Do you have the right driver’s license?

Eileen Coite, Livestock Agent, Wayne County

Having the right type of driver’s license and tags on your vehicles sounds simple enough, but is it?  I often find that things are not always as easy as it would seem, and sometimes just as we think we know the laws, there is a change.  I originally wrote this article a couple of years ago, but a few things have changed and I have heard that the state highway patrol have been more frequently stopping drivers hauling livestock and other agricultural commodities, so it might be a good time to review our driving rules for pulling livestock and horse trailers. 

The bottom line on licenses to pull trailers is to know the weight of your trailer.  Every trailer (and vehicle) has a gross vehicle weight rating (GVRW) listed on the body of the vehicle.  Look for a small metal plate on the front end or side of your trailer which lists all specifications, including the GVRW.  For regular passenger vehicles, a class C regular license will suffice.  According to the DMV, a class C license allows you to “operate any combination of noncommercial motor vehicles that have a GVRW of more than 10,000 pounds and less than 26,001 pounds, as long as the driver is 18 years of age or older”.  Furthermore, according to the DMV “most drivers need only a Regular C license to operate personal automobiles and small trucks.”  So, if your horse or livestock trailer is rated with a GVRW which is less than 10,000 pounds, you are fine with a class C license. Most small livestock and horse trailers fall into this category, such as a two horse tag-a-long or even some aluminum goosenecks.  If it’s over this weight, read on.  

There are two other classes of “regular” licenses.  These are a Class A and Class B.  The only real difference between the two of these is that the Class A is for any vehicle towing a vehicle of 10,000 pounds or more and the Class B is for a vehicle that weighs 26,001 pounds or more.  Most truck/trailer combinations with a trailer over 10,000 pounds would require a Class A license, since small or passenger trucks weigh less than 26,001 pounds.  If you have a large or long bodied horse or livestock trailer, you most likely will need a Class A license to haul. Occasionally, horse or livestock owners have been stopped and asked to see their license, and some have had to find drivers to get their rig back home!  Don’t let this happen to you. Check your trailer now and make sure you are in compliance. 

Another thing to consider is vehicle tags.  In addition to having the correct license, most vehicles must have a weighted tag if hauling a trailer or carrying weight that goes over 7000 pounds.  So, if you are hauling a livestock or horse trailer, you will need weighted tags, or possibly farm tags, and should weigh your loaded trailer to know how much weight you are pulling and how much to have registered for your tags.  Farm tags are only offered if you can document that your vehicle is used for farming as your source of income.  There is an official form with questions that must be submitted to qualify for farm tags.  Finally, make sure to give your trailer a good overall inspection.  Checking the brakes, the floor, and lights is critical. Especially if you are ever hauling after dark, all lights should be operational and I’ve been told that just one non-functional light could cause problems if you are stopped.  In fact, if your trailer has a gross weight of over 4000 pounds it also needs a yearly state inspection, so that might be something else to check into.

Much of the information I have provided here can be viewed at the NC Division of Motor Vehicles website, at www.ncdot.org. Otherwise, contact the closest DMV office for questions you may have.