Data Dictionary > Referenced Material > Commercial Class Definition

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Commercial Motor Vehicle

Commercial Class Definition

A Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) is any motor vehicle used to transport passengers or property for compensation. Section 49 CFR 383.91 of the federal regulations defines classifications for commercial vehicles and the licenses required for operating them.

Value

Description

A

Class "A" vehicles [49 CFR 383.91(a)(1)]

  • any combination of vehicles with a GCWR of 26,001 or more pounds, provided the GVWR of the vehicle(s) being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.

(Holders of a Class A license may with the appropriate endorsement operate all Class B & C vehicles).

B

Class "B" vehicles [49 CFR 383.91(a)(2)]

  • any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or
  • any such vehicle towing a vehicle not in excess of 10,000 pounds GVWR.

(Holders of a Class B license may with the appropriate endorsement, operate all Class C vehicles).

C

Class "C" vehicles [49 CFR 383.91(a)(3)]

  • any single commercial vehicle, or
  • combination of vehicles,

that meets neither the definition of group A nor that of group B, but that either:

  • is designed to transport 16 or more passengers including the driver, or
  • is used in the transportation of materials found to be hazardous for the purposes of the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act and which require the motor vehicle to be placarded under the Hazardous Materials Regulations (49 CFR 172, subpart F) .

The following examples illustrate a few of the vehicle combinations that are categorized in a particular class, there are many other configurations that can be assigned a particular commercial class.

Single Unit Truck

Truck Trailer Combo

School or Passenger Bus

Vehicle Weight

Trailer Weight

Class

n/a

class-tttclass-tht

class-pT

GCWR > 26,000 lb

> 10,000 lb

A

class-sht

class-tlt

class-busclass-sBus26

GVWR > 26,000 lb

< 10,000 lb

B

class-mt-hme

class-hmt

class-sBus25

GVWR < 26,000 lb

 

C

Note sections 49 CFR 350.105 and 49 CFR 390.5 define a CMV as having a weight of 10,000 lb or more. There is no class code for a CMV weighing 10,000 lb to 26,000 lb, unless the vehicle is used to transport passengers or Hazardous Materials. So a base license can be used to operate these light CMVs.

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