§FMCSR.com
Historical textIn force on Sept. 30, 1998Source: annual CFR editions 1996–2011

§ 383.91 Commercial motor vehicle groups.

Wording first on file in the 1996 annual edition, superseded by the 2012 annual edition.

govinfo, 1996 edition ↗
Before Jan. 1, 2017 the record is one snapshot per annual CFR edition, revised as of October 1. This is the 1996 edition's wording. An amendment that took effect between Oct. 1, 1997 and Sept. 30, 1998 would not appear until the next edition, so check the citations below and the Federal Register for exact effective dates. govinfo does not publish the 1997 edition of Parts 300–399 in machine-readable form, so the 1996 text is shown for that year.
49 CFR § 383.91 — Commercial motor vehicle groups.. Text in force on September 30, 1998. This wording effective October 1, 1996 to October 1, 2012. Source: govinfo, 1996 edition, https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/CFR-1996-title49-vol4/CFR-1996-title49-vol4-sec383-91. Retrieved from FMCSR.com, https://fmcsr.com/reg/383.91?asof=1998-09-30, on October 26, 2026. Unofficial compilation; verify against the official source.

(a) Vehicle group descriptions. Each driver applicant must possess and be tested on his/her knowledge and skills, described in subpart G of this part, for the commercial motor vehicle group(s) for which he/she desires a CDL. The commercial motor vehicle groups are as follows:

(1) Combination vehicle (Group A)—Any combination of vehicles with a gross combination weight rating (GCWR) of 11,794 kilograms or more (26,001 pounds or more) provided the GVWR of the vehicle(s) being towed is in excess of 4,536 kilograms (10,000 pounds).

(2) Heavy Straight Vehicle (Group B)—Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 11,794 kilograms or more (26,001 pounds or more), or any such vehicle towing a vehicle not in excess of 4,536 kilograms (10,000 pounds) GVWR.

(3) Small Vehicle (Group C)—Any single vehicle, or combination of vehicles, that meets neither the definition of Group A nor that of Group B as contained in this section, but that either is designed to transport 16 or more passengers including the driver, or is used in the transportation of materials found to be hazardous for the purposes of the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act and which require the motor vehicle to be placarded under the Hazardous Materials Regulations (49 CFR part 172, subpart F).

(b) Representative vehicle. For purposes of taking the driving test in accordance with § 383.113, a representative vehicle for a given vehicle group contained in § 383.91(a), is any commercial motor vehicle which meets the definition of that vehicle group.

(c) Relation between vehicle groups. Each driver applicant who desires to operate in a different commercial motor vehicle group from the one which his/her CDL authorizes shall be required to retake and pass all related tests, except the following:

(1) A driver who has passed the knowledge and skills tests for a combination vehicle (Group A) may operate a heavy straight vehicle (Group B) or a small vehicle (Group C), provided that he/she possesses the requisite endorsement(s); and

(2) A driver who has passed the knowledge and skills tests for a heavy straight vehicle (Group B) may operate any small vehicle (Group C), provided that he/she possesses the requisite endorsement(s).

(d) Vehicle group illustration. Figure 1 illustrates typical vehicles within each of the vehicle groups defined in this section.

[Figure or graphic omitted. See the official source.]

[53 FR 27651, July 21, 1988, as amended at 54 FR 47989, Nov. 20, 1989; 61 FR 9566, Mar. 8, 1996]

Amendment history

5 distinct wordings on file since Oct. 1, 1996
  1. July 7, 2021 → presenteCFR, day-precisediff vs. previous
    [53 FR 27651, July 21, 1988, as amended at 54 FR 47989, Nov. 20, 1989; 61 FR 9566, Mar. 8, 1996; 77 FR 59825, Oct. 1, 2012; 80 FR 59072, Oct. 1, 2015; 86 FR 35640, July 7, 2021]
  2. Oct. 1, 2015 → July 7, 2021annual editions 2015–2016diff vs. previous
    [53 FR 27651, July 21, 1988, as amended at 54 FR 47989, Nov. 20, 1989; 61 FR 9566, Mar. 8, 1996; 77 FR 59825, Oct. 1, 2012; 80 FR 59072, Oct. 1, 2015]
  3. Oct. 1, 2013 → Oct. 1, 2015annual editions 2013–2014diff vs. previous
    [53 FR 27651, July 21, 1988, as amended at 54 FR 47989, Nov. 20, 1989; 61 FR 9566, Mar. 8, 1996; 77 FR 59825, Oct. 1, 2012]
  4. Oct. 1, 2012 → Oct. 1, 2013annual edition 2012diff vs. previous
    [53 FR 27651, July 21, 1988, as amended at 54 FR 47989, Nov. 20, 1989; 61 FR 9566, Mar. 8, 1996; 77 FR 59825, Oct. 1, 2012]
  5. Oct. 1, 1996 → Oct. 1, 2012annual editions 1996–2011viewing
    [53 FR 27651, July 21, 1988, as amended at 54 FR 47989, Nov. 20, 1989; 61 FR 9566, Mar. 8, 1996]

A new entry appears whenever the regulatory words change between government snapshots. Day-precise from the eCFR (2017 onward); before that, one snapshot per annual CFR edition (revised as of October 1). Bracketed citations are the Federal Register history printed with the section.