can haul 44,000 pounds of beer and that's ok.. Something's may have changed now use to you could not even get in on the drivers side no keys in ignition... Couldn't even sit in the drivers seat.. I don't drink and never had any issue they take that stiff serious. With dot they can and will give you a ticket any time they won't if you get a jerk.. They will find something


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## NOYDB (Dec 13, 2014)

You are a serf in the employ of the transportation guild. Becuse you are in charge of 80,000 lbs of vehicle and any moron in a automobile can cut you off and it's deemed your fault, they have to regulate you.


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## jimbo4116 (Dec 13, 2014)

Questions answered, this is a forum for questions and offering answers.  Please follow the rules.


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