CDL to pull your TH

It is not so much the CDL that bothers me but the wrong tow vehicle (ie F250 pulling a Cyclone 4100, etc.). I would be more interested in that enforcement rather than whether or not you knew about air brakes (that 5th wheels don't have) and stupid parts of the Class A (California) test that have nothing to do with towing a fiver over 10000 pounds.

Merry Christmas to all of my brother (and sister) toy hauler family members. Be safe. Brendan

schwipps324 wrote:
We recently purchased a Cyclone 4100 HD, with a GWR 18000 lbs. Has anyone with a larger TH like this ever had issues with the DOT needing a CDL because of the weight? The local BMV told me I didn't need one but just curious if anyone has ran into problems.

Most states do not require a CDL to pull a fifth wheel.

My personal opinion is that a CDL should be required by anyone that pulls fifth wheel, travel trailer, or motorhome. There are too many idiots on the road that have no clue what they are doing. These people spend their whole life driving nothing bigger than a honda civic then decide to retire and get a big trailer. How many have you seen that can't even back a trailer?

At least if they have to take the written and road tests they have some clue as to what they are doing.

christopherglenn wrote:

VintageRacer wrote:
The guy has an Indiana license. Why post what all the other State licensing laws are if they don't apply to him? There is full reciprocity of drivers licenses, after all.

You need to look up what reciprocity means as far as drivers licenses.
In a nutshell it means that all 50 states recognize your license as valid, and you don't need to get one for every state you plan to drive in. As far as registration, it is the same, you don't have to register your equipment in every state you drive in.
If a state requires a class A, that is what you need. Your home state laws are irrelevant once you cross into another state.

The laws I posted are the ones from the indicated home states of the prior posters, as an example that California is not the only one.

This is not true. Individual states can NOT enforce their licensing requirements on Properly licensed drivers from other states.

Y-Guy wrote:


From the CA DMV Handbook:
Adults Visiting California

Visitors over 18 years old with a valid driver license from their home state or country may drive in California without getting a California driver license as long as their home state driver license is valid.

From OR DMV Handbook:
Residents of other states operating vehicles in Oregon must be at least 16 years of age and have a valid out-of-state driver license, or be at least 15 years of age and have a valid out-of-state instruction permit

Yes, but it doesn't say anything about Class. From the CA DMV website:

With a Basic Class C license:
A 2-axle vehicle with a GVWR of 26,000 lbs. or less.
A 3-axle vehicle weighing 6,000 lbs. gross or less.
A motorized scooter.
Any housecar 40’or less.
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.

NOTE: No passenger vehicle regardless of weight, may tow more than one vehicle. No motor vehicle under 4,000 lbs. unladen may tow any vehicle weighing 6,000 lbs. or more gross. (CVC §21715)


With a Noncommercial Class A license:
Any vehicle under Class C.
Travel trailers weighing over 10,000 lbs. GVWR, not used for hire.
5th-wheel travel trailers weighing over 15,000 lbs., not used for hire.

Think of it like the speed limit. You may be able to do 70 mph with a trailer in one state, but, in California for example, you can only do 55. You have to obey the laws in each state.

Of course, I'm just pointing this out for sake of argument with what he said. But he's wrong.

Working with a police department, I can tell you that you DO NOT need the Non-Commercial Class A License coming from out of state. It also follows under the same thing that if you are visiting from Arizona (I use them a lot because they are our neighbors, and frankly a better state) you can still drive your vehicle in California without a front license plate and tinted windows, because it is not against the law in that state.

Here in Ontario Canada they have in the past left rv'ers alone for fear of hurting tourism. Reciently there have been many tickets given to friends of mine for being over weight, and tv being purchased are by virtue of being heavy seem to be coming from the dealers with commercial registrations and all the hassle that follows. The advantage to requiring a commercial ticket while a pain to maintain does require some level of training to acquire in theory making you safer on the road. At the least an understanding of the systems used on your vehicle at the time of your check drive at the DMV. I feel this is especially important if using air brakes.

offtohavasu wrote:
And Arizona may not require a CDL for RVs over 15,000 GVWR (5th wheel), but when you cross in to California, you need to obey their laws, and would require a CDL to pull a trailer over 15,000 GVWR.

If you are a Commercial Drivers this might be true but I question it in reference to a non-commercial driver. States have a level of reciprocity from State to State for temporary visits that apply pretty much across the board except for age limits. It would be an administrative nightmare trying to pull over out of state vehicles to determine if they met the CA rules.

From the CA DMV Handbook:
Adults Visiting California

Visitors over 18 years old with a valid driver license from their home state or country may drive in California without getting a California driver license as long as their home state driver license is valid.

From OR DMV Handbook:
Residents of other states operating vehicles in Oregon must be at least 16 years of age and have a valid out-of-state driver license, or be at least 15 years of age and have a valid out-of-state instruction permit

C=Commercial
D=Driver
L=License

Unless you are a commercial hauler, how could a commercial license ever be required?

mpierce wrote:
"You need to look up what reciprocity means as far as drivers licenses.
In a nutshell it means that all 50 states recognize your license as valid, and you don't need to get one for every state you plan to drive in. As far as registration, it is the same, you don't have to register your equipment in every state you drive in.
If a state requires a class A, that is what you need. Your home state laws are irrelevant once you cross into another state."


Not sure where you are going. Seems like in the first half, you say if you are legal with your license in your home state, you are good everywhere. Then, in the second half, you say your home state laws are irrelevant. ?


Which is it? Maybe I am reading it wrong?

What he is saying is you don't have to have 50 Driver's licenses and you don't need to 50 registrations. 1 for each is all that is required, however, you have to obey the LAWS as they pertain to each individual state.

Meaning, if you live in Arizona, that's the only license and registration you need. And Arizona may not require a CDL for RVs over 15,000 GVWR (5th wheel), but when you cross in to California, you need to obey their laws, and would require a CDL to pull a trailer over 15,000 GVWR.

"You need to look up what reciprocity means as far as drivers licenses.
In a nutshell it means that all 50 states recognize your license as valid, and you don't need to get one for every state you plan to drive in. As far as registration, it is the same, you don't have to register your equipment in every state you drive in.
If a state requires a class A, that is what you need. Your home state laws are irrelevant once you cross into another state."


Not sure where you are going. Seems like in the first half, you say if you are legal with your license in your home state, you are good everywhere. Then, in the second half, you say your home state laws are irrelevant. ?

Which is it? Maybe I am reading it wrong?

Have seen a bit relating to this lately,as in who has to scale or not etc., but as a rule of thumb federal and state dots' are concerned with commercial interstate traffic only and will not infringe upon the general Rv'ing publoic.