California issues eight driver’s license classes. Class C is the standard license for cars and light trucks. Non-commercial Class A and Class B cover large recreational trailers and oversized motorhomes. Class M1 and M2 are for motorcycles and mopeds. Commercial Class A, B, and C are for driving trucks, buses, and hazardous loads for work. The class you need depends on the vehicle’s weight, length, passenger count, cargo, and whether you’re driving it commercially.
Class C: The Standard License
Most Californians carry a Class C. Under California Vehicle Code §12804.9, it authorizes you to drive:
- Two-axle vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 26,000 pounds or less, including while towing a trailer of 10,000 pounds or less
- Three-axle vehicles weighing 6,000 pounds or less
- Housecars (motorhomes) up to 40 feet long1California Legislative Information. California Vehicle Code 12804.10 (2025)
- Three-wheeled motorcycles
That covers essentially every sedan, SUV, pickup, minivan, and small motorhome on the road, plus most recreational trailer and boat setups as long as the trailer’s GVWR stays at or below 10,000 pounds.
You can get a first Class C license at 16 if you’ve completed driver’s education and behind-the-wheel training, or at 18 without formal training. Instruction permits are available starting at 15½.2State of California Department of Motor Vehicles. Instruction and Learner’s Permits Every applicant must pass a written knowledge test, a vision screening, and a road test.
Non-Commercial Class A and Class B
These classes exist for people driving heavy recreational rigs, not commercial equipment. Many drivers don’t realize they need one until they’re pulled over.
A non-commercial Class A is required when you tow a trailer or fifth-wheel with a GVWR over 10,000 pounds behind a vehicle that doesn’t itself require a CDL. Large travel trailers, horse trailers, and heavy boat rigs all fall here. Qualifying means passing the standard Class C knowledge test (skippable if you renewed your Class C within the past 12 months), a separate recreational vehicles and trailers knowledge test, a pre-trip inspection test, and a driving skills test with the type of rig you want licensed.3State of California Department of Motor Vehicles. Noncommercial Class A Requirements You also file a health questionnaire dated within two years of your application.
A non-commercial Class B with a housecar endorsement covers motorhomes longer than 40 feet up to 45 feet. At 40 feet or shorter, Class C is enough. Once you cross 40 feet, the DMV requires a specialized 45-foot housecar knowledge test and a current health questionnaire on file. If that questionnaire lapses, your license reverts to Class C privileges.4State of California Department of Motor Vehicles. Noncommercial Class B (45′ Housecar) Requirements
Motorcycle Licenses: Class M1 and M2
Motorcycle privileges split into two subclasses. A Class M1 covers any two-wheeled motorcycle, motor-driven cycle, or motorized scooter, and includes everything an M2 covers. A Class M2 is narrower: motorized bicycles, mopeds, and motorized scooters only.5State of California Department of Motor Vehicles. Motorcycle Handbook License Requirements
If you already hold a Class C license, the motorcycle authorization is added to your existing card. You still take the motorcycle knowledge and skills tests. Applicants under 21 must complete a California Motorcyclist Safety Program (CMSP) training course before they can even receive a motorcycle instruction permit. Riders 21 and older can go straight to the DMV skills test, though completing the CMSP course waives it.
Commercial Driver’s Licenses
A CDL is required when you operate a vehicle for business that exceeds the weight, size, or passenger limits of a standard license. California issues three classes.
Commercial Class A
A Class A CDL authorizes any legal combination of vehicles, including everything covered by Class B and Class C, while towing a unit with a GVWR over 10,000 pounds. This is the license for tractor-trailers, heavy flatbed combinations, and similar rigs.6State of California Department of Motor Vehicles. California Driver License Classes
Commercial Class B
A Class B CDL covers a single vehicle with a GVWR over 26,000 pounds, plus towing a trailer of 10,000 pounds or less. Large straight trucks, dump trucks, concrete mixers, and transit buses fit here.
Commercial Class C
A commercial Class C applies when the vehicle itself doesn’t meet the weight thresholds for A or B but carries 16 or more passengers (including the driver) or hauls placarded hazardous materials.7State of California Department of Motor Vehicles. Commercial Driver’s Licenses
Age and Training Requirements
You must be at least 18 to drive commercially inside California. Interstate driving and hauling hazardous materials require you to be at least 21.8State of California Department of Motor Vehicles. Commercial Driver Information All CDL applicants complete a medical exam (renewed every two years), pass the relevant knowledge tests, and hold a Commercial Learner’s Permit for at least 14 days before taking the skills test.
Since February 2022, federal rules also require first-time CDL applicants to complete Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) through an FMCSA-registered provider before the skills test. The same requirement applies when upgrading from Class B to Class A, or adding a hazardous materials, passenger, or school bus endorsement for the first time.9eCFR. Subpart F – Entry-Level Driver Training Requirements On and After February 7, 2022
Endorsements and Certificates
Endorsements expand what an existing CDL lets you do. Each adds a knowledge test, and some add a skills test. California uses its own endorsement codes, which differ from the federal letter codes in national study materials.
- HM (Hazardous Materials): Required for any load needing hazmat placards. You must pass a knowledge test and clear a TSA security threat assessment that includes fingerprinting and a background check. TSA recommends starting at least 60 days ahead. The assessment fee is $85.25, or $41.00 with a valid TWIC card. The endorsement renews every five years with new fingerprints.10Transportation Security Administration. HAZMAT Endorsement
- PV (Passenger Transportation): Needed for vehicles designed to carry 16 or more passengers, including the driver. Requires both knowledge and skills tests.
- TV (Tank Vehicle): Required for driving tank vehicles. Knowledge test only.
- D (Double Trailer) and T (Triple Trailer): Separate endorsements for double or triple trailer combinations. Knowledge tests only.
- F (Firefighter): Authorizes operation of firefighting equipment.11State of California Department of Motor Vehicles. Driver License Certificates and Endorsements
Certificates are separate from endorsements. They cover specific vehicle types including school buses (SCH), ambulances (AMB), school pupil activity buses (SPAB), farm labor vehicles (F/L), and vehicles for transporting developmentally disabled persons (VDDP). Certificates generally require additional training, background checks, or both.
Restrictions on Your License
Restrictions are conditions printed on your card that reflect physical requirements or equipment you need to drive safely. Common codes include:
- A: You must wear corrective lenses while driving
- B: Your vehicle must have an outside rearview mirror
- C: You must use a mechanical driving aid
- D: You must use a prosthetic aid
Restrictions come from the outcome of your vision test or medical evaluation. Driving without meeting them is a citable offense, so check what’s printed on your card.
Provisional Rules for Drivers Under 18
If you’re under 18, your Class C license is marked “provisional” and comes with extra rules for the first 12 months. You cannot drive between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m., and you cannot carry passengers under 20 unless a parent, guardian, or licensed driver at least 25 years old is with you. Provisional drivers also cannot drive for pay or operate any vehicle requiring a commercial license.12State of California Department of Motor Vehicles. Section 2 – Getting an Instruction Permit and Driver’s License – Section: Minor’s Restrictions and Exceptions
These conditions lift when you turn 18 or complete the 12-month provisional period, whichever comes later. Violating them can lead to a suspended or restricted license.