Maximum Driving Length and License

[rookie_rv]

Rookie RVer here :C I want to know what the rules / law is regarding maximum driving length, and if specific driver's license required.

After years, and years of begging I finally got permission to upgrade from the family's financial adviser. One idea is to get a toy hauler. The other idea is to get a Class A and a 16ft trailer (hold two ATVs). Do you know if there's a special driver's license requirement for......let's say.......a 30ft Class A towing a 16ft trailer?

Where would I start to research this?

[Tom_Barb]

diplomatdon wrote:
Tom/Barb, I don't know of any ICC law that states that home state laws override individual State laws. 43 years and over 3 million miles commercial driving experience, each state and province and province has their own laws and regulations. Anecdotal stories are well and good, however because you got away with something doesn't mean it is legal. Many people get away with doing illegal things however don't have an accident, because the first thing any Insurance Co is going to look for is a way of getting out of paying. Don

in all those miles, have you ever seen a sign at the state line "vehicles over XX' stay out" ?

[azdryheat]

What was the question again?

[JaxDad]

Tom/Barb wrote:

JaxDad wrote:

Tom/Barb wrote:

JaxDad wrote:

As mentioned earlier, vehicle weight and length limits are NOT covered by reciprocity.

I believe they are.

funny thing, when we went thru NC we had no problems. towing a 26' trailer behind my 40' coach, over all length of 68'--- Wa. state plates.

your state may restrict the length of that state's vehicles but it can't restrict my states's vehicles length.

As Bumpy mentioned, you didn't get caught, that's different from being legal. There's a poster here with an enclosed trailer behind a 45' coach that is not legal in any state and seems to brag that he's never been stopped in all the years he's been doing so.

Maximum vehicle length, weight and speed are all things that are within each States jurisdiction. If length was covered by reciprocity differing lengths would be meaningless, drivers licensed from different States could haul varying length loads in the same State, even within the same company. "Give that load to Fred, he's legal for 75'."

Simply show me the NC vehicle code that says they will prohibit any vehicle from other states from entering, that are not in compliance with NC requirements.

The interstate commerce act says they can't.

I posted it yesterday at 8:56am. It is a State law, no different than a speed limit, or do you think people from Nevada can drive 75mph anywhere because their home state allows them to and reciprocity means they can everywhere else too?

Lots of things are determined solely by each States laws, use of seat belts, speed limits, towing double, trailer brakes, the list goes on & on.

[diplomatdon]

Tom/Barb, I don't know of any ICC law that states that home state laws override individual State laws. 43 years and over 3 million miles commercial driving experience, each state and province and province has their own laws and regulations. Anecdotal stories are well and good, however because you got away with something doesn't mean it is legal. Many people get away with doing illegal things however don't have an accident, because the first thing any Insurance Co is going to look for is a way of getting out of paying. Don

[Tom_Barb]

JaxDad wrote:

Tom/Barb wrote:

JaxDad wrote:

As mentioned earlier, vehicle weight and length limits are NOT covered by reciprocity.

I believe they are.

funny thing, when we went thru NC we had no problems. towing a 26' trailer behind my 40' coach, over all length of 68'--- Wa. state plates.

your state may restrict the length of that state's vehicles but it can't restrict my states's vehicles length.

As Bumpy mentioned, you didn't get caught, that's different from being legal. There's a poster here with an enclosed trailer behind a 45' coach that is not legal in any state and seems to brag that he's never been stopped in all the years he's been doing so.

Maximum vehicle length, weight and speed are all things that are within each States jurisdiction. If length was covered by reciprocity differing lengths would be meaningless, drivers licensed from different States could haul varying length loads in the same State, even within the same company. "Give that load to Fred, he's legal for 75'."

Simply show me the NC vehicle code that says they will prohibit any vehicle from other states from entering, that are not in compliance with NC requirements.

The interstate commerce act says they can't.

[JaxDad]

Tom/Barb wrote:

JaxDad wrote:

As mentioned earlier, vehicle weight and length limits are NOT covered by reciprocity.

I believe they are.

funny thing, when we went thru NC we had no problems. towing a 26' trailer behind my 40' coach, over all length of 68'--- Wa. state plates.

your state may restrict the length of that state's vehicles but it can't restrict my states's vehicles length.

As Bumpy mentioned, you didn't get caught, that's different from being legal. There's a poster here with an enclosed trailer behind a 45' coach that is not legal in any state and seems to brag that he's never been stopped in all the years he's been doing so.

Maximum vehicle length, weight and speed are all things that are within each States jurisdiction. If length was covered by reciprocity differing lengths would be meaningless, drivers licensed from different States could haul varying length loads in the same State, even within the same company. "Give that load to Fred, he's legal for 75'."

[Bumpyroad]

Tom/Barb wrote:


funny thing, when we went thru NC we had no problems. towing a 26' trailer behind my 40' coach, over all length of 68'--- Wa. state plates.
.

that "proves" nothing. perhaps you just didn't get caught????
bumpy

[Tom_Barb]

JaxDad wrote:

As mentioned earlier, vehicle weight and length limits are NOT covered by reciprocity.

I believe they are.

funny thing, when we went thru NC we had no problems. towing a 26' trailer behind my 40' coach, over all length of 68'--- Wa. state plates.

your state may restrict the length of that state's vehicles but it can't restrict my states's vehicles length.

[Terryallan]

JaxDad wrote:

Terryallan wrote:
Have to check with your states for license requirements. but as a private citizen. You can drive as long as you want.

I'm not sure where you got that idea, but it's absolutely wrong.

Just an example, in North Carolina, § 20-116. Size of vehicles and loads. (d)(3) says;

(d) Maximum Length. - The following maximum lengths apply to vehicles.

(3) Recreational vehicles shall not exceed 45 feet in length overall, excluding bumpers and mirrors."

-and-

(e) Except as provided by G.S. 20-115.1, no combination of vehicles coupled together shall consist of more than two units and no such combination of vehicles shall exceed a total length of 60 feet inclusive of front and rear bumpers......."


There is NO mention of Commercial or Private, it applies to ALL vehicles operated in the State, regardless of whether it's a NC licensed driver or another State.

As mentioned earlier, vehicle weight and length limits are NOT covered by reciprocity.

As I understood the question. I took it to mean how long / how many hours a person can drive in a day. If that is the case. There is no limit for private drivers. Commercial drivers have a time limit, but not private drivers

[Tom_Barb]

xctraveler wrote:

Tom/Barb wrote:
Wa. state,, 75' any single vehicle or in combination.

No special license or endorsement required. for private coaches.

OKay, then why did I have questions about how to cover a load in a bulk carrier? sure didn't seem relevant to driving an RV.

Because it is state law that ALL loads be covered. bulk carrier requires a CDL here also. they are not private coaches.
HERE we are not required to comply with commercial requirements for private vehicles.

[Bumpyroad]

JaxDad wrote:

Terryallan wrote:
Have to check with your states for license requirements. but as a private citizen. You can drive as long as you want.

I'm not sure where you got that idea, but it's absolutely wrong.

Just an example, in North Carolina, § 20-116. Size of vehicles and loads. (d)(3) says;

(d) Maximum Length. - The following maximum lengths apply to vehicles.

(3) Recreational vehicles shall not exceed 45 feet in length overall, excluding bumpers and mirrors."

-and-

(e) Except as provided by G.S. 20-115.1, no combination of vehicles coupled together shall consist of more than two units and no such combination of vehicles shall exceed a total length of 60 feet inclusive of front and rear bumpers......."


There is NO mention of Commercial or Private, it applies to ALL vehicles operated in the State, regardless of whether it's a NC licensed driver or another State.

As mentioned earlier, vehicle weight and length limits are NOT covered by reciprocity.

I read that post to mean any age, which is also incorrect.
bumpy

[JaxDad]

Terryallan wrote:
Have to check with your states for license requirements. but as a private citizen. You can drive as long as you want.

I'm not sure where you got that idea, but it's absolutely wrong.

Just an example, in North Carolina, § 20-116. Size of vehicles and loads. (d)(3) says;

(d) Maximum Length. - The following maximum lengths apply to vehicles.

(3) Recreational vehicles shall not exceed 45 feet in length overall, excluding bumpers and mirrors."

-and-

(e) Except as provided by G.S. 20-115.1, no combination of vehicles coupled together shall consist of more than two units and no such combination of vehicles shall exceed a total length of 60 feet inclusive of front and rear bumpers......."


There is NO mention of Commercial or Private, it applies to ALL vehicles operated in the State, regardless of whether it's a NC licensed driver or another State.

As mentioned earlier, vehicle weight and length limits are NOT covered by reciprocity.

[Solo]

Second Chance wrote:
There is both accurate and inaccurate information above. This link gives a state-by-state run-down of license requirements:

Requirements by state



Rob

Thanks for posting-Good reference. Quick "at a glance" licensing state-by-state. I can't verify the accuracy for others, but for Kansas-spot on.

Interesting that only 15 states have some type of licensing requirements for over 26K GVW or 10K towing. That means that a large number of RVs may be driven with minimal licensing requirements. Good or bad, that is what makes the debate interesting.

[Passin_Thru]

OK 1st, There is no reciprocity for length and doubles triples etc. Drivers liscense is the same. If you are legal in Va, you are legal in all 50 states and Canada. Read DOT liscense regs.Most stes require a Class B if you are over 26001 lb and you may tow a trailer under 10K.
https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/Freight/sw/overview/index.htm Some states have a 65 ft length limit and will measure trucks but not RVs. Now, get off the interstate and see!

[rk911]

Desert Captain wrote:

rk911 wrote:

Desert Captain wrote:
"check your home state's licensing regulations. my belief is if you're legal in your home state you'll be legal in the other 49 due to reciprocity."

Not necessarily true... {doesn't work with firearms either}.

:C

drivers license reciprocity is not the same thing as traffic laws or gun laws. without reciprocity people could not freely travel between the states by private vehicle.

The point was {and is}, that just because you may be legal in your home state you cannot assume said legality in other states. This applies to licensing, total length, weight and a host of other regulations.

:C

i'm pretty certain you can when it involves non-commercial driver's licenses.