Virginia § 46.2-341.16 - Vehicle classifications, restrictions, and endorsements

§ 46.2-341.16. Vehicle classifications, restrictions, and endorsements

A. A commercial driver's license or commercial learner's permit shall authorize the licensee or permit holder to operate only the classes and types of commercial motor vehicles designated thereon. The classes of commercial motor vehicles for which such license may be issued are:

1. Class A-Combination heavy vehicle. -- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combination weight rating of 26,001 or more pounds, provided the gross vehicle weight rating of the vehicles being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds;

2. Class B-Heavy straight vehicle or other combination. -- Any single motor vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing a vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating that is not in excess of 10,000 pounds; and

3. Class C-Small vehicle. -- Any vehicle that does not fit the definition of a Class A or Class B vehicle and is either (i) designed to transport 16 or more passengers including the driver or (ii) is used in the transportation of hazardous materials.

B. Commercial driver's licenses shall be issued with endorsements authorizing the driver to operate the types of vehicles identified as follows:

1. Type T-Vehicles with double or triple trailers;

2. Type P-Vehicles carrying passengers;

3. Type N-Vehicles with cargo tanks;

4. Type H-Vehicles required to be placarded for hazardous materials;

5. Type S-School buses carrying 16 or more passengers, including the driver;

6. Type X-combination of tank vehicle and hazardous materials endorsements for commercial driver's licenses issued on or after July 1, 2014; and

7. At the discretion of the Department, any additional codes for groupings of endorsements with an explanation of such code appearing on the front or back of the license.

C. Commercial driver's licenses shall be issued with restrictions limiting the driver to the types of vehicles identified as follows:

1. L for no air brake equipped commercial motor vehicles for licenses issued on or after July 1, 2014. An applicant is restricted from operating a commercial motor vehicle with any type of air brake if he does not take or fails the air brake component of the knowledge test or performs the skills test in a vehicle not equipped with air brakes;

2. Z for no full air brake equipped commercial motor vehicles. If an applicant performs the skills test in a vehicle equipped with air over hydraulic brakes, the applicant is restricted from operating a commercial motor vehicle equipped with any braking system operating fully on the air brake principle;

3. E for no manual transmission equipped commercial motor vehicles for commercial driver's licenses issued on or after July 1, 2014;

4. O for no tractor-trailer commercial motor vehicles;

5. M for no class A passenger vehicles;

6. N for no class A and B passenger vehicles;

7. K for vehicles not equipped with air brakes for commercial driver's licenses issued before July 1, 2014. An applicant is restricted from operating a commercial motor vehicle with any type of air brakes if he does not take or fails the air brake component of the knowledge test or performs the skills test in a vehicle not equipped with air brakes;

8. K for intrastate only for commercial driver's licenses issued on or after July 1, 2014;

9. V for medical variance; and

10. At the discretion of the Department, any additional codes for groupings of restrictions with an explanation of such code appearing on the front or back of the license.

D. Commercial learner's permits shall be issued with endorsements authorizing the driver to operate the types of vehicles identified as follows:

1. Type P-Vehicles carrying passengers as provided in § 46.2-341.10;

2. Type N-Vehicles with cargo tanks as provided in § 46.2-341.10; and

3. Type S-School buses carrying 16 or more passengers, including the driver as provided in § 46.2-341.10.

E. Commercial learner's permits shall be issued with restrictions limiting the driver to the types of vehicles identified as follows:

1. P for no passengers in commercial motor vehicles bus;

2. X for no cargo in commercial motor vehicles tank vehicle;

3. L for no air brake equipped commercial motor vehicles for commercial learner's permits issued on or after July 1, 2014. An applicant is restricted from operating a commercial motor vehicle with any type of air brake if he does not take or fails the air brake component of the knowledge test;

4. M for no class A passenger vehicles;

5. N for no class A and B passenger vehicles;

6. K for vehicles not equipped with air brakes for commercial learner's permits issued before July 1, 2014. An applicant is restricted from operating a commercial motor vehicle with any type of air brake if he does not take or fails the air brake component of the knowledge test;

7. K for intrastate only for commercial learner's permits issued on or after July 1, 2014;

8. V for medical variance; and

9. Any additional jurisdictional restrictions that apply to the commercial learner's permit.

F. Persons authorized to drive Class A vehicles are also authorized to drive Classes B and C vehicles, provided such persons possess the requisite endorsements for the type of vehicle driven.

G. Persons authorized to drive Class B vehicles are also authorized to drive Class C vehicles, provided such persons possess the requisite endorsements for the type of vehicle driven.

H. Any licensee who seeks to add a classification or endorsement to his commercial driver's license must submit the application forms, certifications and other updated information required by the Department and shall take and successfully complete the tests required for such classification or endorsement.

I. If any endorsement to a commercial driver's license is canceled by the Department and the licensee does not appear in person at the Department to have such endorsement removed from the license, then the Department may cancel the commercial driver's license of the licensee.

1989, c. 705, § 46.1-372.15:1; 1990, c. 218; 2006, c. 226; 2012, cc. 22, 111; 2013, cc. 165, 582; 2014, cc. 77, 803; 2015, c. 258.