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I'm considering going on an RV trip with a large RV (26,000 lbs. GVWR) and a tow vehicle on a dolly (combined weight ~6,000 lbs.). I've even found a few with airbrakes. The state requirements for this vary wildly: https://www.outdoorsy.com/blog/guide-rv-drivers-licenses-requirements.

How do you handle the varying restrictions here? For example, here in NY I can get an R endorsement on my license and be good to go. But it sounds like in NC I'd be violating the law (since my combined weight is over 26,000lbs. NY doesn't have the concept of a non-commercial driver's license anymore (like many states), and I have zero interest in being paid to drive.

Is my vanilla (and as of yet hypothetical) D license w/ an R endorsement enough to get me through North Carolina if I get pulled over? I have trouble believing a Police officer has to know the licensing requirements for all 50 states, despite honoring other licenses.

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    Assume you must fulfill (i. e. prove) the conditions of the local law. You should call the local license department and ask them how the police will react. They will be the only source that can give a reliable answer. Commented Jun 6, 2019 at 3:25
  • That's what my plan was regardless of the answer I got here, but I did want to know if there was any federal laws or inter-state treaties on the books managing this. I do realize that asking for legal advice on the internet is ill advised. ;) Commented Jun 6, 2019 at 14:23
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    "NY doesn't have the concept of a non-commercial driver's license anymore (like many states)" Wait, what? Do you mean they don't have that concept for a load that size?
    – Kyralessa
    Commented Jul 18, 2019 at 9:01
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    I phrased that wrong. There's no non-commercial class A or B licenses. Commented Jul 18, 2019 at 14:47
  • For what it's worth, apparently most people just print and carry their home-state's regulations surrounding large non-commercial vehicles. Commented Aug 20, 2019 at 13:42

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The normal way this is handled is that if you are allowed to drive the vehicle in your home state, under prevailing circumstances, then you are allowed to drive the vehicle in the reciprocal state.

It has to be this way because everything else is chaos. For example, if your home state allows you to drive a vehicle up to 5 tons and 20ft length, and the other state had classes a) for up to six tons and 18 ft and b) for up to 4 tons and 22ft, which of those classes is your home state class equivalent?

Be aware that local regulations can override this - so if nobody under a certain age is allowed to drive a class of vehicle regardless of license, that applies to you too.

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