Federal & State Regulations | Qualification of drivers - Indiana

Federal regulations

Indiana has adopted Part 391 of the Federal Regulations with the exception of Sec. 391.11(b)(1) for intrastate drivers.

Applicability

Part 391 applies to for-hire carriers operating motor vehicles exclusively in intrastate commerce that have a gross vehicle weight, gross vehicle weight rating, gross combination weight, or gross combination weight rating of 10,001 pounds or more.

Age

18 years of age for intrastate carriers.

Driver qualification file

A driver qualification file (Sec. 391.51) is required. There are exceptions to the physical qualification requirement. See Physical Qualification for details.

Operator’s license

The following classes of licenses are in effect for Indiana: 1) Operator’s license, 2) chauffeur’s license, 3) public passenger chauffeur’s license, 4) learner’s permit, and 5) commercial driver’s license.

The following classes of commercial driver’s licenses are established:

Class	Description
Class A	Any combination of vehicles with a gross combination weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 pounds or more, provided the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle(s) being towed exceeds 10,000 pounds.
Class B	Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 pounds or more or any such vehicle towing a vehicle not in excess of 10,000 pounds GVWR.
Class C	Any single vehicle, or combination of vehicles, that does not meet the definition of Class A or Class B but is either designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver, or is transporting a type or quantity of hazardous materials which requires the vehicle to be placarded.
Restrictions

B	Corrective Lenses
C	Mechanical Aid
D	Prosthetic Aid
E	Automatic Transmission CMV
F	Outside Mirror
G	Limited to Daylight Only
H	Limited to Employment
K	CDL Intrastate Only
L	No Air Brake CMV
M	No Class A Passenger Vehicle
N	No Class A and B Passenger Vehicle
O	No Tractor-Trailer CMV
V	Medical Variance Document Required
Z	No Full Air Brake Equipped CMV

Endorsements
T	Double/Triple Trailer
P	Passenger
N	Tank
H	Hazardous Material
X	Combination of N and H
L	Motorcycle
2	For-Hire (non-CMV only)

The for-hire endorsement (2) is added to a standard driver’s license. It applies to the driver of a vehicle:

Registered as having a gross weight of at least 16,000 pounds, but not more than 26,000 pounds and operated for the purpose of transporting property for hire; or
Designed to transport fewer than 16 passengers, including the driver, and operated for the purpose of transporting passengers for hire.

The for-hire endorsement replaces the chauffeur’s license, which is being phased out (Indiana stopped issuing chauffeur’s licenses in January 2017 and expects the last of the chauffeur’s licenses to be gone by July of 2024).

Physical qualifications

Exception — Private carriers of property operated only in intrastate commerce or any carriers of property operated only in intrastate commerce while employed in the construction industry may be exempt from Sec. 391.41(b)(3) as it applies to physical qualifications of a driver if the driver applies for and has been granted an intrastate medical waiver by the Bureau of Motor Vehicles.

Exception — The operator of a “covered farm vehicle” as defined in Sec. 390.5 is exempt from the physical qualification requirements in Part 391, Subpart E. This exception does not apply if transporting a placardable amount of hazardous materials.

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Qualification of drivers - Indiana

Federal regulations

Applicability

Age

Driver qualification file

Operator’s license

Physical qualifications