NYS Tow Truck Endorsement Manual: MV-14, Test, and Applying

The NYS tow truck endorsement manual, officially the MV-14, is a supplement to the standard New York driver’s manual published by the Department of Motor Vehicles. Anyone who wants to operate a tow truck in the state must study it and pass a written knowledge test based on it to earn the “W” endorsement on their driver license. The booklet covers tow truck types, equipment ratings, safe hookup procedures, and the license classifications that determine which trucks you can legally drive.¹

Where to Get the MV-14

The MV-14 is available as a free PDF download from the DMV website at dmv.ny.gov/forms/mv14.pdf. The digital version is the most current edition. Paper copies are available at DMV offices.

The MV-14 is a supplement, not a standalone manual. If you are also applying for a commercial driver license, the DMV directs you to separately obtain the New York State Commercial Driver’s Manual (CDL-10), which covers the general knowledge and skills testing for commercial licenses.¹ There is a separate Hazardous Materials Manual (CDL-11) if your work involves those loads.

What the Manual Covers

The MV-14 runs seven chapters plus a glossary, and the written test draws questions from all of them.¹

Chapter 1, Introduction, defines what a tow truck is under New York law and explains the license classes and endorsements you need.
Chapter 2, Types of Tow Trucks, describes tow trucks by weight category and body type, from light-duty flatbeds to heavy-duty wreckers.
Chapter 3, Equipment Limitations, covers the weight ratings used to determine safe towing capacity, including GVWR, GCWR, and working load limits for towing equipment.
Chapter 4, Parts and Equipment, walks through winches, booms, wheel lifts, safety chains, and straps.
Chapter 5, Light-Duty Towing, recommends procedures for hooking up and transporting disabled passenger vehicles and light trucks.
Chapter 6, Medium and Heavy-Duty Towing, covers the specialized procedures required when recovering larger commercial vehicles.
Chapter 7, Car Carriers, explains how to safely load, secure, and unload vehicles on flatbed and multi-car carriers.

The manual warns that questions come from every chapter, so skipping the car carrier or heavy-duty sections because you only plan to do light-duty work is a mistake. The material on equipment ratings and weight thresholds is the most technical and is worth extra study time.

Who Needs the W Endorsement

New York Vehicle and Traffic Law Section 501 is direct: “W endorsement. Shall be required to operate a tow truck.”² The MV-14 defines a tow truck under Section 148-b of the Vehicle and Traffic Law as any motor vehicle that tows or carries a disabled, illegally parked, or abandoned vehicle, or a vehicle involved in an accident.¹ Car carriers are included.

You must be at least 18 years old and hold a valid New York State driver license to qualify. The W endorsement can be added to non-commercial Class D or Class E licenses as well as commercial Class A, B, and C licenses.¹ Which class you actually need depends on the weight of your tow truck and the vehicles you plan to tow.

License Class and Weight Thresholds

The W endorsement alone does not authorize you to drive any tow truck regardless of size. Your underlying license class sets the weight ceiling; the W adds the legal authority to tow.

Class D or E (non-commercial) with W: you can operate a tow truck and tow vehicles as long as the gross combination weight rating of your truck plus the towed vehicle does not exceed 26,000 pounds.¹
Class B (CDL) with W: required if your tow truck itself has a GVWR over 26,000 pounds, such as a large car carrier. A Class B license permits towing vehicles with a GVWR of 10,000 pounds or less behind it.³
Class A (CDL) with W: required when the towed vehicle has a GVWR over 10,000 pounds and the combined GCWR exceeds 26,000 pounds. Heavy-duty wreckers recovering loaded commercial trucks almost always fall into this category.¹

The Written Knowledge Test

All applicants must pass the tow truck knowledge test to add the W endorsement to their license.¹ The test is given on a computer terminal at a DMV office. For other CDL endorsements, the DMV uses a 20-question multiple-choice format requiring 16 correct answers to pass.⁴ The W endorsement test follows the same structure.

How to Apply

The application happens at a DMV office.

Complete Form MV-44, the Application for Permit, Driver License or Non-Driver ID Card. This is the standard form used for license changes and endorsements.⁵
Pay the $5.00 endorsement fee at the DMV office.⁴
Take and pass the computer-based knowledge test during the same visit.
Once you pass, your driving record is updated to reflect the W endorsement. You receive a temporary document as proof until your permanent license arrives by mail.

If you are adding W to an existing non-commercial license and your tow truck’s combined weight stays under 26,000 pounds GCWR, the written test is all you need. If you are upgrading to a CDL at the same time because you plan to operate heavier equipment, you will also need to pass the general CDL knowledge test, any applicable CDL skills tests, and a road test in a representative vehicle.

New York City Adds a Second License

If you plan to tow vehicles for compensation within New York City, the state W endorsement is only the starting point. The city’s Department of Consumer and Worker Protection requires a separate Tow Truck Driver license for anyone who moves or removes disabled, illegally parked, abandoned, or accident-involved vehicles for direct or indirect compensation.⁶

The NYC license adds several requirements on top of the state endorsement:

Fingerprinting through IdentoGO with a processing fee.
A current color passport-size photograph with the application.
License fees between $5 and $25 depending on when you apply within the two-year license cycle, which expires on October 31 in even-numbered years.
Out-of-state residents must submit a certified abstract of their driving record issued within the last 30 days.

Applications can be submitted online or in person at the DCWP Licensing Center.⁶ Drivers who assume the state endorsement covers everything are wrong in the five boroughs.

Medical Certification for CDL Holders

If your tow truck requires a commercial driver license, federal rules add a medical certification layer. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration requires all commercial drivers operating vehicles in interstate commerce with a GVWR over 10,000 pounds to obtain and maintain a valid Medical Examiner’s Certificate.⁷ You must also self-certify to the DMV that you operate in one of four categories: interstate non-excepted, interstate excepted, intrastate non-excepted, or intrastate excepted.

Most tow truck operators work within New York and fall into the intrastate categories, which means state medical requirements apply rather than federal ones. If you tow across state lines or work under contracts that involve interstate commerce, you need the federal DOT medical card. Either way, CDL holders must provide a copy of each new medical certificate to the DMV before the current one expires. The MV-14 directs CDL applicants to the DMV website for the details.¹

1
New York State Department of Motor Vehicles. Supplement To Drivers Manual For Tow Truck Drivers Endorsement
2
New York State Senate. New York Vehicle and Traffic Law VAT 501 – Drivers Licenses and Learners Permits
3
New York State Department of Transportation. Driver License Classes
4
New York State Department of Motor Vehicles. CDL Endorsements
5
New York State Department of Motor Vehicles. Application for Permit, Driver License or Non-Driver ID Card
6
New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection. Tow Truck Driver License Application Checklist
7
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Medical