Gcwr has NOTHING to do with CDL. That number is solely from Ford. Gvwr is what matters. Your combo can be over 26k if your trailer is under 10k. You can have a trailer over 10k IF the combo does not go over 26k.

Example
My 11,200 gvw truck can tow my 14k dump trailer. Combo is 25,200.

My 12500 gvw truck cannot tow my 14k dump trailer because it is over 26k.

I have done a lot of research and talked to NH dot about this on more than one occasion

 

In Texas it's 26001 lbs. Do what I did. Get a F350 but get the 10000 GVWR. Now you can have a 16000 lb trailer and the truck is identical to the 11500 GVWR except for the sticker.
Registration is cheaper too.

 

My gross weight going down the road is 34500 but it is a RV so it really does not count..Love the Lonestar State..

 

Amazingly, the peoples republic of MA is the same. Over 26k doesn't make a difference if it is an RV or is towing an RV. With all our over reaching legislation that makes me want to move daily, this is one they haven't bothered over regulating. Now, pardon me while I go knock wood...

 

RV's in Texas are exempt from a CDL but with that weight you still need a Class A or B not a "regular" Class C

 

Texas non CDL license classes:https://www.txdps.state.tx.us/Driver.../dlClasses.htm

 

Here in NY there is only one trailer plate: Trailer. Trailer over 10,000 lb gvwr requires a CDL technically. Other than RV is exempt. Motor homes are exempt from the CDL. And we all know that the 82 year old guy down the street is just a sharp as he was 20 years ago! Motor on buddy.

 

I hate to say the same thing over and over, but...make sure you:

Add the gvwr (11,500 for example) and 14,000lb for your Rv (whatever it's weight limit is) and register your tag accordingly.

Your state will fine you for having it tagged at 11,500 if you are towing a trailer. The fine is for being over the registered weight and it has to do with avoiding paying the correct amount of road tax.

As always, it's at the discretion of whomever pulled you over.

 

https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/registrati...d-usdot-number

I think the key words are "for hire" or "commerce". Not only are you looking at different licensing and registration requirements, but your insurance will need to change as well if you engage in a "for hire" situation.

If one is buying an F-450 to become a transporter then one would be foolish to NOT inquire abut a USDOT number and acquire the all the associated creds.

It would make sense to me that an RV store would be legally obligated to ensure that it's customers who purchase a 10,001 pound trailer of any type present the correct license and insurance before the trailer could leave the yard.

I just pulled this off the web:

CDL implied above 26,000 lb. Above 16,000 lb GVWR or GCWR, or towing above 10,000 lb, requires non-commercial Class A, B or C. Driver's license manual states that a Class D license is valid up to 26,000 lb registered weight. We confirmed by phone that the Class D license is valid for all RV's.

 

This is another one that we don't have in MA. I can't remember the last time I felt lucky for being in this state...LOL....

 

Mass. seems to have a class D option.

 

In MA everyone has a Class D. That is our up to 26k basic license. However RV's or towing RV's is exempt from the 26k limit so any driveable RV or combo including an RV can be any weight at all and still be OK with a Class D. We also don't have to register SRW trucks by weight. SRW trucks are registered with passenger plates with no declared weight either single or combo, same as a Kia...

 

New York commercial registrations are substantially less expensive than passenger registration but a vehicle designated as a truck must be registered as a truck unless it weighs less than 6000 lbs. Passenger reg maxes out at 6951 lbs @ $140. Same weight commercial is $101. But the commercial rate keeps sliding up and for instance 11,500 is $165. These are two year rates. There is also a 3.25% tax on diesels added to the tax, and $25 for the plates and $50 for the title, and sales tax added to and on the tax. And then there are county and city taxes added on. And then there is the 8% tax on the sale of the vehicle (or is it purchase). What a misnomer, sales tax. The store does not pay it, the customer pays it. It is a purchase tax. People get phony weigh tickets for their trucks and then reg as passenger in order to drive on the parkways where commercial vehicles are not allowed. Spotty enforcement but hefty fines when caught.

NY State History note: Robert Moses was an urban planner in NY back in the 30's and is responsible for many of the public works projects of the era especially around NYC but his mark is throughout the state. He detested public transportation but he put his mark and name on lots of the projects. But the interesting fact about the parkways is the arched bridges on all of them which most thought were for looks but his scheme was to keep commercial vehicles off including buses due to the low clearance. He also built parks and beaches at the ends of the parkways. His prejudice against the people of the cities was manifested in this idea so as to make the parks inaccessible by the class of people who used buses for transportation, thus reserving the beaches and parks for "acceptable" citizens. OK history lesson done.

 

Interesting note about MO registrations. If you have a truck, you have to register it as a truck, and select a weight limit in 6k lb increments. 18k+ only gets one plate on the front of your truck. Your total weight (not GVWR but GVW) cannot be over that limit. There is also a length limit for trucks (I can't remember for sure but 70' comes to mind). You can double-tow as long as your total length isn't over this max and your weight isn't over your plate limit.

Now, if you have an SUV, you can license it as a car. From my understanding, cars have no weight or length limit. So, it's perfectly legal to tow 100' and 100k lbs behind a Ford Explorer, but not an F450. Go figure!

 

Like Johndeere said, just order a F250 SRW with the 10,000 lb package (sticker) Ford has offered that option for many, many years for just this reason. You still get the same F350 SRW, it just comes with a GVWR sticker labeled at 10k lbs so you can still haul a trailer with dual 8k axles and be legal.