Driving is an exciting privilege for many people. But many people do not realize that there are more than one type of license that a person can get. The truth is that there are several different types of licenses that you can get in Connecticut. They are generally broken up into two categories – commercial driver’s licenses and non-commercial driver’s licenses. You can learn more about these types of licenses here.

Commercial Driver’s License (CDL)

Commercial driver’s licenses allow a person to operate a commercial motor vehicle. Oftentimes, people need this type of license for a certain kind of job. For example, CDLs allow people to operate large motor vehicles such as buses or tractor trailers. The CDL gets broken down into three categories:

• Class A CDL: a vehicle or combination of vehicles that weighs 26,001 pounds or more. If a vehicle being towed is involved, this vehicle must weigh more than 10,000 pounds.
• Class B CDL: A vehicle weighing 26,001 pounds or more, or a vehicle that tows another vehicle weighing under 10,000 pounds.
• Class C CDL: A vehicle designed to transport hazardous material or one designed to transport at least 16 passengers.

Which license you apply for will depend on which type of motor vehicle you want to operate. Once you determine which license you need, you can look into the application process for that license.

Non-Commercial Driver’s License

Commercial driver’s licenses are not the only such licenses available. If you just want to drive regular motor vehicles, such as cars or trucks, you can apply for a non-commercial driver’s license. To drive a non-commercial vehicle, you just need a standard driver’s license. This is considered a Class D license.

Endorsements

In addition to commercial vehicles and non-commercial vehicles, there are also public passenger vehicles. In order to operate a public passenger vehicle, you do not need a CDL, but you need an endorsement on your non-commercial driver’s license. There are 11 types of endorsements that correspond to different types of vehicles. You can review these endorsements below:

• A: For activity vehicles such as taxis, motor coaches, service buses, and liveries.
• F: For taxis, service busses, motor coaches, and liveries.
• H: For vehicles containing hazardous material.
• M: For motorcycles.
• N: For tank vehicles.
• P: For passenger vehicles.
• Q: For fire trucks.
• S: For school buses.
• T: For double or triple vehicles.
• V: For student transportation vehicles.
• X: For vehicles carrying hazardous materials.

Make sure that you apply for the correct endorsement(s) based on the vehicle(s) that you want to drive. If you need help applying for a certain type of license, or if your license has been suspended, you can contact an attorney for further help.