Proper license for truck, trailer and driver

crl800

Member
Do you guys who pull tandem dually trailers with 1ton trucks get dot inspections and have class A licence? Do you need that for personal use? Most of the big trailers are licensed for more weight than the truck is supposed to pull. Just looking for input. Thanks, Carl.
 
What is this license for more weight than the truck can haul. Any place I had to plate the weight limits were on the truck and it was just a simple plate on the trailer no weight rating for the trailer.
A farm plate had no weight rating per say on it just the limits of the tires and axles. Be it a pickup to a semi.
If it is an apportioned plate (commercial) then there is a weight limit on the truck plate you can select the weight based on what you need. Like a semi from about 80,000 to 160,000 plus.
 
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Indiana does have a plate rating on trailers from 3,000 lbs. t0 22,000 lbs. and over that a semitrailer plate with no rating. Farm plates are 1/2 price of regular plates.Farm plate Is good for something like only 150 miles from home base and hauling your goods only.
 
(quoted from post at 04:56:32 04/25/18) Do you guys who pull tandem dually trailers with 1ton trucks get dot inspections and have class A licence? Do you need that for personal use? Most of the big trailers are licensed for more weight than the truck is supposed to pull. Just looking for input. Thanks, Carl.

It is a touchy subject. If you are operating commercially, you need to meet all the requirements. Otherwise, just pretend ignorance and do your best to stay under the radar.
 
Ohio you do not licence to weight like that. The plate is same for all and you just pay price for the weight rating the maker gives the trailer. Actually what you pay is on the weight of the trailer and above that makers weight is considered overload. My trailers are considered a 7,000# trailer with 2 3,500# axles and one weighs 1,500#, so load of 5,500#, the other weighs 1,750# so load allowed is 5,250# and you cannot licence for more.
 
With my F550 in Virginia I have to get enough weight licensed on the truck to cover the gross of the truck,trailer and any load I haul,also the truck has a Gross Combination Weight
Rating and not supposed to go over that.A 1 ton truck with a tandem dual trailer will easily go over the GCWR if it has much load on it.
 

Best thing to do is check with your states licensing branch as each state has their own regs for personal and farm tags.
Fed rules pertain to commercial use and define what is commercial.
Individual states have their own rules for private and or farm use.
Here in Ky we have 2 farm tags, 26000 tag requires a standard license, not med card, unlimited miles anywhere, any state.
Over 26000 requires DOT number on the side of the truck, med card, annual inspection, limited milage and RUG permit to travel across state lines, also have to cross any roadside scales.
Personal tag has a whole nother set of rules.
 
The answer you get here will be all over the place. By THE FMCSA regulations: even a personal use vehicle over 26000# GVWR is required to comply to FMCSA regulations. A lot depends on the attitude of vehicle enforcement personnel where you will be operating. If they push the issue, you will be subject to the commercial regulations
 
I license my one tons for 30,000 gvw I did commercial hauling for awhile and had dot numbers and the whole works. I?m just farm now and I don?t carry all the numbers anymore . I do have a class a cdl and medical card so i can jump in a semi when I need to
 
I live in Indiana. Got pulled over in Michigan and the cop said for the size of my trailer i needed a class A cdl in Michigan? So I asked every time i drive to Michigan I need a cdl? So he looked it up and said I was farm exempt up to 150 miles.he let me go no warning and no ticket believe it or not!
 
Why don't you contact your local motor vehicles bureau and ask them that question. That way you will get the CORRECT answer.
 
I disagree. Many local license branches have no clue what is needed. They simply sell what you request. Need to contact state department of vehicle enforcement or enforcement personnel to get a more reliable answer. Even then, it may vary between officers and states.
 
(quoted from post at 03:46:26 04/26/18) Why don't you contact your local motor vehicles bureau and ask them that question. That way you will get the CORRECT answer.

You can ask 3 different D.O.T. officers and you will get 3 totally different answers. You can ask the same question to 3 different highway patrol officers, and also get 3 totally different answers, and those answers will be different from what the DOT officers gave you.

Follow the rules for securing the load, obey the speed limits, keep your vehicle in good shape, and stay under the radar.
 
Class A license is the only somewhat simple question to answer. If your trailer is over 10000 gross weight and your gross combination weight is over 26000, you need a class A (USA). If your trailer is less than 10000 gvw, and your tow vehicle is less than 26000 you do not need a class A. Some states offer a non commercial class A. This is aimed primarily at people pulling RVs, but would apply if you are non commercial as well.

The definition of commercial is a bit more difficult. Federal and many of the state's have certain criteria that must be met to be non commercial.
The vehicle must be registered to a real person.
Any costs of the vehicle may not be deducted as a business expense.
Any income earned from activities involving said vehicle must be declared as ordinary income.
No sponsorship of related activities is allowed. (Ie. racing/pulling)
Some states stipulate that the use be for personal pleasure.

If you are doing farm related activities, it is considered commercial.
 
You can go to your states . gov and get about 95% or more of what you need to know. If you live on a state line you may have to check with both states.
 

Doesn't mater about the other states.
I live 15 miles from In, 100 miles from Tn, as long as I'm legally licensed in Ky. mine tag is honored in all other states.
There are tags that do not allow you to cross state lines or limit how far one can travel in other states, but the OP was asking about personal tags.
For us as long as we are legal in our state with personal tags, we're legal in all other states as well, if we're operating illegal in our state, we're illegal everywhere.
 
True in theory but not so true in the real World try making your case to a DOT officer 2 states away.I live in Virginia go thru 4 states on I 81 in about 40 mile stretch things can get complicated and when I hit PA I'm still under the 150 mile limit with farm tags.
 

This forum is about the worst possible place on the planet to get this information. From FMCSA website:

Overview
Driving a Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) requires a higher level of knowledge, experience, skills, and physical abilities than that required to drive a non-commercial vehicle. In order to obtain a Commercial Driver's License (CDL), an applicant must pass both skills and knowledge testing geared to these higher standards. Additionally CDL holders are held to a higher standard when operating any type of motor vehicle on public roads. Serious traffic violations committed by a CDL holder can affect their ability to maintain their CDL certification.

Licensing

Driving a commercial motor vehicle is a big responsibility. It requires special skills and knowledge. Most drivers must obtain a commercial driver's license (CDL) through their home State (it is illegal to have a license from more than one State). In addition, special endorsements may be required if you or your company drivers will be driving any of the following vehicles:

a truck with double or triple trailers
a truck with a tank
a truck carrying hazardous materials
a passenger vehicle

Contact your State licensing bureau (e.g., Department of Motor Vehicles) for details.
 
You need to qualify that. Contact the head
office of your state agency. The local
branches are often clueless.

Local branch of DMV had my F350 registered
for 12000 lbs. Said that was what it has to
be. I read the laws and talked to the head
office. Minimum registered weight here in
ND is 2x curb weight. So for me it is 18000
lb minimum. But, the truck needs to cover
the trailer. So I am registered for 30000
now. Lady at the local office wanted to
argue when I changed it, but finally gave
in and did it.
 
(quoted from post at 06:47:58 04/27/18) True in theory but not so true in the real World try making your case to a DOT officer 2 states away.I live in Virginia go thru 4 states on I 81 in about 40 mile stretch things can get complicated and when I hit PA I'm still under the 150 mile limit with farm tags.



I have and won, I've traveled Ky, WV, VA, Tn, Al, In, Il Wi, Mn, and Ia towing a trailer with my 26000 lb Ky farm tags. As I said in a earlier post 26000 lb Ky farm tag has unlimited milage, if I move up to the over 26000 lb Ky Farm tag milage is limited along with other regs I have to abide by.

The OP asked about personal tag and so far this entire thread as been about Commercial, Farm or tags other than personal.

I do agree the OP should contact their state agency's to get the proper answer for Their state.

I used to load out of Winchester, Va. I remember that little stretch of I81 where you go from Va thru WV and Md into Pa while traveling less than 40 miles.
 
Then I guess you tell the BMV in your state you consulted with the yesterdays tractors brain trust and according to them this is how it is.
 
>26,000 lbs gross combined = Class A required

<26,000 lbs gross combined = No Class A required.

DOT numbers are not required if your not operating commercially.
 
(quoted from post at 08:56:51 05/18/18) I think you meant
<26,000 GVWR needs Class A CDL
>26,000 GVWR doesn't need CDL

AllisGuy, you might want to check your symbol use.
 

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