Tow truck driver requirements: the towed vehicle counts
A wrecker that needs no CDL on the way to a call can need one on the way back. Federal rules look at the tow truck plus whatever it tows, and some states add a license of their own.
Written by Inely Baez
Tow rules in numbers
Tow truck driver requirements start with weight. You need a Class B CDL when the tow truck is rated 26,001 pounds or more, and a Class A when the combination reaches 26,001 pounds and the towed vehicle is over 10,000 pounds. From 10,001 pounds, federal driver rules can apply even without a CDL.
A tow operator can be fully qualified for the truck they drive to the scene and not for the combination they drive away. That gap, between the truck and the tow, is the first thing I would check in any towing fleet.
I lead operations at Simplex, and I treat driver qualification like any other system: define the rule, match it to each driver and truck, and check it on a schedule.
The full briefing, read aloud
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Generated with AI text-to-speech from this article's key insights, in order, rather than reading it word for word. Chapter times come from a transcript of the audio. The article itself was written and reviewed by Inely Baez.
Key takeaways
The combination sets the CDL class
FMCSA treats a tow truck and its towed vehicle like any power unit towing a trailer, so the tow itself can raise the license class.
A Class B wrecker can need a Class A driver
Hooking a disabled vehicle rated over 10,000 pounds to a 26,001-pound wrecker makes it a Group A combination.
No CDL does not mean no rules
In interstate commerce, a tow truck is a commercial motor vehicle from 10,001 pounds, alone or combined with its tow.
First moves need no endorsement
Towing a disabled vehicle from the scene to the nearest appropriate repair facility needs none. Later moves need the towed vehicle's endorsements.
Police calls pause the hours limits, briefly
At a police request, the 49 CFR 395.3 limits stop applying during direct assistance, for no more than 24 hours.
States can license operators too
Texas requires every tow truck operator to hold a TDLR tow operator license, separate from any CDL.
In this articleContents
Do you need a CDL to drive a tow truck?
You need a CDL to drive a tow truck when the truck, or the truck plus what it tows, crosses the federal weight thresholds. FMCSA's guidance for tow truck operators treats the tow truck and its towed vehicle like any other power unit towing a non-powered unit.
| Configuration | Weight test | License |
|---|---|---|
| Wrecker or rollback, nothing in tow | Tow truck rated 26,001 lb or more | Class B |
| Heavy wrecker towing a car or light truck | Tow truck 26,001 lb or more; towed vehicle 10,000 lb or less | Class B |
| Any tow truck towing a heavier vehicle | Combination 26,001 lb or more; towed vehicle over 10,000 lb | Class A |
| Lighter setup towing placarded hazmat | Below the A and B tests, on a subsequent move | Class C |
| Lighter setup, no placarded hazmat | Below the A and B tests | No CDL |
Weight means the rating or the actual weight, whichever is greater, under the CDL definitions in 49 CFR 383.5. A car carried on a rollback's bed is not in tow: it adds to the rollback's own actual weight.
What is a Class B wrecker?
A Class B wrecker is a single tow truck rated 26,001 pounds or more. Its driver needs a Class B CDL to run it empty or with a tow of 10,000 pounds or less.
The tow can change that. Hook a disabled truck or bus rated over 10,000 pounds and the combination is a Group A vehicle, so the driver needs a Class A CDL for that tow. Qualify heavy recovery drivers for the heaviest vehicle they may be sent to move.
The same weight logic applies to other vocational trucks, with different duties. See our guides to garbage truck driver qualifications and dump truck driver qualifications.
Which endorsements and restrictions apply?
Endorsements depend on the kind of move, under FMCSA's guidance on tow truck endorsements:
- First move: towing a disabled vehicle from the breakdown or crash site to the nearest appropriate repair facility needs no endorsement of any kind
- Subsequent moves: towing from one repair or disposal facility to another needs the endorsements the towed vehicle requires, such as tank, double/triple, or hazardous materials
- Passenger and school bus: never required of tow operators, even on subsequent moves
Air brakes are a restriction, not an endorsement. Under 49 CFR 383.95, a driver who fails the air brake knowledge test, or takes the skills test in a vehicle without air brakes, is barred from any commercial vehicle with air brakes. Check each driver's restriction codes against the brakes on your trucks.
When is a tow truck a commercial motor vehicle?
A tow truck used in interstate commerce is a commercial motor vehicle when its rating or actual weight, alone or combined with what it tows, is 10,001 pounds or more, under 49 CFR 390.5T. That line sits far below the CDL line.
FMCSA's guidance on combinations adds the two ratings together. A light wrecker and the pickup it tows can pass 10,001 pounds even when neither does alone.
Crossing that line brings in the driver qualification and hours rules, with or without a CDL. The CDL is what brings in drug and alcohol testing.
| Requirement | 10,001 to 26,000 lb, no CDL | CDL tow truck |
|---|---|---|
| Age 21, English, medical certificate, road test (Part 391) | Required | Required |
| Driver qualification file and annual record review (Part 391) | Required | Required |
| Hours of service (Part 395) | Required, with a non-CDL short-haul option | Required, with a short-haul option |
| Drug and alcohol testing and Clearinghouse (Part 382) | Not required federally | Required |
Two limits on this table. The CDL rules apply in intrastate commerce too, under 49 CFR 390.3T(b), and Part 382 follows the CDL. The rest of these federal rules cover interstate commerce, so a tow company working only in intrastate commerce follows its state's version.
The general exceptions in 49 CFR 390.3T(f) name fire trucks and rescue vehicles in emergency operations, but not tow trucks. For a side-by-side of both rule sets, see CDL vs non-CDL requirements.
Which tow truck driver requirements come before the first call?
For an interstate tow company, four checks come before a new driver's first call. Each leaves a record for the driver qualification file.
Step 1: Match the license to the heaviest tow
List each truck and the heaviest vehicle each driver may be sent to tow, then compare the class, endorsements, and restrictions on the license. Dispatching a driver to a tow above their class puts a driver without the required CDL behind the wheel.
Step 2: Confirm the basic qualifications
Under 49 CFR 391.11, the driver must be at least 21, read and speak English well enough for the road and for officials, be physically qualified, hold one valid license, and not be disqualified. Within 30 days of hire, get the motor vehicle record from every state that licensed the driver in the past 3 years.
Step 3: Road test in a tow truck
Under 49 CFR 391.31, the road test happens in the type of vehicle the carrier intends to assign, and covers coupling when the driver will run combinations. A carrier may accept a CDL instead when the driver earned it in that type of vehicle.
Step 4: Test CDL drivers before any safety-sensitive work
A CDL driver needs a verified negative pre-employment drug test under 49 CFR 382.301, and a full Clearinghouse query under 49 CFR 382.701, before the first safety-sensitive function. Our Clearinghouse guide explains the queries.
Owner-operators are not exempt. Under 49 CFR 382.103(b), a tow company whose only driver is its owner must place that driver in a random testing pool of two or more covered drivers. Our drug screen compliance service can help run that program.
Do hours-of-service limits apply on police tow calls?
Not for up to 24 hours. Under 49 CFR 390.23(d), the driving and duty limits in 395.3 don't apply while a tow driver gives direct assistance after a federal, state, or local police officer requests tow trucks to move wrecked or disabled vehicles.
- How long: the length of the direct assistance, or 24 hours from the officer's initial request, whichever is less
- What it lifts: only the limits in 395.3. The paragraph doesn't mention the record-keeping rules, so plan on logging the day as usual
- After the call: the driver may return empty to the terminal or normal work reporting location; a driver who says they need immediate rest must first get at least 10 consecutive hours off duty
FMCSA narrowed its emergency relief rules in a final rule effective December 12, 2023, and carried the tow truck provision forward, limited to 395.3 and 24 hours.
Do local tow drivers need logs?
Often not. Under the short-haul exception in 49 CFR 395.1(e)(1), a driver needs no record of duty status when they stay within 150 air miles of the normal work reporting location, are released within 14 consecutive hours, and the carrier keeps time records for 6 months. Non-CDL drivers have a separate option in 395.1(e)(2).
A night of back-to-back calls can break the 14-hour condition. On that day the exception doesn't apply, and the driver needs a record of duty status.
Do states license tow truck drivers?
Some do, on top of the federal rules. In Texas, every tow truck operator needs a tow operator license from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), and every tow truck needs its own TDLR permit to tow on public streets.
| License | May operate trucks permitted for | Certification |
|---|---|---|
| Incident Management | Incident management, private property, and consent tows | Required |
| Private Property | Private property and consent tows | Required |
| Consent Tow | Consent tows only | Not required |
Under TDLR's tow truck permit rules, any tow from a public roadway, and any non-consent tow a peace officer initiates, is incident management towing. Applicants need a valid US driver's license, a $100 fee, and a criminal history check, and the license lasts one year.
What keeps a tow truck driver qualified?
Qualification runs on clocks, and each one needs an owner and a date on a calendar.
- Every 12 months: pull and review each driver's motor vehicle record, under 49 CFR 391.25
- Every 12 months: run at least a limited Clearinghouse query on every CDL driver, under 49 CFR 382.701(b)
- Every 24 months at most: medical recertification, and every 12 months for some conditions, under 49 CFR 391.45
- Every time the fleet changes: recheck license class and endorsements against the heaviest tow each truck can make
- In Texas, every year: renew the TDLR tow operator license
The fourth clock is the one fleets tend to forget. A new heavy wrecker, or a new contract for bus or tractor recoveries, can change the license class a driver needs overnight.
How Simplex helps you qualify tow operators
Matching every driver to every truck and tow is a tracking job. We help you set it up and keep it current.
Driver qualification files
We work with you and your drivers to keep each driver qualification file compliant, from the motor vehicle record to the road test certificate.
Drug and alcohol testing
Our drug screen compliance service helps you run the testing program your CDL tow operators need and keep its records filed correctly.
A program that keeps checking
Our compliance programs include driver qualification file management, CSA monitoring, mock audits, and HOS management.
Frequently asked questions
Do tow truck drivers need a CDL?+
What do you need to be a tow truck driver?+
What is a Class B wrecker?+
Do tow truck drivers need a hazmat endorsement?+
Can tow truck drivers go over hours-of-service limits?+
Where this information comes from
The requirements below come from federal regulations, FMCSA's published CDL guidance, and the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, checked on September 24, 2026.
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1
FMCSA — Do tow truck operators need CDLs?
Guidance on 383.91: the Class A, B, and C tests for tow trucks and their towed vehicles.
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2
FMCSA — Tow truck endorsements
Guidance on 383.93: no endorsements for first moves; the towed vehicle's endorsements for subsequent moves.
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3
eCFR — 49 CFR 383.5
The CDL definition of a commercial motor vehicle, using rating or actual weight, whichever is greater.
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4
eCFR — 49 CFR 390.5T
The 10,001-pound commercial motor vehicle definition and the police tow request in the definition of emergency.
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5
eCFR — 49 CFR 390.23
Hours-of-service relief for tow trucks responding to police requests, and the rules after relief ends.
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6
eCFR — 49 CFR 382.103
Drug and alcohol testing applies to CDL drivers, including one-driver companies.
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7
eCFR — 49 CFR 395.1
The short-haul exceptions from records of duty status for local drivers.
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8
Texas TDLR — Apply for a Tow Operator License
The three Texas tow operator licenses, certification, fee, and one-year term.
Written by
Inely Baez
Chief Operating Officer, Simplex Group
Chief Operating Officer at Simplex Group, with nearly eight years at the company leading operational strategy and execution across compliance, technology, logistics, and performance systems. She is a Certified Public Accountant with a background spanning operations and finance, including leadership roles within Simplex's Freight 4 U division and Velox Transport Solutions. Her work focuses on building scalable, disciplined systems that support long-term performance and growth.
Published · Updated
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Qualify every driver for the heaviest tow they might hook
The truck a driver takes to the scene is only half the question. The vehicle on the hook decides the license class, and the job decides the endorsements.
If you want help matching your drivers, trucks, and tows, and keeping the files that prove it, talk to our team.