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Federal regulations
Iowa has adopted Part 391 of the Federal Regulations with some exceptions.
Applicability
Part 391 applies to a driver of a commercial motor vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more, or hauling hazardous materials required to be placarded.
Age
Persons driving commercial motor vehicles in Iowa must be at least 18 years old. Drivers employed by retail dealers of fertilizer, petroleum products and pesticides and delivering such products to farm customers within a 100-mile radius must be at least 18 years old. Drivers of other hazardous materials requiring placarding must be 21.
Driver qualification file
A driver qualification file (Sec. 391.51) is required. There are exceptions to the physical qualification requirement. See Physical Qualification below for details.
Operator’s license
The commercial license classes are as follows:
| Class | Description |
|---|---|
| Class A | Any combination of vehicles with a gross combination weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, provided the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is 10,001 pounds or more. |
| Class B | Valid for the operation of a vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds or a combination of vehicles with a GCWR of 26,001 or more pounds if the towing vehicle has a GVWR 26,001 or more pounds and the towed vehicle has a GVWR of less than 10,001 pounds. |
| Class C - Commercial | Valid for any single vehicle less than 26,001 lbs. GVWR, or any such vehicle towing a vehicle not in excess of 10,000 lbs. GVWR. This class applies to vehicles which are placarded for hazardous materials or designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver. |
| Class C - Non-Commercial | Valid for cars, pickups, and trucks with a gross vehicle weight (GVW) of 26,000 pounds or less. |
| Class M | Motorcycle. |
| Endorsements | |
| H | Hazardous Materials |
| N | Tank |
| P | Passenger |
| S | School Bus |
| T | Double/Triple Trailer |
| X | Hazardous Materials and Tank |
| Restrictions | |
| B | Corrective lenses required |
| E | No manual transmission equipped CMV |
| K | Intrastate only |
| L | No air brake equipped CMV |
| M | No Class A passenger vehicle |
| N | No Class A and B passenger vehicle |
| O | No tractor-trailer CMV |
| V | Medical variance |
| Z | No full air brake equipped CMV |
Physical qualification
The physical and medical requirements in Part 391 shall not disqualify an individual who was employed as a driver of commercial vehicles in intrastate commerce whose physical or medical condition existed prior to July 29, 1996. Drivers employed prior to July 29, 1996 must carry a notarized statement of employment confirming that the driver’s physical or medical condition existed before that date, as well as other specific information.