Drivers license requirements going state to state

[Popsie]

When we lived in Texas, I had a Class B drivers license because my RV weighs more than 26,000 pounds. That required passing a written test and a driving test.

When we moved to another state, they did not require or offer a similar license for driving our personal Motorhome because in this state, personal Motorhomes are exempt from the requirements for driving commercial vehicles.

We plan to return to Texas for a wedding, and will be traveling in our RV.

Am I legal driving our Motorhome in Texas with my home state license, or does Texas require me to have the Class B license again even though it's not available to me in my current state of residence unless I go through the entire commercial drivers license test, physical exam, etc?

Where would I find this information in the Texas motor vehicle code?

thanks :?

[BobGed]

Like so many of these type of threads, this one has gone so far off topic and has become so repetitive, I'm hoping it becomes clear to the moderators that it should now be closed. 😉

[srx-6]

These quotes are taken directly from the Texas Dept of Public Safety link posted above.
Classified Driver License

Class A, B, C, and M driver licenses are issued to individuals who are exempt from obtaining a commercial driver license (CDL) or who are not required to obtain a CDL.

NOTE: Individuals who are exempt from obtaining a CDL may still be required to obtain a Class A or Class B driver license if the type of vehicle driven meets the definition of a commercial motor vehicle.

Individuals who are exempt from obtaining a CDL but may need a Class A or Class B driver license are:

Operators of recreational vehicles driven for personal use
Some farmers who meet certain criteria
Operators of cotton-seed modules or cotton burrs
A fire-fighting or emergency vehicle operator
Military vehicle operators
Vehicles owned, leased or controlled by an air carrier

Note one possibly could be required to upgrade to a Class A or Class B

Class A

Authorizes an individual to drive a vehicle or combination of vehicles:

1. Not described under a Class B or Class C driver license
2. With a GVWR of 26,001 pounds or more provided the GVWR of the vehicle(s) towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds including vehicles in Class B or Class C

Class of Commercial Driver License (CDL)

Individuals who hold a valid CDL may drive all vehicles in the class for which that license is issued, including their personal vehicle (but not a motorcycle or moped).
Classification

Description

Class A CDL

Authorizes an individual to drive any combination of vehicles with a GCWR of 26,001 pounds or more if the GVWR of the vehicle(s) towed exceeds 10,000 pounds.

Class A and Class A CDL are basically the same description but as noted Operators of recreational vehicles driven foe personal use are exempt from obtaining a CDL.

Hope this clears up any confusion with Texas drivers license.

[Trumpet_Player]

msmith1199 wrote:

Trumpet Player wrote:

usersmanual wrote:

Trumpet Player wrote:

donn0128 wrote:
I assume the MH is also licensed in your new home state? If so, you are legal to drive it in any state and Canada, Mexico. Only thing you need to worry about are speed laws.

What does the state of vehicle registration have to do with it? Using that theory, rental vehicles/cars would be a problem for everyone.

everything in the world difference the rental cars not in your name the motor home most likely is.the rental car your kinda of borrowing the motor home your not
don't know about US but in Canada (eg)you cant drive a private BC plated vehicle (in your own name) with a alberta drivers licence and vice versa legally

Please point out the Federal or State statute(s) to support your theory of a vehicle registration needing to match the State of operator license issue. There are none.

That is not the law in the US. In fact there may be laws that require you to have your vehicle registered in another state. For example, I live in California. I could very easily store my motorhome in Idaho and just fly up there to use it. In the event I did that, not only would it be legal to be registered in Idaho, it would be required. And that would not prohibit me from bringing it back to California, but there were would time limits I would have to comply with as to how long it could be in California.

I agree with you 100%. If you look back, the post I was responding to stated that an operator's license and vehicle registration must match to be legal. That post is wrong.

[Kayteg1]

Understanding legal language sure is a skill, but this is what I see.

Class A CDL wrote:

Authorizes an individual to drive any combination of vehicles with a GCWR of 26,001 pounds or more if the GVWR of the vehicle(s) towed exceeds 10,000 pounds.

There might be exception for RV trailers somewhere else, but I understand it pretty clearly that you need CDL for trailers >10k
I think it goes even farther than CA law, that require CDL only for trailers, while TX also require it for (10k) toads.
As I said, those things have too many variations, too many interpretations and too many changes done every year

[DrewE]

Kayteg1 wrote:

tkcas01 wrote:

Kayteg1 wrote:
So in TX you can pull >10k lb cargo trailer without CDL?
You have a link to show it?

http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/DriverLicense/dlClasses.htm

It says clearly you need commercial Class A CDL for that.

You need a CDL only if the combined weight rating of the trailer and the tow vehicle is greater than 26,000 pounds. It is legal to pull a trailer of more than 10,000 pounds weight rating without a CDL (in any state, in as much as the CDL requirements are set at the federal level) if the tow vehicle is small enough. Don't ask me why it's set up that way; I do not know.

[msmith1199]

Trumpet Player wrote:

usersmanual wrote:

Trumpet Player wrote:

donn0128 wrote:
I assume the MH is also licensed in your new home state? If so, you are legal to drive it in any state and Canada, Mexico. Only thing you need to worry about are speed laws.

What does the state of vehicle registration have to do with it? Using that theory, rental vehicles/cars would be a problem for everyone.

everything in the world difference the rental cars not in your name the motor home most likely is.the rental car your kinda of borrowing the motor home your not
don't know about US but in Canada (eg)you cant drive a private BC plated vehicle (in your own name) with a alberta drivers licence and vice versa legally

Please point out the Federal or State statute(s) to support your theory of a vehicle registration needing to match the State of operator license issue. There are none.

That is not the law in the US. In fact there may be laws that require you to have your vehicle registered in another state. For example, I live in California. I could very easily store my motorhome in Idaho and just fly up there to use it. In the event I did that, not only would it be legal to be registered in Idaho, it would be required. And that would not prohibit me from bringing it back to California, but there were would time limits I would have to comply with as to how long it could be in California.

[Kayteg1]

tkcas01 wrote:

Kayteg1 wrote:
So in TX you can pull >10k lb cargo trailer without CDL?
You have a link to show it?

http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/DriverLicense/dlClasses.htm

It says clearly you need commercial Class A CDL for that.

[srx-6]

Kayteg1 wrote:
So in TX you can pull >10k lb cargo trailer without CDL?
You have a link to show it?

In Texas you can pull a cargo trailer over 10k without a CDL(Commercial Driver License) as long as it is an recreational vehicle and not being used in commerce. You will have to upgrade your license to a class A to do so legally. Then you will be legal to drive in all states.

[tkcas01]

Kayteg1 wrote:
So in TX you can pull >10k lb cargo trailer without CDL?
You have a link to show it?

http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/DriverLicense/dlClasses.htm

[Trumpet_Player]

usersmanual wrote:

Trumpet Player wrote:

donn0128 wrote:
I assume the MH is also licensed in your new home state? If so, you are legal to drive it in any state and Canada, Mexico. Only thing you need to worry about are speed laws.

What does the state of vehicle registration have to do with it? Using that theory, rental vehicles/cars would be a problem for everyone.

everything in the world difference the rental cars not in your name the motor home most likely is.the rental car your kinda of borrowing the motor home your not
don't know about US but in Canada (eg)you cant drive a private BC plated vehicle (in your own name) with a alberta drivers licence and vice versa legally

Please point out the Federal or State statute(s) to support your theory of a vehicle registration needing to match the State of operator license issue. There are none.

[Kayteg1]

So in TX you can pull >10k lb cargo trailer without CDL?
You have a link to show it?

[tkcas01]

msmith1199 wrote:

Old-Biscuit wrote:

msmith1199 wrote:

dougrainer wrote:
In 37 years in Texas as a Motorhome Service Tech, I have never heard or had a customer get a ticket with just a standard Drivers License. Even when driving over 26k motorhomes. Doug

Is it actually required in Texas? In California a Class B license is also required to drive a vehicle over 26k GVWR. But if you check the fine print there is a little provision in there that exempts RV's. I have spoken with people who didn't realize RV's were exempt from that weight section.

What about in CA......
MHs over 40' but under 45'
MHs over 45'?
Trailers over 10,000#/5th wheels over 15,000#?

We weren't talking about that. The subject was simply vehicles with a GVWR over 26,000 pounds. My 35 foot DP falls in that category.

Since we are still talking about this, in case anyone was wondering, in TX if you drive a motorhome over 26K lbs AND pulling a trailer/toad weighing over 10K lbs, that would require the Class A Non-CDL exampt license.

I never expect to need to do that, so just applied for the Class B. No mention was made about towing during the testing process.

[msmith1199]

Old-Biscuit wrote:

msmith1199 wrote:

dougrainer wrote:
In 37 years in Texas as a Motorhome Service Tech, I have never heard or had a customer get a ticket with just a standard Drivers License. Even when driving over 26k motorhomes. Doug

Is it actually required in Texas? In California a Class B license is also required to drive a vehicle over 26k GVWR. But if you check the fine print there is a little provision in there that exempts RV's. I have spoken with people who didn't realize RV's were exempt from that weight section.

What about in CA......
MHs over 40' but under 45'
MHs over 45'?
Trailers over 10,000#/5th wheels over 15,000#?

We weren't talking about that. The subject was simply vehicles with a GVWR over 26,000 pounds. My 35 foot DP falls in that category.

[msmith1199]

tkcas01 wrote:

msmith1199 wrote:
Is it actually required in Texas?

It is. I just went through that after changing residence to TX. While the details can be found in the statutes and such, here is the application for a non-CDL Class A or B exempt license. Note item 4 where you certify that you will be driving an RV over 26,000 lbs.

https://www.dps.texas.gov/internetforms/Forms/CDL-2.pdf

Interesting to see number 3 on the list. It says Military operating Military vehicles is also required to have the Class A or B as required. I thought State DL laws didn't apply to military members driving military vehicles as long as they met the military requirement to drive those vehicles? I know military pilots do not need a pilot's license to fly military planes, they just need the military certification to fly.