Unless you are driving a COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLE you do not need a CDL. Having a CDL when you do not need it will get you jammed up as you will most likely not be in compliance with all CDL rules.
The operation of a privately owned vehicle is not under the pervue of the FMSCA.
If you leave the state, you need IFTA. If you have a CDL, and a trailer with anything on it with no DOT/IFTA sticker you are going to have a NICE LONG CHAT with the trooper. Your drivers may not 'do anything' but you may have a back end that does it for you. Plus if you mistakenly pull into a weigh station and they don't see the proper tags/stickers you get to sit, and since you have a CDL they can suspend it, and now you have NO LICENSE to drive your truck.
Call your insurance company. They will tell you if you need a CDL as operating a commercial vehicle without a CDL is illegal. The BIGGEST HEADACHE is that every state is different. You will have to root around and get the answer from your own DMV. I know in PA I don't need one (just a PA non-commercial class 'A').
Last edited by pfarber; 04/01/2014 4:43 AM.
