Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
Jayco RV Owners Forum
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 10-29-2011, 01:43 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Bozeman
Posts: 174
CA Drivers License Endorsement For Pulling a 5th Wheel

I am confused. In another forum I read that I need a drivers license endorsement to pull a 5th wheel in California The CA website says only if the 5th wheel is over 15000 in one place and in another place if it is over 10000. I would love to hear from other Californians. Do you have the endorsement? No one at the dealer told me anything about this when I purchased my rig in August. Have I been breaking the law every time I have gone camping since then. Yet another reason I prefer to spend my time and money in Montana
__________________
2016 Grey Hawk 29ME
2013 Honda CR-V AWD (Toad)
Bozemanite is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-29-2011, 04:28 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Gilmer, Texas
Posts: 1,052
might be the Fed rule that any truck/trailer combo over 26000 lbs gvw requires the class A endorsement ,Here in Tx we don't have to get the actual CDL but you have to take the same tests to get the A endorsement added to your regular DL.
poohbear is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-29-2011, 04:56 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: North Idaho/Arizona
Posts: 5,446
I don't know about California but in Idaho there is no endorsment unless you are commercial.

I know that in order to tow doubles in Cali you need a CDL with an endorsement. My wife had that so she would drive when we were pulling our toys behind the 5er.
__________________
2011 Eagle 330RLTS with just about every option.
2017 Silverado 1500 4x4 5.3 with tow package. (no, we don't tow the Jayco with it.)
2018 Surveyor 265RLDS well equipped.
Life in the slow lane is still life.
clutch is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-29-2011, 06:15 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: AZ, SSA (Squabbling States of America)
Posts: 1,432
Where are you licensed? If in Montana and you don't exceed CA's residency requirements, CA will honor your Montana license.
__________________
Jeannie
Lady Fitzgerald is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-30-2011, 10:03 AM   #5
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Bozeman
Posts: 174
Cool 5th wheel endorsement

Thanks for the info. I am licensed in California. I have a DMV appointment. For Wednesday. I am going to take the test and be done with it.
__________________
2016 Grey Hawk 29ME
2013 Honda CR-V AWD (Toad)
Bozemanite is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-01-2011, 05:50 PM   #6
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 14
It's called restriction 41, an endorsement on your class C license. It is required for 5th wheels over 10,000#'s but not over 15,000#'s GVWR. 20 question written test. I am taking mine Thursday.. My new Jayco is 14,500. Didn't know I needed it until I starting looking at requirements.
Smithrjd is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-01-2011, 06:02 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
Denise's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Mostly the US
Posts: 10,002
OK... may seem like an odd question.... (ulterior motive depending on the answer)

is it a computer generated test now or do they still give you a copy of the questions asked along with the ones you missed marked wrong.... ?
__________________
Denise, DH, grandkids, and two rescue pups
-2016 Jay Flight 29QBS Elite
-2016 Ford F-250 XLT 4x2, 6.2L EFI V8, 4.30 Elec Lock, Heavy duty Alt
Denise is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-01-2011, 08:43 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Bozeman
Posts: 174
5th Wheel CA DL test

I am taking the test tomorrow. I will let you know how I do and what is on it. I read the RV handbook and it is pretty much common sense stuff. The guy I talked with on the phone at the DMV told me that it is 20 straight forward questions. He also said that he didn't know of anyone who hadn't passed it on the first try. Maybe I will be the first!
__________________
2016 Grey Hawk 29ME
2013 Honda CR-V AWD (Toad)
Bozemanite is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-02-2011, 03:30 PM   #9
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Burson, CA In the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mts.
Posts: 313
Quote:
Originally Posted by Smithrjd View Post
It's called restriction 41, an endorsement on your class C license. It is required for 5th wheels over 10,000#'s but not over 15,000#'s GVWR. 20 question written test. I am taking mine Thursday.. My new Jayco is 14,500. Didn't know I needed it until I starting looking at requirements.
In California now to pull a 5er over 10,000 you just need an endorsement, to pull one over 15K you need a NON-commercial Class A with a medical questionnaire. To pull double you need a COMMERCIAL Class A with a Medical CARD and a Doubles endorsement. Difference between a questionnaire and a medical card is the physical exam that goes along with the medical card and it must be renewed every 2 years. (the card not the class A license)

Steve
Panhead is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-02-2011, 06:56 PM   #10
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Bozeman
Posts: 174
Success!

Took my test this afternoon. The test was pretty straight forward. I missed the question about the medical question air. It is every two years, not 4. The DMV person had never heard of the Class C 5th wheel endorsement and kept trying to give me the Class A non-commercial test. I finally convinced her to look it up and after asking a supervisor she found the right information. So be persistent. The test is a 20 question paper test. You can miss three. Yippee! I am legal.
__________________
2016 Grey Hawk 29ME
2013 Honda CR-V AWD (Toad)
Bozemanite is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-02-2011, 09:13 PM   #11
Member
 
WeylanBryant's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Highlands Ranch, CO
Posts: 71
Greetings... Is this endorsement necessary if you're simply VISITING California (we're from Colorado) and NOT a resident? Thinking about pulling our rig to Yosemite, but want to make sure I'm "properly licensed".
__________________
Woody B.
Highlands Ranch, CO

2015 Seneca 37TS ("Screaming Eagle")
2009 Hummer H3 ("Ranger")
2005 Chevy 2500HD ("Max")
2008 MasterCraft X-15 ("One More Time")
WeylanBryant is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-03-2011, 08:08 PM   #12
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Bozeman
Posts: 174
Hmmmmm....

I don't know for sure, but I would guess that since you need to be a CA resident to get a CA driver license they couldn't require you to have an endorsement. But then again, this is CA. To be positive you probably should call tha CA DMV. When I called the guy I talked with was well informed and very helpful.
__________________
2016 Grey Hawk 29ME
2013 Honda CR-V AWD (Toad)
Bozemanite is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-04-2011, 08:38 AM   #13
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Gilmer, Texas
Posts: 1,052
Angry

Quote:
Originally Posted by DonWard View Post
I don't know for sure, but I would guess that since you need to be a CA resident to get a CA driver license they couldn't require you to have an endorsement. But then again, this is CA. To be positive you probably should call tha CA DMV. When I called the guy I talked with was well informed and very helpful.
Our best friends that we run around with both work at Tx DPS.They say this upgrade on DL is coming from the FED level tied to highway dollars..No matter where you are a resident,would pay to check for any changes to your states regs.
Its confusing here when you first read the new regs,1st page says operators of private RV's exempt from the CDL requirements,then a few pages further you find that if combined GVW exceeds 26000lbs then you are not exempt and are required to add "A" endorsement or go to CDL.
poohbear is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-18-2011, 09:36 AM   #14
Senior Member
 
Wyotraveler's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Northwest WY
Posts: 157
Yes, CA DMV employees really don't know it even exists. I had to argue to get mine when I was licensed in CA. However, law enforcement knows it exists. I retired from CA law enforcement. Not that you may be cited for it but if you were in an accident it would be an issue. When I moved to Wyoming they dropped the endorsement and it is not on my Wyoming license. Not required. I tow gooseneck horse and stock trailers.

For those not familiar with gooseneck hitches. They are a 2 5/16 ball mounted in the truck bed that can drop out of sight, or flop over so the entire bed can be used when not towing. The gooseneck ball has a 30,000 pound towing ability and 7,500 weight ability. Way more than the ratings of most pickups.
Wyotraveler is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-18-2011, 11:10 AM   #15
Senior Member
 
Seann45's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Saskatoon Sask Canada
Posts: 10,714
Quote:
Originally Posted by WeylanBryant View Post
Greetings... Is this endorsement necessary if you're simply VISITING California (we're from Colorado) and NOT a resident? Thinking about pulling our rig to Yosemite, but want to make sure I'm "properly licensed".
IF you are legal in your home area you are legal in Calif. UNLESS you stay too long in which case you need a Calif lic AND PLATES.
__________________
Seann
2004 Chev Silverado Duramax optioned past the max. 2009 Jayco Eagle 308 RLS 900watts of solar, Lithium batteries (400amp hour), 2000 watt (4000 surge) whole house inverter.
145days boondockinig in2023 2022/151 2021[/COLOR]
93/2020,157/2019219/2018 206/2017,215/2016, 211/2015, 196/14, 247/13, 193/12

Seann45 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-18-2011, 04:18 PM   #16
Senior Member
 
Wyotraveler's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Northwest WY
Posts: 157
You are absolutely right.

The only thing that they do enforce in CA is trailers, including 5th wheels 55 MPH speed limit.
Wyotraveler is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Jayco, Inc. or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 01:05 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright 2002-2016 Social Knowledge, LLC All Rights Reserved.