RV Driver's License Requirements
Individuals operating large
recreational vehicles
often ask if a special driver's license is required.
Because driver's licenses are issued by each state (and Washington D.C.), the rules vary.
We have researched RV driver's license requirements for all fifty states plus D.C. and compiled the summary below.
Our primary source of information were the official driver's license web sites for each jurisdiction.
In cases of insufficient or conflicting information, we called the appropriate departments to confirm.
Commercial Driver's License
When discussing driver's license requirements for large RV's, the Commercial Driver's License (CDL) topic often follows closely behind.
To answer common questions about the CDL, we have compiled the following summary:
- CDL is administered by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)
- FMCSA defines minimum requirements that all states must meet when issuing CDL's
- States are free to define more stringent CDL rules
- FMCSA regulations only address
commercial motor vehicles
(CMV)
- RV's used strictly for recreational and other non-commercial functions do not meet the FMCSA definition of a CMV
Federal Class A & B CDL Requirements
Disclaimer:
All content as is, no warranty.
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FMCSA defines several CDL classes based on vehicle weight, type, and cargo.
While most states do not require a CDL for driving large RV's, some do require special non-commercial licenses structured after the federal classification.
The two classes applicable to RV's are A & B, which are defined below:
- Class A: Any combination of vehicles with a
GVWR
of 26,001 or more pounds provided the GVWR of the vehicle(s) being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Class B: Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing a vehicle not in excess of 10,000 pounds GVWR.
If you are not sure what the various weights mean, please see Understanding RV Weights.
State Driver's License Summary
This section contains a summary of non-commercial RV driver's license requirements of the fifty states plus Washington D.C.
|
Legend:
|
|
State - State or Washington D.C. code
CDL - Indicates if CDL is required for non-commercial RV's
Special - Indicates if special driver's license is required
DL - Abbreviation for "driver's license"
Review - Date of information review
Information Confidence Levels:
- High, documents specific or confirmed with officials
- Medium, confirm with your state
- Low, confirm with your state
- Incomplete information or still researching
|
> - Greater than
Y - Yes
N - No
k - 1,000
|
| State |
CDL |
Special |
DL Web Site |
Comments |
Review |
|
AK
|
N
|
N
|
DL Web Site
|
|
Jul 05
|
|
AL
|
N
|
N
|
DL Web Site
|
|
Jul 05
|
|
AR
|
N
|
N
|
DL Web Site
|
Driver's license manual states that a Class D license is valid up to 26,000 lb GVWR.
We confirmed by phone that the Class D license is valid for all RV's.
|
Jul 05
|
|
AZ
|
N
|
N
|
DL Web Site
|
Driver's license and CDL manuals imply that a CDL is required above 26,000 lb GVWR.
However, A.R.S. 28-3102 exempts RV's from CDL requirement.
|
Jan 14
|
|
CA
|
N
|
Y > 10k lb or > 40'
|
DL Web Site
|
Motor homes over 40' but not longer than 45' require non-commercial Class B.
Trailers over 10,000 lb GVWR and fifth wheels over 15,000 lb GVWR require non-commercial Class A.
See Recreational Vehicles and Trailers Handbook.
|
Oct 08
|
|
CO
|
N
|
N
|
DL Web Site
|
While CDL manual states that a CDL is required for trucks above 6,500 lb, we confirmed by phone that CDL is not required for any RV.
|
Jul 05
|
|
CT
|
N
|
Y > 10k lb
|
DL Web Site
|
Class 2 license required for trailers above 10,000 lb GVW
|
Jul 05
|
|
DC
|
Y > 26k lb
|
N
|
DL Web Site
|
According to officials, a CDL is required above 26,000 lb.
Must pass the CDL knowledge test, but the road test is not required.
|
Jan 06
|
|
DE
|
N
|
N
|
DL Web Site
|
|
Jun 11
|
|
FL
|
N
|
N
|
DL Web Site
|
Driver's license manual states that a Class E license is valid up to 26,000 lb GVWR.
However, Florida statute 322.53(2)(d) exempts all RV's from CDL requirement, regardless of weight.
|
Jan 14
|
|
GA
|
N
|
Y > 26k lb
|
DL Web Site
|
Class E or F required over 26,000 lb.
|
Nov 16
|
|
HI
|
Y > 26k lb
|
Y > 15k lb
|
DL Web Site
|
Class 4 license required for trailers weighing more than 15,000 lb and less than 26,000 lb. CDL implied above 26,000 lb.
|
Jul 05
|
|
IA
|
N
|
N
|
DL Web Site
|
|
Jul 05
|
|
ID
|
N
|
N
|
DL Web Site
|
|
Jul 05
|
|
IL
|
N
|
Y > 16k lb
|
DL Web Site
|
Above 16,000 lb GVWR or
GCWR,
or towing above 10,000 lb, requires non-commercial Class A, B or C.
|
Aug 07
|
|
IN
|
Y > 45'
|
N
|
DL Web Site
|
|
Aug 09
|
|
KS
|
N
|
Y > 26k lb
|
DL Web Site
|
Above 26,000 lb GVWR or
GCWR
requires non-commercial Class A or B
|
Feb 14
|
|
KY
|
N
|
N
|
DL Web Site
|
|
Jul 05
|
|
LA
|
N
|
N
|
DL Web Site
|
|
Jul 05
|
|
MA
|
N
|
N
|
DL Web Site
|
Driver's license manual states that a Class D license is valid up to 26,000 lb registered weight.
We confirmed by phone that the Class D license is valid for all RV's.
|
Jul 05
|
|
MD
|
N
|
Y > 26k lb
|
DL Web Site
|
Above 26,000 lb
GVW
requires non-commercial Class A or B
|
Apr 20
|
|
ME
|
N
|
N
|
DL Web Site
|
|
Jul 05
|
|
MI
|
N
|
Y > 1 trailer
|
DL Web Site
|
"R" endorsement required if pulling two trailers
|
Jul 05
|
|
MN
|
N
|
N
|
DL Web Site
|
|
Jul 05
|
|
MO
|
N
|
N
|
DL Web Site
|
|
Jul 05
|
|
MS
|
N
|
N
|
DL Web Site
|
|
Jan 14
|
|
MT
|
N
|
N
|
DL Web Site
|
Driver's license manual states that a Class D license is valid up to 26,000 lb GVW.
We confirmed by phone that the Class D license is valid for all RV's.
|
Jan 14
|
|
NC
|
N
|
Y > 26k lb
|
DL Web Site
|
Above 26,000 lb GVWR or
GCWR
requires non-commercial Class A or B
|
Jul 05
|
|
ND
|
N
|
N
|
DL Web Site
|
|
Jul 05
|
|
NE
|
N
|
N
|
DL Web Site
|
|
Jul 05
|
|
NH
|
N
|
N
|
DL Web Site
|
Driver's license manual states that a Class D license is valid up to 26,000 lb GVW. We confirmed by phone that the Class D license is valid for all RV's.
|
Jan 06
|
|
NJ
|
N
|
N
|
DL Web Site
|
|
Jul 05
|
|
NM
|
N
|
Y > 26k lb
|
DL Web Site
|
Above 26,000 lb GVW requires class E.
See sections 18.19.5.30 and 18.19.5.112 in TRD Publication 18.18 & 18.19 NMAC.
|
Oct 08
|
|
NV
|
N
|
Y > 10k lb
|
DL Web Site
|
When towing trailer above 10,000 lb GVWR, requires "J" endorsement.
Above 26,000 lb GVWR or
GCWR
requires non-commercial Class A or B.
|
Jul 05
|
|
NY
|
N
|
Y > 26k lb
|
DL Web Site
|
Above 26,000 lb GVWR requires "R" endorsement.
A new law enacted 7/2005 has eliminated the non-CDL class C.
See The Elimination of the Non-CDL Class C License.
|
Jan 07
|
|
OH
|
N
|
N
|
DL Web Site
|
|
Jul 05
|
|
OK
|
N
|
N
|
DL Web Site
|
|
Jul 05
|
|
OR
|
N
|
N
|
DL Web Site
|
|
Jul 05
|
|
PA
|
N
|
Y > 26k lb
|
DL Web Site
|
Above 26,000 lb GVWR or
GCWR
requires non-commercial Class A or B
|
Sep 09
|
|
RI
|
N
|
N
|
DL Web Site
|
According to DL officials, above 26,000 lb GVWR or
GCWR
requires commercial Class A or B. However,
RI statute 31-10.3-16 (5) speicifally exempts RV's.
|
Aug 07
|
|
SC
|
N
|
Y > 26k lb
|
DL Web Site
|
Above 26,000 lb GVW requires Class E or F
|
Jan 07
|
|
SD
|
N
|
N
|
DL Web Site
|
|
Jul 05
|
|
TN
|
N
|
N
|
DL Web Site
|
|
Sep 10
|
|
TX
|
N
|
Y > 26k lb
|
DL Web Site
|
Above 26,000 lb GVWR or
GCWR
(while towing > 10,000 lb) requires non-commercial Class A or B
|
Jan 14
|
|
UT
|
N
|
N
|
DL Web Site
|
Also see the License Class section in the Utah Investigators Vehicle Crash Report Instruction Manual.
|
Jun 10
|
|
VA
|
N
|
N
|
DL Web Site
|
Information confirmed by a VA state trooper.
|
Jun 08
|
|
VT
|
N
|
N
|
DL Web Site
|
|
Jul 05
|
|
WA
|
N
|
N
|
DL Web Site
|
|
Jul 05
|
|
WI
|
Y > 45'
|
N
|
DL Web Site
|
RV exemption in CDL manual: "motor home, fifth wheel mobile home,... provided it isn't longer than 45 feet"
|
Jul 05
|
|
WV
|
N
|
N
|
DL Web Site
|
|
Jul 05
|
|
WY
|
N
|
Y > 26k lb
|
DL Web Site
|
Above 26,000 lb GVWR or
GCWR
requires non-commercial Class A or B
|
Jul 05
|
|
|