COMMERCIAL VEHICLE OPERATIONS FOR GEORGIA
Oversize/Overweight Permits
The information below is provided by the Department of Motor Vehicle Safety (DMVS). The telephone number for additional information from FMCSA is 1-800-832-5660.
Whether you operate a one (1) vehicle fleet, there are a number of federal and state regulations that you, your business, your vehicles and your drivers are subject to if those vehicles operate on the public highways. Filing for authority, registering a vehicle, obtaining permits, qualifying a driver, preparing documentation, and operating a twenty-four hour a day business within the law is a challenge. And failure to comply with the economic and safety motor carrier edicts may subject you and your business to substantial fines, penalties, and even revocation of your license to operating. This summary is provided to help you with a few of the details.
Commercial motor vehicle means any self-propelled or towed motor vehicle used on a highway in interstate commerce to transport passengers or property when the vehicle--
Has a gross vehicle weight rating or gross combination weight rating, of 10,001 or more pounds;
- Is designed or used to transport more than 8 passengers (including the driver) for compensation; or
- Is designed or used to transport more than 15 passengers, including the driver, and is not for compensation; or
- Is used in transporting hazardous materials in a quantity requiring placards (49 CFR, subtitle B, chapter I, subchapter C).
No CDL is required for the above, but all FMCSR apply except Alcohol & Controlled Substance Testing.
Motor carrier means a for hire motor carrier or a private motor carrier. The term includes a motor carrier's agents, officers and representatives as well as employees responsible for hiring, supervising, training, assigning, or dispatching of drivers and employees concerned with the installation, inspection, and maintenance of motor vehicle equipment and/or accessories. For purposes of subchapter B, this definition includes the terms employer and exempt motor carrier.
Exempt motor carrier means a person engaged in transportation exempt from economic regulation by the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) under 49 U.S.C. 10526, "Exempt motor carriers" are subject to the safety regulations set forth in this subchapter.
Farm to market agricultural transportation means the operation of a commercial motor vehicle controlled and operated by a farmer who:
- Is a private motor carrier of property;
- Is using the commercial motor vehicle to transport agricultural products from a farm owned by the farmer, or to transport farm machinery or farm supplies to or from a farm owned by the farmer; and
- Is not using the commercial motor vehicle to transport hazardous materials of a type or quantity that require the commercial motor vehicle to be placarded in accordance with §177.823 of this subtitle.
For hire motor carrier means a person engaged in the transportation of goods or passengers for compensation.
A CDL is required for the following:
- manufacturers *GVWR of 26, 001 or more pounds or **GCWR of 26,001 or more pounds inclusive of a towed unit with a GVWR of more than 10,000 pounds;
- vehicle designed to transport more than 15 passengers, including the driver
- transporting hazardous materials in a quantity requiring placards.
Drivers of the above vehicles are required to hold a commercial driver's license (CDL) and the company must follow the guidelines of Part 382 for Alcohol & Controlled Substance Testing.
Please Note: Even if you buy a large pickup or van rated by the manufacturer for more than 10,000 pounds you are subject to the requirements of the FMCSR.
*Gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) means the value specified by the manufacturer as the loaded weight of a single motor vehicle.
**Gross combination weight rating (GCWR) means the value specified by the manufacturer as the loaded weight of a combination (articulated) motor vehicle. In the absence of a value specified by the manufacturer, GCWR will be determined by adding the GVWR of the power unit and the total weight of the towed unit and any load thereon.