Do you have to have a CDL to drive a motorhome? I live in Texas and I have been told that you do and then some say you do not. Just wondering if anyone knew for sure.
If your motorhome weighs over 26,001 lbs or has air brakes, you are supposed to have a Class B non-CDL license in Texas. Texas is a state which requires a license.
Go to you closest DMV and request a study guide. It'll confirm what I just said.
I am certain there will be posters who tell you that a license for a privately-owned recreational vehicle is not required. Believe me, in Texas it is required for the weight or air brakes.
This is not a Commercial Driver's License. You will, however, study the same manual that the commercial drivers study, and take the same test.
Bud Parrish wrote: Believe me, in Texas it is required for the weight or air brakes.
Interesting. I'm familiar with the weight (26,001lbs and larger)requirement. Could you point me to the link in the license requirements for air brakes alone?
The Driver's Handbook (here) cites Texas Transportation Code, Section 521 as the basis for non-CDL license requirements. I can find no reference in any of that text about air brakes?
Why am I interested? Our RV has a GVW of 22K lbs but does have air brakes. We've been driving it on our Class C licenses for 5 years. I'd had to think that we've been scoff laws all of that time.
Most states that have licence restrictions will require a Class B non-commercial licence for vehicles over 26,000 pounds. Of these, most of them use the same drivers skill test for a non-commercial licence as they do for a commercial licence. If it has air brakes, you need to get the air brake endorcement (part of the test). I don't know of any that make you maintain the DOT physical part of it
Our state has a test for RV drivers that allows you to obtain an RV endorcement but not a truck or school bus endorcement. The skill test is less rigorous. Kind of a Class B "light".
If you look at the prologe of the Texas Commercial Drivers Licence Handbook (click here) you will find, happy days, that you do not need to have the hassle of getting a commercial drivers licence in Texas. BUT, if your rig it 26001 pounds or greater you will need a non-CDL B endorsement.
From the manual:
"All drivers who operate a commercial motor vehicle (see
definition on page 1-1) will be required to have a
Commercial Driver License (CDL) by April 1, 1992. The law
does provide for some exemptions. If the driver meets one
or more of the criteria listed below, he will not be required to
have a CDL. However, the driver will be required to have a
Class A, B, or C Non-CDL License.
Who is exempt from a CDL? (Certification form CDL-2
required)
Persons operating the following vehicles are exempt from a
Commercial Driver License:
...snip...
4. A recreational vehicle that is driven for personal use.
Hope that helps you out.
If you click here you will be taken to a wbpage that gives info on a stae by state basis about licencing requirements. I didn't write it, so don't shoot me, but it gives a lot of links to state DMV's
* This post was
edited 01/24/09 01:50am by D & M *
Dave
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