§FMCSR.com
Historical textIn force on Oct. 1, 1997Source: annual CFR edition 1996

§ 391.11 Qualifications of drivers.

Wording first on file in the 1996 annual edition, superseded by the 1998 annual edition.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 Oct. 1, 1997 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 § 391.11 — Qualifications of drivers.. Text in force on October 1, 1997. This wording effective October 1, 1996 to October 1, 1998. Source: govinfo, 1996 edition, https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/CFR-1996-title49-vol4/CFR-1996-title49-vol4-sec391-11. Retrieved from FMCSR.com, https://fmcsr.com/reg/391.11?asof=1997-10-01, on October 26, 2026. Unofficial compilation; verify against the official source.

(a) A person shall not drive a commercial motor vehicle unless he/she is qualified to drive a commercial motor vehicle. Except as provided in § 391.63, a motor carrier shall not require or permit a person to drive a commercial motor vehicle unless that person is qualified to drive a commercial motor vehicle.

(b) Except as provided in subpart G of this part, a person is qualified to drive a commercial motor vehicle if he/she—

(1) Is at least 21 years old;

(2) Can read and speak the English language sufficiently to converse with the general public, to understand highway traffic signs and signals in the English language, to respond to official inquiries, and to make entries on reports and records;

(3) Can, by reason of experience, training, or both, safely operate the type of commercial motor vehicle he/she drives;

(4) Can, by reason of experience, training, or both, determine whether the cargo he/she transports (including baggage in a passenger-carrying commercial motor vehicle) has been properly located, distributed, and secured in or on the commercial motor vehicle he/she drives;

(5) Is familiar with methods and procedures for securing cargo in or on the commercial motor vehicle he/she drives.

(6) Is physically qualified to drive a commercial motor vehicle in accordance with subpart E—Physical Qualifications and Examinations of part 391;

(7) Has a currently valid commercial motor vehicle operator's license issued only from one State or jurisdiction;

(8) Has prepared and furnished the motor carrier that employs him/her with the list of violations or the certificate as required by § 391.27;

(9) Is not disqualified to drive a commercial motor vehicle under the rules in § 391.15;

(10) Has successfully completed a driver's road test and has been issued a certificate of driver's road test in accordance with § 391.31, or has presented an operator's license or a certificate of road test which the motor carrier that employs him/her has accepted as equivalent to a road test in accordance with § 391.33;

(11) Has completed and furnished the motor carrier that employs him/her with an application for employment in accordance with § 391.21.

[35 FR 6460, Apr. 22, 1970, as amended at 35 FR 17420, Nov. 13, 1970; 35 FR 19181, Dec. 18, 1970; 36 FR 222, Jan. 7, 1971, 36 FR 24220, Dec. 22, 1971; 45 FR 46424, July 10, 1980; 52 FR 20589, June 1, 1987; 59 FR 60323, Nov. 23, 1994; 60 FR 38744, 38745, July 28, 1995]

Amendment history

4 distinct wordings on file since Oct. 1, 1996
  1. May 9, 2022 → presenteCFR, day-precisediff vs. previous
    [35 FR 6460, Apr. 22, 1970, as amended at 35 FR 17420, Nov. 13, 1970; 35 FR 19181, Dec. 18, 1970; 36 FR 222, Jan. 7, 1971, 36 FR 24220, Dec. 22, 1971; 45 FR 46424, July 10, 1980; 52 FR 20589, June 1, 1987; 59 FR 60323, Nov. 23, 1994; 60 FR 38744, 38745, July 28, 1995; 63 FR 33276, June 18, 1998; 87 FR 13208, Mar. 9, 2022]
  2. March 9, 2022 → May 9, 2022eCFR, day-precisediff vs. previous
    [35 FR 6460, Apr. 22, 1970, as amended at 35 FR 17420, Nov. 13, 1970; 35 FR 19181, Dec. 18, 1970; 36 FR 222, Jan. 7, 1971, 36 FR 24220, Dec. 22, 1971; 45 FR 46424, July 10, 1980; 52 FR 20589, June 1, 1987; 59 FR 60323, Nov. 23, 1994; 60 FR 38744, 38745, July 28, 1995; 63 FR 33276, June 18, 1998]
  3. Oct. 1, 1998 → March 9, 2022annual editions 1998–2016diff vs. previous
    [35 FR 6460, Apr. 22, 1970, as amended at 35 FR 17420, Nov. 13, 1970; 35 FR 19181, Dec. 18, 1970; 36 FR 222, Jan. 7, 1971, 36 FR 24220, Dec. 22, 1971; 45 FR 46424, July 10, 1980; 52 FR 20589, June 1, 1987; 59 FR 60323, Nov. 23, 1994; 60 FR 38744, 38745, July 28, 1995; 63 FR 33276, June 18, 1998]
  4. Oct. 1, 1996 → Oct. 1, 1998annual edition 1996viewing
    [35 FR 6460, Apr. 22, 1970, as amended at 35 FR 17420, Nov. 13, 1970; 35 FR 19181, Dec. 18, 1970; 36 FR 222, Jan. 7, 1971, 36 FR 24220, Dec. 22, 1971; 45 FR 46424, July 10, 1980; 52 FR 20589, June 1, 1987; 59 FR 60323, Nov. 23, 1994; 60 FR 38744, 38745, July 28, 1995]

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.