Federal & State Regulations | Qualification of drivers - South Carolina

Federal regulations

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

Applicability

Part 391 applies to a commercial motor vehicle and its driver, operating in intrastate commerce with a gross vehicle weight, gross vehicle weight rating, gross combination weight, or gross combination weight rating equal to or exceeding 26,001 pounds, or a commercial motor vehicle and its driver, transporting hazardous materials required to be placarded.

Age

18 years intrastate; 21 years interstate.

Alcohol and drug testing

Effective January 1, 2009, all employers must report to the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (SCDMV) verified positive drug tests or positive alcohol confirmation tests, refusals to provide a specimen for a drug or alcohol test under 49 CFR Part 40, or submission of an adulterated, diluted positive, or substituted specimen for all employee or applicant commercial driver’s license (CDL) holders. Employers must submit form CDL-18 to SCDMV within three business days and must maintain a copy of this notification for three years.

Commercial drivers who are reported as having a verified positive drug test or positive confirmed alcohol test, refusing to provide a specimen for a drug or alcohol test under 49 CFR Part 40, or submitting an adulterated, diluted positive, or substituted specimen will be disqualified by SCDMV from operating a commercial motor vehicle within 20 days.

The disqualification stays in effect until the employee or applicant undergoes a drug and alcohol assessment by a substance abuse professional (SAP) meeting the requirements of 49 CFR Part 40, successfully completes a drug or alcohol treatment or education program as recommended by the SAP, and pays a $100 reinstatement fee to SCDMV. If a CDL driver is disqualified due to a drug or alcohol test violation more than three times in a five year period, he/she is permanently disqualified from operating a commercial motor vehicle.

Form CDL-18 may be obtained via SCDMV’s website: www.scdmvonline.com.

Driver qualification files

A driver qualification file (Sec. 391.51) is required.

Operator’s license

The 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(s) being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
Class B	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.
Class C	Any single vehicle or combination of vehicles, that does not meet the definitions of Class A or Class B, but either is designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver, or is placarded for hazardous materials.
Class D	Operator’s license. A single unit or combination of vehicles not over 26,000 pounds gross vehicle weight.
Class E	Allows the same as Class D, plus single unit vehicles weighing over 26,000 pounds gross vehicle weight that do not meet the definition of Class A, B, and C.
Class F	Allows the same as Class D and Class E and all other combinations of vehicles over 26,000 pounds gross vehicle weight that do not meet the definition of Class A, B, and C.
Class M	Motorcycle.
Endorsements
H	Hazardous materials (HAZMAT)
N	Tank vehicle
P	Passenger vehicle-16 passengers (including driver)
T	Double/triple trailer
X	Combination of tank vehicle & HAZMAT
S	School bus
Restrictions
A	Corrective lenses
B	Special restricted
C	No interstate driving
D	Not to exceed 50 mph
E	Neighborhood only (10 mile radius)
F	Previous DUI
G	Hand control
H	Steering knob
I	Intrastate only
J	Automatic transmission
K	May not drive air-brake-equipped vehicle
L	Other
M	Outside mirror
N	Turn signals
O	Day driving only
P	Government vehicle(s) only
Q	Power steering/brakes
R	Passenger vehicle only
S	Route restricted
V	CDL B passenger vehicle also
W	CDL C passenger vehicle also
Z	Except tractor trailer

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Qualification of drivers - South Carolina

Federal regulations

Applicability

Age

Alcohol and drug testing

Driver qualification files

Operator’s license