MENU
SEARCHTo avoid fines and penalties for improper licensing, it’s imperative to understand the nuances behind which of your drivers need a commercial driver’s license. Here is a cheat sheet.
The best way to tell if a vehicle requires a CDL is its weight. Generally, all Class A, B, and C vehicles traveling on the interstate requires the license.
Photo: Lê Minh from Pexels
In order to protect your company from hefty fines, it’s essential to understand whether or not your drivers need a commercial driver’s license (CDL).
There’s a common misconception that CDLs only apply to tractor-trailers or large buses. In reality, the rules and regulations for who needs a CDL are more nuanced than that. They extend to many utility departments, municipalities, and more.
The penalties for driving without proper licensing can be severe for both driver and company. Not only that, but putting someone behind the wheel without the proper certification or training is extremely dangerous.
This article will explain what types of vehicles require a CDL, along with some ways you can ensure your drivers prevent accidents while behind the wheel.
Commercial driver’s licenses were made law on April 1, 1992. Since then, drivers of certain vehicles are required to obtain and hold a CDL from their state in order to drive interstate, intrastate, or foreign commerce.
Whether or not a vehicle requires a CDL is most often determined by weight. However, CDL requirements can also include hazardous materials and passenger capacity.
If a vehicle falls into any of the following categories, a driver needs the corresponding CDL license to drive it:
Class A - Any combination of vehicles that has a gross combination weight rating (GVWR) or gross combination weight of 26,001 pounds or more, inclusive of towed unit(s) with a gross vehicle weight rating or gross vehicle weight of more than 10,000 pounds.
Class B - Any single vehicle which has a gross vehicle weight rating or gross vehicle weight of 26,001 pounds or more, or any such vehicle towing a vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating or gross vehicle weight that does not exceed 10,000 pounds.
Class C - Any single vehicle, or combination of vehicles, that does not meet the definition of Class A or Class B, but is either designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver, or is transporting material that has been designated as hazardous under 49 U.S.C. 5103 and is required to be placarded under subpart F of 49 CFR Part 172 or is transporting any quantity of a material listed as a select agent or toxin in 42 CFR Part 73.
In sum, any vehicle that falls under Class A, B, or C (and is driven interstate, intrastate, or carrying foreign commerce) requires a CDL.
To obtain a CDL, a driver must pass a knowledge and skills test implemented by their state or state provider of CDLs. The test is usually done in the type of vehicle they will be driving for work.
Based on the three license class types, a commercial vehicle is either:
Extremely heavy
Carrying a large number of people
Carrying hazardous materials
Any three of those spell disaster if an accident were to happen. Collisions involving them are more likely to be severe or even fatal. Therefore, it makes sense to ask more of these drivers.
However, just because a driver has their CDL does not mean they’re a safe driver. The test focuses heavily on rules and regulations. While that’s important for CDL drivers, it does not prepare them for being safe, defensive drivers.
Whether you have CDL or non-CDL drivers getting behind the wheel for you, you need to train them on specific safe driving techniques.
Remember, compliance does not equal safety. Safety training is about changing someone’s behavior. If you want to reduce your accidents, you should:
Assign online self-directed training at point of hire
Conduct in-person safety training for new-hires
Host monthly safety meetings focused on loss-leading indicators
Disperse frequent safety messaging to drivers in form of posters, safety e-blasts, etc.
Getting your driver’s the proper licensing and staying compliant is only half the battle. Preventing accidents, reducing your cost of loss, and saving lives is a whole different game all together.
About the Author: John Kuder is a senior instructional designer at Avatar Fleet, the creators of the non-CDL safety training course, The Fleet Safety Course.
Fleet drivers face constant visual, cognitive, and environmental interruptions the moment they hit the road. From roadside chaos to mental fatigue and digital overload, today’s biggest driving risks often come from outside the vehicle itself.
Read More →
FLASH Weather AI has launched a first-of-its-kind hail prediction model capable of forecasting hail size and arrival time at 1-kilometer resolution up to 55 minutes ahead, giving fleets and insurers critical time to prepare for severe storms.
Read More →
As litigation risk rises, vehicles are increasingly targeted. This Coca-Cola bottler shares how it’s reducing exposure through driver training, technology, and a proactive risk management approach.
Read More →
Drivers, supervisors, and data often speak different safety “languages.” Getting on the same page will drive better results.
Read More →
From identity management to third-party certifications, the right technology partner should make security easier to manage. Here are the three building blocks that fleet managers need to stay in control as connected systems scale.
Read More →
Distracted driving remains one of the most persistent risks in fleet operations. New approaches focus on removing mobile device use entirely while adding real-time safety support.
Read More →
As distraction risks evolve, fleets are turning to smarter, more connected technologies to better understand what’s happening behind the wheel. Part 2 explores how these tools are helping identify risky behaviors and improve visibility across operations.
Read More →
What fleets capture to improve safety can also expose them in litigation, forcing leaders to rethink how data is managed, stored, and shared.
Read More →
Distracted driving is often measured by what we can see—phones in hand, eyes off the road. But what about the distractions we can’t? A recent incident raises a bigger question about awareness, attention, and why subtle risks so often go unnoticed.
Read More →
While serious crashes are declining, a rise in minor incidents and ongoing risk hotspots underscore the need for continued fleet safety investment.
Read More →
