Florida Statutes 322.53 – License required; exemptions
Current as of: 2023 | Check for updates
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(1) Except as provided in subsection (2), every person who drives a commercial motor vehicle in this state is required to possess a valid commercial driver license issued in accordance with the requirements of this chapter.
(2) The following persons are exempt from the requirement to obtain a commercial driver license:
(a) Drivers of authorized emergency vehicles.
Terms Used In Florida Statutes 322.53
- Commercial driver license: means a Class A, Class B, or Class C driver license issued in accordance with the requirements of this chapter. See Florida Statutes 322.01
- Commercial motor vehicle: means any motor vehicle or motor vehicle combination used on the streets or highways, which:(a) Has a gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more;(b) Is designed to transport more than 15 persons, including the driver; or(c) Is transporting hazardous materials and is required to be placarded in accordance with 49 C. See Florida Statutes 322.01
- Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
- Department: means the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles acting directly or through its duly authorized representatives. See Florida Statutes 322.01
- Drive: means to operate or be in actual physical control of a motor vehicle in any place open to the general public for purposes of vehicular traffic. See Florida Statutes 322.01
- Driver license: means a certificate that, subject to all other requirements of law, authorizes an individual to drive a motor vehicle and denotes an operator's license as defined in 49 U. See Florida Statutes 322.01
- Motor vehicle: means any self-propelled vehicle, including a motor vehicle combination, not operated upon rails or guideway, excluding vehicles moved solely by human power, motorized wheelchairs, and electric bicycles as defined in…. See Florida Statutes 322.01
- person: includes individuals, children, firms, associations, joint adventures, partnerships, estates, trusts, business trusts, syndicates, fiduciaries, corporations, and all other groups or combinations. See Florida Statutes 1.01
- Personal property: All property that is not real property.
- Resident: means a person who has his or her principal place of domicile in this state for a period of more than 6 consecutive months, has registered to vote, has made a statement of domicile pursuant to…. See Florida Statutes 322.01
- State: means a state or possession of the United States, and, for the purposes of this chapter, includes the District of Columbia. See Florida Statutes 322.01
- Vehicle: means every device in, upon, or by which any person or property is or may be transported or drawn upon a public highway or operated upon rails or guideway, except a bicycle, motorized wheelchair, or electric bicycle. See Florida Statutes 322.01
(b) Military personnel driving vehicles operated for military purposes.(c)1. Farmers transporting agricultural products, farm supplies, or farm machinery to or from their farms and within 150 miles of their farms, if the vehicle operated under this exemption is not used in the operations of a common or contract motor carrier.(d) Drivers of recreational vehicles, as defined in s. 320.01.(e) Drivers who operate straight trucks, as defined in s. 316.003, and who are transporting exclusively their own tangible personal property, which is not for sale.(f) Employees of a publicly owned transit system who are limited to moving vehicles for maintenance or parking purposes exclusively within the restricted-access confines of a transit system’s property.
(3) Notwithstanding subsection (2), all drivers of for-hire commercial motor vehicles are required to possess a valid commercial driver license issued in accordance with the requirements of this chapter.
(4) A resident who is exempt from obtaining a commercial driver license pursuant to paragraph (2)(b), paragraph (2)(d), paragraph (2)(e), or paragraph (2)(f) may drive a commercial motor vehicle pursuant to the exemption granted in paragraph (2)(b), paragraph (2)(d), paragraph (2)(e), or paragraph (2)(f) if he or she possesses a valid Class E driver license or a military license.
(5) The department shall adopt rules and enter into necessary agreements with other jurisdictions to provide for the operation of commercial vehicles by nonresidents pursuant to the exemption granted in subsection (2).