Current textSource: eCFR

§ 391.11 General qualifications of drivers.

Current wording, effective May 9, 2022.

Compare with

What changedOct. 1, 1996 wording → May 9, 2022 wording (current)+20 added−112 removedHide

(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~~this ~~391~~part;
(75) Has a currently valid commercial motor vehicle operator's license issued only ~~from~~by one State or jurisdiction;
(86) 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; and
(107) 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; 63 FR 33276, June 18, 1998; 87 FR 13208, Mar. 9, 2022]

49 CFR § 391.11 — General qualifications of drivers.. Text current through October 22, 2026. This wording effective May 9, 2022 to present. Source: eCFR (current), https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/section-391.11. Retrieved from FMCSR.com, https://fmcsr.com/reg/391.11, on October 26, 2026. Unofficial compilation; verify against the official source.

(b) Except as provided in subpart G of this part, a person is qualified to drive a 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) Is physically qualified to drive a commercial motor vehicle in accordance with subpart E—Physical Qualifications and Examinations of this part;

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

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

(7) 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.

[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]

Amendment history

4 distinct wordings on file since Oct. 1, 1996

May 9, 2022 → presenteCFR, day-precisediff vs. previousviewing
[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]
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]
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]
Oct. 1, 1996 → Oct. 1, 1998annual edition 1996
[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. Set a case date in the header to read any earlier wording.