Over a decade ago, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the U.S. Department of Transportation were studying whether farmers should be required to have a commercial driver’s license (CDL) when operating larger trucks. Fortunately, due to input from a number of state legislators and farm organizations, no new rules were implemented.
That doesn’t mean, however, that there aren’t benefits to having a CDL or to getting it sooner rather than later. As a general rule, most states currently allow a farmer, farm family member, or an employee of the farm to transport their own agricultural products, farm machinery, and farm supplies to and from their farm within the state lines or within 150 air miles of the farm when crossing a state line.
The exemption from a CDL does not apply, though, if the vehicle is used in a for-hire operation or if the load must be placarded for hazardous materials.
