Do You Need a CDL to Haul a Skid Steer?

You may need a CDL to haul a skid steer, depending on the truck-and-trailer combination, its ratings and actual weights, and how and where you use it. Under federal Class A standards, the combination must be 26,001 pounds or more and the towed unit must exceed 10,000 pounds, using the applicable rated or actual weights, whichever is greater. The skid steer’s weight alone does not decide the license class. State requirements, exemptions and other commercial-vehicle obligations must also be checked before hauling.

Quick Answer

Read the Ratings Before Looking at the Load

The relevant numbers include truck GVWR, trailer GVWR, gross combination weight rating (GCWR), actual loaded vehicle weights and the manufacturer’s ratings for the exact configuration. GVWR describes a vehicle’s rated maximum loaded weight; actual weight is what it weighs on the scale. Do not substitute the empty truck weight or trailer payload capacity for a rated-weight figure.

FMCSA’s CDL classifications specify that Class A uses gross combination rating or actual gross combination weight, whichever is greater, and a towed-unit rating or actual weight above 10,000 pounds, whichever is greater. States issue the licenses. Other classes apply to different configurations, and passenger or hazardous-material rules can trigger licensing requirements unrelated to a skid steer.

Use the current federal definitions in 49 CFR 383.5 and your state licensing authority to resolve your exact setup. Do not assume the truck manufacturer’s headline towing figure is the legal combination rating for every configuration. Keep photographs of identification labels and the relevant manufacturer documentation with your hauling records.

Why “It Weighs Less Than 26,000 Pounds” Can Mislead

An empty or lightly loaded combination can still fall within CDL requirements because ratings matter. Removing a bucket or hauling without an attachment does not necessarily change the rated-weight classification. Conversely, loading above a rating is not a way around a licensing threshold; it can create separate safety and legal violations.

Consider a commercial combination with a verified applicable GCWR of 28,000 pounds and a trailer GVWR of 14,000 pounds. It meets the federal Class A weight thresholds even if a particular load is lighter. This is a licensing example, not approval to tow a certain load. The truck, hitch, axles and tires must still be suitable.

A combination whose applicable combined rating and actual weight are both 24,000 pounds, with a 14,000-pound trailer, does not meet the federal Class A combined-weight threshold solely because the trailer exceeds 10,000 pounds. That example does not settle state licensing or other commercial requirements. Ask the state agency for the license class that applies to the documented vehicle and use.

Our skid-steer trailer and truck guide covers payload, hitch load and towing suitability. It is a separate calculation from determining the driver’s license class. Check both before choosing a hauling setup.

Hauling Your Own Skid Steer Can Still Be Business Use

Moving a skid steer to your company’s jobsite is not automatically personal transportation simply because you own it and do not charge a hauling fee. Explain the purpose of the trip when checking requirements. Interstate versus intrastate operation and any applicable state exemptions also matter; a pickup truck does not automatically qualify for an exemption.

Do not assume farm, recreational or personal-use exceptions apply to a contractor’s equipment move. Confirm their specific eligibility and limits with the licensing or enforcement authority. Where an exemption applies, it may address one requirement while leaving other vehicle, registration or safety requirements in place. Save the authority’s guidance with the documents supporting the exemption.

If you regularly move between states, check the operating requirements across the route. A dealer delivering a purchase, a contractor moving their own equipment and a carrier hauling for a customer may have different obligations. Decide who will legally haul the machine before agreeing on delivery terms in your purchase.

A CDL Is Only One Part of the Hauling Checklist

Being below CDL thresholds does not automatically exempt an operation from federal motor-carrier rules. FMCSA’s USDOT guidance describes a separate weight threshold above 10,000 pounds for relevant interstate commercial operations. State requirements can also apply. Depending on the operation, investigate registration, driver medical qualification, inspections, hours of service, insurance and other obligations.

Load and secure the machine according to manufacturer instructions and the applicable cargo-securement rules. Check total weight, individual axle loads, tire limits, braking, hitch capacity, dimensions and permits. A valid CDL does not make an overloaded or poorly secured combination acceptable.

For a mini excavator instead, use our mini-excavator hauling guide. Include transport in the equipment-buying checklist when comparing new and used skid steers for sale. Professional transport may be the better option if your driver or vehicle setup does not qualify.

General US information, not legal advice. Confirm current federal and state requirements for your exact vehicles, driver and operation before travelling.

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