Drivers License

[Don]

I am a new member so this is my first thread

The information I have gotten from reading other threads has been very helpful in selecting a used Marathon that I hope will give my wife and I many years of enjoyment.

I have a class C license.

I have always been told that a person with a class C license could drive any Motorhome that motorhomes were exempt from any special license.

I have read several different state MVA laws and as I understand it, from reading them any vehicle including a Motorhome over 26000 pounds require you to have a class B license.

I would like some input on this subject.

Example but not limited to.

Do all of you have a class A or B license????

Do the police not enforce the issue, ETC???

Has anyone tried to get a license in any of the remaining lower 47 states with a Montana LLC Title and tags???

[Jon Wehrenberg]

The state you reside in (and presumably your coach is registered in) controls what license you are required to have. In TN for example a regular driver license is all that is required to drive a 45 foot coach registered in TN. Other states, CA for example require a Class B (non-commercial) to drive the same coach.

There are two schools of thought relative to a license. The one I hold is that if you do not possess a license showing at the least that you have the skills to drive a heavy big coach if you are involved in an accident it would be easy for the other side's lawyer to question how you could possibly be qualified to even be on the road. The other viewpoint is if you possess a higher class license such as a Commercial Class B the officer that stops you for a traffic infraction will be harder on you since you should be expected to know better. I have no clue which is the better approach since I have a Class A license yet have never been stopped in the 20 plus years I have owned and driven my coach.

The Montana title and license issue has been discussed at length here and while there is no doubt you can save taxes or licensing fees, the revenue hungry states that are being deprived of those fees due to the "loophole" in laws have been shown to be going after those who use Montana licensing to evade taxes, as opposed to avoiding taxes (which is legal). Recently since the economic crunch it has been posted here that there have been reports of substantial penalties for coach owners who have used the Montana licensing loophole. Apparently the key to avoiding hassles and penalties if caught is to make sure the coach and toad both have the Montanna license, and if the coach is parked in a state other than Montana, keep it and the plates out of sight of jealous neighbors and nosy taxmen.

As to enforcement, a lot of us are overlength for example. A 45 foot coach towing almost any vehicle in excess of 15 or 16 feet is beyond the length limit for most states. Some of us are overweight on an axle. Some of us lack the correct driver license. But because we are motorhomes we apparently are not high priority when it comes to enforcement. That is not necessarily true however if we get stupid and push other drivers up the fast lane at excessive speeds. For the most part as long as we don't draw attention to ourselves we tend to not be targets for law enforcement.

[Will Garner]

Don,

I vote with Jon. In NC a Class C is the only license required for operation of an RV. I tried to get a CDL but they won't allow that unless I can seat more than 16 passengers. Not a chance that's going to happen; or pull a trailer with a GVWR of more that 10,000 pounds. They would let me get a "Classified B" license with the coach. I also had to take a road test to get the license. The examiner, a nice lady, said she had never given a road test in one of these. Proves there is a first time for everything. I asked her where she wanted me to drive and she said Myrtle Beach SC. I said fine, I'm full of fuel and we can be back before closing time. I think she thought I was serious, well maybe I was. I got the license and have not been pulled for anything other than citrus going into California. Looks like California should be just as concerned over what pests may be leaving the State in their citrus products to check all outbound vehicles for citrus products. That would be one way to keep Pelosi at home!

[Gary Carmichael]

AHMEN Brother

[Ray Davis]

As Jon mentioned, in CA any motorhome over 40 foot in length requires a class B license. I believe most of the CA poggers have gone to the trouble of getting that license. The biggest concern to me was if involved in an accident, and not having a valid license, would leave you vulnerable to all sorts of legal attacks, and possibly your insurance refusing to pay etc. Not worth it in my book.

As for the Montana plates, as an example in CA they are now actively looking for Montana registered motorhomes, specifically towing a car with CA plates. They will stop you for that, even going into RV parks I'm told, and ask you 5 questions.

1. In which state do you live?
2. In which state is your car licensed?
3. In which state to you file state taxes?
4. In which state do you work?
5. In which state is your motorhome licensed?

If the answer to 1-4 is CA, and the last one is Montana, you're up to your neck in fines, penalties, tax evasion charges etc. I believe the Colorado boys have also indicated the CO is going heavily after Montana plate holders.

Ray


ps: I would venture to guess that it's NOT where your bus is titled/registered that determines what type of DL you require, but which state your DL issued issued.

[Don]

Again as others have said being a member of POG is money well spent.
I now have a class B learner’s permit in my pocket.
I have passed the written test.
I will have a class B or class A licensed driver with me until I pass the three test mentioned below
I will take the, pre trip inspection, off street maneuvers, and driving test ASAP.
I am going back to the Maryland MVA ASAP to get the procedure that I will need to follow in order to transfer the Prevost from Pennsylvania to Maryland
(I know, pay the current owner First)

[Ray Davis]

Congratulations on working towards the class B. So, I assume it's required in Maryland?

[Don]

Rest assured it is I have been to the MVA and was assured that any vehicle over 200,001 pounds especially with air braked, you need a class B license

I talked with a rep of a large Maryland Motorhome sales company today and he assured me that anyone can drive any Motorhome in the state of Maryland with a class C license.

I think the link below will prove to anyone that you need a class B license in Maryland

http://www.mva.maryland.gov/Driver-S...recreation.htm

As I mentioned before I now have a class B learners
I hope to have a class B license in a timely bases.
The coach is on its way.

[Sid Tuls]

What coversion and year did you buy? I bet your having a hard time sleeping!! I know i did when i was waiting for my coach.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Sure looks like a Class B is required. Apart from the fact you have to go through the testing, one of the most significant benefits to the driver is the license test will verify you know and understand the air brake system, something that is very important to know and understand.

If the test does not go into detail on the air brake system try to do some study to learn how it operates and how to do pre-trip inspections of the system.