Several RVers have reported that Texas Department of Public Safety troopers are familiar with the regulations regarding Class A and B Exempt licenses as they pertain to RVers, and will enforce them. Although you're unlikely to be stopped by a law enforcement officer just to check your license, if you're stopped for some other infraction, you'll probably get the driving without a license citation too. The penalties can be much higher if you're also driving your rig under the influence, or you're cited in combination with another offense. Penalties vary from state to state, but in Texas that's a misdemeanor carrying a fine of up to $200 for a first offense. What happens if I don't have the proper class of license? Technically, you could receive a citation for driving without a license. Because that's over the 26,001 threshold, we need a Class A Exempt license. However, the F-450 is rated for 13,300 pounds added to the rated weight of our trailer, our combined GVWR is 29,550 pounds. Thus, if the regulations used actual weight, we'd only need the standard Class C driver's license. The F-450's actual weight is about 9,000 pounds, so the combined actual weight of our entire rig is only about 25,250 pounds. Your vehicle's actual weight (gross vehicle weight, or GVW) does not matter.Įxample: we tow our 16,250 pound (actual and rated weight) fifth wheel with a Ford F-450. All the regulations use the maximum weight for which the vehicle is rated (the gross vehicle weight rating, or GVWR). The actual weight of my motorhome/tow vehicle/trailer is less than the weight thresholds above. The last column shows the class of license you will need. In this table, find the GVWR of your motorhome or tow vehicle in the first column, the GVWR of your trailer or toad in the second column, and the combined GVWR of both vehicles in the third column. The license classifications are difficult to parse, because they all refer to each other, so it's easiest to understand them in table form. What license do I need to operate my RV for personal use? It depends on the weight of your rig, including your trailer or toad if you have one. Operators of recreational vehicles driven for personal use are exempt from obtaining a CDL. This FAQ is also the basis for an article on the Escapees RV Club Blog: Guide to Texas Driver’s License Requirements for RVers (August 17, 2020).Īm I required to have a commercial driver's license to operate my personal RV? No. Updated Decemto clarify that the ITD course is not required if you already hold a Texas driver's license. Updated with the new name of the Special Requirements knowledge test. Updated Mawith new link for the driving test appointment scheduling system. Updated as of Jto include information on REAL ID document requirements, Improving Texas Drivers (ITD) course requirement, superseding of Form DL-43 by Form DL-14A, duration of license validity (now eight years instead of six), and license renewal fee. Updated to include information on the new DPS system for scheduling driving tests online as of July 18, 2018. Updated to include new requirement as of Apfor drivers of towables to take the CDL Combinations Knowledge Test in addition to the Texas CDL Special Requirements Test, along with relevant practice information. Updated to include information on the new Non-CDL Class A and B Exempt Vehicles Test Sites as of May 1, 2017. Some of this info has already appeared in various threads on this forum, but I'm trying to consolidate and update it.Īll of this information assumes that you already have a current Texas Class C (passenger vehicle) operator's license.Īll information below is either from the linked websites or from a supervisor at the Texas DPS office where I took my knowledge test, or from my own experience at the DPS offices, unless otherwise noted. It was difficult to figure out what to do and where to do it, so I thought I'd document all the information I can in the hope of helping someone else. We just completed the process of getting our Class A non-commercial upgrades in Texas.
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