Found an interesting CA DMV link re license classes and towing capacities for vehicles designated as housecars, begins on page 4, in their book titled "Recreational Vehicles and Trailers Handbook". You may have to cut and paste the link.

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/dl648/dl648.pdf

Class C license (CA's standard issue) and driving a housecar (rv), for max length you must be 40' and under and for max weight you must be 26k for 2 axle coach and 6k for 3 axle and can tow a single trailer up to 10k, including a tow dolley if used.

Class B non commercial license, you can drive up to 45' and tow a single trailer up to 10k.

Class A non commercial license, you can drive up to 45' and can tow over 10k for a travel trailer and over 15k for a fifth wheel.

Something intersting might be found here

http://www.hitchemup.com/statetowinglaws.htm

This message has been edited. Last edited by: BravestDog,

According to dmv hand book and according to chp you need a class b commercial if gross weight of moterhome and or tow vehecial is over 26,000lbs. Class a commercial is required if tag trailer is over 10,000lbs or fifth-wheel trailer is over 15,000 unless trailer is travel trailer then a class a non-commercial. This is why I got my class b commercial with air brake endorsment. This way I am covered. Also length dose not matter. The best explation of these is in the commercial license handbook.

Sorry guys, thats WRONG.

In CA, you can drive ANY HOUSECAR UP TO 40FT in lenght, and tow up to 10K with the standard class c license.

What you read on page 4 of the document is OR.OR.OR.

either 2 axle up to 26K,
OR 3 axle up to 6K,
OR ANY HOUSECOACH UP TO 40FT. So, length does matter (always does, right..lol), but weight DOES NOT for a RV.

You used to be able to drive ANY RV with standard class C license when we had the 40 ft limit. When they opened RVs up to 45 ft, the added the non-commercial class B for RVs over 40ft.

As you can see that (RV between 40 and 45ft) is the ONLY item listed under non-commercial class B.

You dont need any commercial license whatsoever for a PRIVAT RV. Racers, business... thats a complete different discussion we already had in many other threads.

So, in CA with your standard class C license (and because of license reciprocity in any other state as long as you are propery licensed - and live - here in CA) you can drive a 40ft 3 axle housecar with lets say 50,000 lb. Hey, something good about our state here, right?

Just take the DMV booklet with you, as most LOEs in other states DO NOT KNOW that CA does not go by the usual 26K weight.