Is a farm vehicle driver required to obtain a CDL?
Guidance: A farm vehicle driver, by definition, is exempt from CDL requirements (within 150 miles of farm). The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations – Part 390 define a farm vehicle driver as a person who drives only a commercial motor vehicle that is: (a) Controlled and operated by a farmer as a private motor carrier of property; (b) Being used to transport either: (1) Agricultural products, or (2) Farm machinery, farm supplies or both, to or from a farm; (c) Not being used in the operation of a for-hire motor carrier; (d) Not carrying hazardous materials of a type or quantity that requires the commercial motor vehicle to be placarded in accordance with 177.823 of this subtitle; and (e) Being used within 150 air miles of the farmer’s farm. If all of the requirements (listed above) cannot be met, the driver ceases to be a farm vehicle driver and CDL requirements would apply. Example: If operating a vehicle requiring a CDL and traveling beyond 150 miles from the farm, he/she would h
