Dive into the different CDL classifications—Class A, B, and C—each tailored to specific vehicle sizes and types for various driving careers.
Type of License | Description | Vehicles You May Drive |
---|---|---|
Class A CDL | Required to operate any combination of vehicles with a gross combination weight rating (GVWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, provided the towed vehicle is heavier than 10,000 pounds. | Tractor-trailers (also known as Semi, Big Rig, or 18-wheeler), Truck and trailer combinations, Tanker vehicles, Livestock carriers, Flatbeds. Most Class B and Class C vehicles, depending on endorsement requirements. |
Class B CDL | Required to operate any single vehicle that isn’t hitched to a trailer (commercial trucks that have an attached cab and cargo area with a combined weight greater than 26,000 pounds, as well as trucks with a detached towed cargo vehicle that weighs less than 10,000 pounds). | Straight trucks, Large buses (city buses, tourist buses, and school buses), Segmented buses, Box trucks (including delivery trucks and furniture trucks), Dump trucks with small trailers. Some Class C vehicles with the correct endorsements. |
Class C CDL | Required to operate a single vehicle with GVWR of less than 26,001 pounds or a vehicle towing another vehicle that weighs less than 10,000 pounds, or transports 16 or more passengers, including the driver. | Double/Tripe Trailers, Buses, Tank Trucks, HazMat Vehicles. |