AZ law:
To determine whether your vehicle requires that you have a CDL to drive it, find out the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) and compare it with the descriptions below:
If you will drive a combination vehicle (truck and trailer) whose trailer has a GVWR of 10,001 pounds or more and whose total GVWR with the truck is 26,001 pounds or more, you will need a Class A CDL. If you will drive a vehicle whose GVWR is 26,001 pounds or more, you will need a Class B CDL. With the Class B license, you can also tow a trailer whose weight does not exceed 10,000 pounds. If you will transport hazardous materials or more than 15 people (including the driver) in a vehicle whose GVWR is 26,000 pounds or less, you will need a Class C CDL.
IL law:
Driver’s License Classifications
Driver’s licenses are classified by the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of your vehicle.
Drivers seeking a basic license to operate a car in Illinois are issued a Class D license.
• Class A — Any combination of motor vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 pounds or more, providing that the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds. Does not include motorcycles or motor-driven cycles. (A CDL is generally required.)
• Class B — Any single motor vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 pounds or more or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds. Does not include motorcycles or motor-driven cycles. (A CDL is generally required.)
• Class C — Any motor vehicle with a GVWR of more than 16,000 pounds but less than 26,001 pounds; or any such vehicle towing another with a GVWR of 10,000 pounds or less; or any such vehicle designed to carry 16 or more passengers, including the driver, or hazardous materials that require placarding. Does not include motorcycles or motor-driven cycles.
• Class D — Any motor vehicle with a GVWR of 16,000 pounds or less, except those vehicles requiring a Class A, B or C driver’s license or an L or M motorcycle license.
FL law:
Driver License Classes and Endorsements
Commercial Driver Licenses (CDL)
CLASS A: Trucks or truck combinations weighing with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of 26,001 lbs. or more, provided towed vehicle is more than 10,000 lbs.
CLASS B: Straight trucks weighing 26,001 lbs. Gross Vehicle Weight Rating or more.
CLASS C: Vehicles transporting placardable amounts of hazardous materials, or vehicles designed to transport more than 15 persons including the driver with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of less than 26,001 lbs.
NonCommercial Driver Licenses
CLASS E: Any non-commercial motor vehicles with Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) less than 26,001 pounds, including passenger cars, 15 passenger vans including the driver, trucks or recreational vehicles and two or three wheel motor vehicles 50 cc or less, such as mopeds or small scooters. (see below). Farmers and drivers of authorized emergency vehicles who are exempt from obtaining a commercial driver license must obtain a Class E license.
CDL Exemptions
The following persons are exempt from the requirements to obtain a commercial driver license:
•Drivers of recreational vehicles used for recreational purposes; or
•Drivers who operate straight trucks (single units) that are exclusively transporting their own tangible personal property which is not for sale.
VA law:
A driver’s license allows you to operate any vehicle or small
truck less than 26,001 pounds that is exempt from commercial
driver’s license (CDL) requirements.
CDL Classifications
You should get your commercial driver's license (CDL) for the class of vehicle that you plan to drive.
The class of a vehicle is determined by its gross vehicle weight rating and the manufacturer's design. The vehicle's class determines the type of CDL and any endorsements that you are required to have. If you drive a redesigned or altered vehicle, the type of CDL and endorsements that you need is determined by the vehicle's original class and not by the class of the redesigned vehicle.
Class A
Any combination of vehicles with a gross combination weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 pounds or more if the vehicle(s) being towed has a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of more than 10,000 pounds.
NY law:
The NYS driver license classes include:
•Operator, Class D: Issued to drivers age 18 or over, or to drivers age 17 with Driver Education. Valid for passenger cars and trucks with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 26,000 lbs. or less. A Class D driver can drive a vehicle that tows another vehicle (for example a trailer) that has a maximum gross weight of 10,000 lbs. or less. A Class D driver can tow a vehicle with a GVWR of more than 10,000 lbs only if the combined weight rating of the two vehicles is 26,000 lbs. or less.
