Getting My CDL

I've decided to do it. I am getting my Commercial Driver's License. Since it's quite a process, I thought I'd blog about how to get it done in case anyone else is considering it as well. Under normal circumstances, I think you can get it done within a month. Since the DMV is not taking appointments right now, it's going to take me longer. That's okay because there's a lot that I need to do to prepare. As I complete various steps in the process, I'll share them here. Knowing if you need a CDL is the first step.

The first thing is to understand the types of licenses that you can get here in California. This info graphic offers a mostly clear explanation. Basically, you can have a:

• Class M1/M2 - for motorcycles 
• Commercial Class C - for carrying hazardous materials in a regular sized vehicle
• Class C - you can drive any single vehicle with a GVWR less than 26,000 pounds and tow a trailer with a maximum GVWR of 10,000 pounds or a fifth wheel with a GVWR of 15,000 pounds or less. This is your basic driver's license that we all have.
• Noncommercial Class B - this is for driving a motorhome that's between 40 and 45 feet in length plus towing a single vehicle with a GVWR of 10,000 pounds or less or towing a fifth wheel of 15,000 pounds or less, all not for hire.
• Commercial Class B - this is for driving a vehicle with a GVWR that is more than 26,000 pounds while towing a trailer with a GVWR of 10,000 pounds of less.
• Noncommercial Class A - this is for hauling travel trailers with a GVWR of over 10,000 pounds or a fifth wheel weighing over 15,000 pounds both of which are not for hire. More on this below.
• Commercial Class A - this is for towing any single vehicle with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of more than 10,000 pounds.

Combined GVWR is 24,602 pounds.

So now that we know what kind of licenses there are, how do you know if you need a Commercial Driver's License? If you're a truck driver for hire, the answer is easy. Yes, you need one. But why in the world does an amateur who drives her own pickup truck and a horse trailer that is not for hire to a show need a Commercial Driver's License? When you start looking for an answer, especially here in California, be prepared to find a lot of confusing information on the DMV's website.

​The first thing you need to figure out is your trailer's Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) which refers to the maximum allowable weight of any given vehicle. The GVWR is what the manufacture stipulates that your trailer is rated to weigh when fully loaded. That's what determines what kind of license you need. My trailer's GVWR information is under the gooseneck on a metal plate. Every trailer will have one somewhere. And actually, it has a lot of other interesting information that you might find helpful.

Definitely over 10,000 pounds.

If your trailer's GVWR is 10,001 pounds or more, you need a Class A driver's license. The question is which one. There is a Noncommercial Class A license which permits you to haul a travel trailer with a GVWR of over 10,000 pounds. There is also a Commercial Class A license, which is also for hauling trailers with a GVWR of 10,001 pounds or more. This license is much, much harder to obtain.

Page 2-14 of the California Commercial Driver Handbook

It would seem that I should be able to get a Noncommercial Class A. After all, my trailer has a GVWR of more than 10,000 pounds, and I am not hauling for hire. Here's the rub: horse trailers are not classified as travel trailers, even those with living quarters. And this sucks. Big time. Those big toy haulers you see? They're travel trailers. And although they transport property, they're still travel trailers first. Those drivers are eligible for a Noncommercial Class A license.

Page 1-2 of the California Commercial Driver Handbook states, "Horse trailers are defined as property carrying vehicles and the addition of "living quarters" to a trailer does not permanently alter that vehicle for human habitation. The "living quarters" are secondary or incidental to the primary function of the vehicle, which is transporting property." That means I can't use a Noncommercial Class A license which is much easier to obtain.

NOT a travel trailer.

On page 1-1, the handbook also states, "Horse trailers with living quarters and GVWR over 10,000 pounds require a commercial Class A DL. Restriction 88 will be added onto the DL if the truck and trailer GCWR [Gross Combined Weight Rating] is under 26,001 pounds." Restriction 88 means that even though you have a commercial Class A license, you would be restricted to hauling trailers that together with your truck have a combined weight of under 26,001 pounds.

It's frustrating that drivers of RVs, like the jumbo-sized toy haulers, are exempt from this law. Those drivers can haul a much heavier vehicle than I can, even with a Commercial Class A license. How is that fair? It's not, but until the law changes, we're all stuck with it the way it is. So, this means I am getting a Class A Commercial Driver's License. I've already started the process.

Stay tuned for more.