Licensing questions

rolling_rhoda wrote:
I know some will say find an attorney. Suggest one to call and I will, thank you.

See, used to be folks needed to just look in the Yellow Pages for a whole list of lawyers. These days, most people wanting to talk to a lawyer just type "lawyer city state" (inserting the city and state of interest in the appropriate place) over at google. Just sayin'.

J-Rooster wrote:
Anyone can drive a RV in Washington State! You can be in failing health, you need no special license or endorsements.

True...

Married couple next door. She couldn't re-new because she kept having strokes and couldn't hear. He couldn't see, almost legally blind.

But riding together as a team (only way they could get around) she would tell him what color the lights were.

After she passed away he would sit in RV sipping his coffee dreaming of going places but couldn't. So sad.

Consider this:
Driving your RV in any state is clearly personal use
Driving your truck and livestock trailer across state lines may be business use. Clearly if you were driving to say a "Horse Show", it might be personal. But if you were going to buy or sell livestock????

Isn't the very definition of interstate commerce crossing a state line for commercial purposes?

There is reciprocity in Driver licensing in all 50 states and Canada. This means whatever licensing rules apply to you in your home state will apply in all 50 states,territories, and Canada.

There are additional FEDERAL licensing requirements for operators of commercial vehicles over 26,001 pounds or over 16 passengers. These are also reciprocal. Correctly registered vehicles are also reciprocal.

There are some "grey" areas such as a class "A" CDL where a truck towing a trailer over 10,000 pounds and the combination is over 26,001 pounds. (Dually pickup and a stock trailer for instance.) Also there may be special livestock restrictions that are unique to states. This happens a lot across state lines. The operator may be exempt from a CDL if it is local agricultural, or owner hauling his own products locally.

No RV restrictions can be imposed by another state if not required by your home state.

Hope this helps. BTW over 41 years experience in this field.

You mention that this is a "personal livestock" trailer. By livestock, I assume you are referring to farm animals versus it being a horse trailer? Horses can be pets and people often transport them around to various events. But sounds like you are talking about moving farm animals across state lines in some trailer that is larger than your normal trailer since you mentioned size. So sounds to me like you are engaged in Interstate commerce and driving a vehicle large enough to require a commercial license when you engage in interstate commerce, yet as long as you stay in your own state you aren't engaging in interstate commerce so maybe you don't need the commercial license there?

J-Rooster wrote:
Anyone can drive a RV in Washington State! You can be in failing health, you need no special license or endorsements.

No, actually "anyone can drive an RV in Washington State" WHO IS PROPERLY LICENSED IN THEIR HOME STATE. There is reciprocity between states in terms of driver's licenses.

The only exception is if you RV physically does not meet the standards in WA (or any other state), as things like weight limits, speed limits, length limits, number of tows allowed are all determined by each state and you must meet the requirements of the state you are in.

wildtoad wrote:
If you were legal in your home state then you should be legal in all states. Otherwise there could be utter chaos travelling across country. At least that's my opinion.

that is fact

Grandpere wrote:

wildtoad wrote:
If you were legal in your home state then you should be legal in all states. Otherwise there could be utter chaos travelling across country. At least that's my opinion.

And that is why there is a federal law that stipulates that each state will honor the licensing requirements of the other states. Sorry cannot quote chapter and verse :)

As I recall it is not a Federal law but rather an agreement between the states.. I say this because 40 years ago there were a couple of states that had NOT entered into that agreement and I am told (By a professional OTR truck driver I trust) that it was possible to obtain a license in one of the non-agreement states and then if you got stopped you presented that license (In a member state) or your home license (in the non-member states) and since there was no agreement, there were no points on your record.

However that is no longer true as the non-member states joined up.

That said: does not matter, the effect is the same no matter if it is a Federal Law or 50 states (well 51 if you count D.C.) agreeing on something. (52 of you count confusion and for 53 add denial)

Hi, OP here.

Thanks for advice so far. I thought Inwas right on the rv questions, and it seems you all are in agreement.

As for the trailer question: it's a 35- foot gooseneck pulled by a non-dually pickup. Hauling four calves plus equipment like fans, haters, brushes, and feed to a calf show in Ohio. The calves are not for sale. No one in the vehicle had a CDL, not required at home. Both truck and trailer are registered in same individual's name and he doesn't have a CDL. Hipo said that its length made it commercial in Iowa. Fined for operating without CDL, no commercial vehicle inspection stickers, failure to stop at weigh stations. Hipo asked if they were carrying alcohol. Sure, two sealed fifths of Black Velvet in one guy's suitcase in the truck box....which the hipo demanded and poured out on the side of the highway. No one was speeding, everyone cooperated including paying the fines. Hipo was not friendly. In all our travels with livestock (ND, SD, MT, WY, CO, MN, IA, NE, KS, IL, IN, KY) they've never been pulled over for anything, so this was a real shock.

I think I would write the IA attorney general, or whomever, clearly spelling out the facts and ask for a legal opinion.
bumpy