This information is provided by Major Vehicle Exchange as a courtesy to guide and applies to shuttle buses and mini-buses.
Disclaimer: We are not the final legal authority for the information provided; the individual states are. This article is offered merely as a guide.
Introduction:
Researching what license class you need to drive a shuttle bus can be challenging. To simplify this, we’ve compiled this list of CDL license requirements by state. Here you will find information about what kind of shuttle buses require a CDL to drive in each state, with a link to information from that state’s government.
Important Notes:
* Most states have CDL exemptions for the personal use of recreational vehicles. So, you can usually drive your converted shuttle bus (skoolie) with a regular driver’s license.
* When states mention “16 or more passengers,” they include the driver in that count. That’s why we label buses with 14 or fewer passenger seats as “non-CDL” on our website. With the driver included, they remain under the 16-passenger limit of most states.
* All states require CDL licensing for transporting hazardous materials. We haven’t mentioned this for each state as it’s unlikely with a shuttle bus, but be aware of it.
* We cannot guarantee the accuracy of our summaries. Confirm all information with each state. Our summaries are a quick overview, not authoritative. Some information was confirmed via phone calls, so you might not find everything on their websites.
If you’re looking for a bus you won’t need a CDL to drive, you can view all our non-CDL buses.
Requirements By State
Alabama
* A CDL is required for: Any shuttle bus over 26,000 pounds or with more than 15 seating positions including the driver and wheelchair positions.
* Endorsements: Passenger endorsement is required for more than 15 seating positions. A School endorsement is required for transporting children to and from school or school events.
Alaska
* A CDL is required for: Any shuttle bus over 26,000 lbs or with more than 15 seating positions including the driver and wheelchair positions
* Endorsements: Passenger endorsement is required for more than 15 seating positions. A School endorsement required for transporting children to and from school or school events
Arizona
* A CDL is required for: Any shuttle bus over 26,000 lbs or with more than 15 seating positions including the driver and wheelchair positions
* Endorsements: Passenger endorsement is required for more than 15 seating positions. A School endorsement is required for transporting children to and from school or school events.
Arkansas
* A CDL is required for: Any shuttle bus over 26,000 lbs or with more than 15 seating positions including the driver and wheelchair positions
* Endorsements: Passenger endorsement required for more than 15 seating positions
California
* A CDL is required for: Any 2-axle shuttle bus over 26,000 pounds, a 3-axle shuttle bus over 6,000 pounds, or any shuttle bus designed to transport more than 10 passengers including the driver
* Exceptions: “Housecars” over 40 feet but less than 45 feet may be driven without a CDL with the proper endorsement
Colorado
* A CDL is required for: Any shuttle bus over 26,000 lbs or with more than 16 seating positions including the driver and wheelchair positions
* Endorsements: Passenger endorsement is required for more than 15 seating positions. A School endorsement required for transporting children to and from school or school events
* Exceptions: RVs driven for personal, family use only
Connecticut
* A CDL is required for: Any shuttle bus over 26,000 lbs or with 16 or more seating positions including the driver and wheelchair positions, or more than 10 seating positions if used to transport students under the age of 21 to and from school
* Endorsements: Passenger endorsement is required for either of these cases and School endorsement for transporting students
Delaware
* A CDL is required for: Any shuttle bus over 26,000 lbs or with more than 15 seating positions including the driver and wheelchair positions
* Endorsements: Passenger endorsement is required for more than 15 seating positions. A School endorsement is required for transporting children to and from school or school events
* Exceptions: RVs driven for personal, family use only
Florida
* A CDL is required for: Any shuttle bus over 26,000 pounds or with more than 15 seating positions including the driver and wheelchair positions
* Endorsements: Passenger endorsement is required for more than 15 seating positions. A School endorsement is required for transporting children to and from school or school events
* Exceptions: RVs driven for personal, family use only
Georgia
* A CDL is required for: Any shuttle bus over 26,000 pounds or with more than 15 seating positions including the driver and wheelchair positions
* Endorsements: Passenger endorsement is required for more than 15 seating positions. A School endorsement is required for transporting children to and from school or school events
* Exceptions: RVs driven for personal, family use only
Hawaii
* A CDL is required for: Any shuttle bus over 26,000 pounds or with more than 15 seating positions including the driver and wheelchair positions (based on Honolulu County data)
* Endorsements: Passenger endorsement required for more than 15 seating positions
Idaho
* A CDL is required for: Any shuttle bus over 26,000 pounds or with more than 15 seating positions including the driver and wheelchair positions
* Endorsements: Passenger endorsement is required for more than 15 seating positions. A School endorsement is required for transporting children to and from school or school events
Illinois
* A CDL required for: Any shuttle bus over 26,000 pounds or with more than 15 seating positions including the driver and wheelchair positions
* Endorsements: Passenger endorsement is required for more than 15 seating positions. A School endorsement is required for transporting children to and from school or school events
* Exceptions: RVs driven for personal, family use only
Indiana
* A CDL is required For: Any shuttle bus over 26,000 pounds or with more than 15 seating positions including the driver and wheelchair positions
* Endorsements: Passenger endorsement is required for more than 15 seating positions. A School endorsement is required for transporting children to and from school or school events
Iowa
* A CDL is required for:
* Any shuttle bus over 26,000 pounds
* Any shuttle bus with more than 15 seating positions including the driver and wheelchair positions
* A vehicle weighing 10,000 or more pounds that has been modified to carry less than 16 handicapped individuals
* Endorsements:
* Passenger endorsement is required for:
* More than 15 seating positions
* Transporting less than 16 passengers in a redesigned or modified bus weighing more than 10,000 pounds which is designed to accommodate less than 16 handicapped individuals
* School endorsement is also required for the operation of any school bus
Kansas
* A CDL is required for: Any shuttle bus over 26,000 pounds or with more than 15 seating positions including the driver and wheelchair positions
* Endorsements: Passenger endorsement is required for more than 15 seating positions. A School endorsement is required for transporting children to and from school or school events
Kentucky
* A CDL is required for: Any shuttle bus that can transport 16 or more passengers including the driver and wheelchair positions.
* Weight consideration:
* Weight is only factored in as far as which class of CDL is required
* A vehicle weight over 26,000 pounds by itself is not enough to require a CDL
* You will need a medical examination certificate to drive any vehicle:
* Over 10,000 pounds
* That transports more than 8 passengers (including the driver) for monetary compensation
* That transports more than 15 passengers
* Endorsements:
* Passenger endorsement required for more than 15 seating positions for any reason
* School endorsement required for transporting children to and from school or school events
Louisiana
* A CDL is required for: Any shuttle bus over 26,000 pounds or with more than 15 seating positions including the driver and wheelchair positions
* Additional Requirements:
* A class D license is required for any vehicle used to transport passengers for a fee
Maine
* A CDL is required for: Any shuttle bus over 26,000 pounds or with more than 15 seating positions including the driver and wheelchair positions
* Endorsements: Passenger endorsement is required for more than 15 seating positions. A School endorsement is required for transporting children to and from school or school events
Maryland
* A CDL is required for:
* Any shuttle bus over 26,000 pounds
* Any shuttle bus with more than 15 seating positions including the driver and wheelchair positions
* All school buses
* Endorsements: Passenger endorsement is required for more than 15 seating positions. A School endorsement is required for transporting children to and from school or school events
* Exceptions: RVs driven for personal, family use only
Massachusetts
* A CDL is required for: Any shuttle bus over 26,000 pounds or with more than 15 seating positions including the driver and wheelchair positions
* Endorsements:
* Passenger endorsement required for more than 15 seating positions
* School endorsement and a School Bus Driver Certificate are required for driving a school bus
* Additional Notes:
* It is not entirely clear if the vehicle is still considered a school bus even if not being used to transport children
* When operating a school bus with 14 or fewer passengers, you only need a standard Class D license and a Restricted School Bus Driver Certificate
Michigan
* A CDL is required for: Any shuttle bus over 26,000 pounds or with more than 15 seating positions including the driver and wheelchair positions
* Endorsements: Passenger endorsement is required for more than 15 seating positions. A School endorsement is required for transporting children to and from school or school events
* Exceptions:
* RVs driven for personal, family use only
* Other vehicles used exclusively to transport personal possessions or family members, for non-business purposes
Minnesota
* A CDL is required for:
* Any shuttle bus over 26,000 pounds
* Any shuttle bus with more than 15 seating positions including the driver and wheelchair positions
* Any vehicle that is “outwardly equipped and identified as a school bus”
Endorsements:
* Passenger endorsement required for more than 15 seating positions
* School endorsement is required to operate a school bus
* Definition of School Bus: “A motor vehicle used to transport pupils (grades K-12) to or from a school or to or from school-related activities, by the school or a school district or by someone under an agreement with the school or a school district”
* Exceptions: RVs driven for personal, family use only
Mississippi
* A CDL is required for: Any shuttle bus over 26,000 pounds or with more than 15 seating positions including the driver and wheelchair positions
* Endorsements: Passenger endorsement is required for more than 15 seating positions. A School endorsement is required for transporting children to and from school or school events
Missouri
* A CDL is required for: Any shuttle bus over 26,000 pounds or with more than 15 seating positions including the driver and wheelchair positions
* Endorsements:
* Passenger endorsement required for more than 15 seating positions
* School endorsement is required for “Public and private school employees who operate school buses transporting students from home to school, school to home, and school-sponsored events”
Montana
* A CDL is required for: Any shuttle bus over 26,000 pounds or with more than 15 seating positions including the driver and wheelchair positions
* Endorsements:
* Passenger endorsement required for more than 15 seating positions
* School endorsement is required for “vehicles that are designed or used to transport sixteen or more passengers, including the driver, that are pre-primary, primary, or secondary school students from home to school, from school to home, or to and from school-sponsored events”
Nebraska
* A CDL is required for: Any shuttle bus over 26,000 pounds or with more than 15 seating positions including the driver and wheelchair positions
* Endorsements: Passenger endorsement is required for more than 15 seating positions. A School endorsement is required for transporting children to and from school or school events
Nevada
* A CDL is required for: Any shuttle bus over 26,000 pounds or with more than 15 seating positions including the driver and wheelchair positions
* Endorsements: Passenger endorsement is required for more than 15 seating positions. A School endorsement is required for transporting children to and from school or school events
* Exceptions: RVs driven for personal, family use only
New Hampshire
* A CDL is required for: Any shuttle bus over 26,000 pounds or with more than 15 seating positions including the driver and wheelchair positions
* Endorsements:
* Passenger endorsement required for more than 15 seating positions
* School endorsement is required to operate a school bus designed to transport “16 or more students, including the driver”
* Additional Notes:
* New Hampshire also requires a separate School Bus Certificate which requires the operator to be employed and on the roster of a school bus company
* School buses can be used privately in New Hampshire, but they have to be cosmetically reformed to not look like a school bus
* Check with the appropriate New Hampshire government agency to confirm all details before purchasing a school bus
New Jersey
* A CDL is required for:
* Any shuttle bus over 26,000 pounds
* Any shuttle bus with more than 15 seating positions including the driver and wheelchair positions
* Any shuttle bus with over 7 passengers that is used to transport passengers for hire
* Endorsements: Passenger endorsement is required for more than 15 seating positions.A School endorsement is required for transporting children to and from school or school events
* Exceptions: RVs driven for personal, family use only
New Mexico
* A CDL is required for: Any shuttle bus over 26,000 pounds or with more than 15 seating positions including the driver and wheelchair positions
* Endorsements: Passenger endorsement is required for more than 15 seating positions. A School endorsement is required for driving a school bus
New York
* A CDL is required for: Any shuttle bus over 26,000 pounds or with more than 15 seating positions including the driver and wheelchair positions
* Endorsements:
* Passenger endorsement required for more than 15 seating positions
* School endorsement is required for transporting children to and from school or school events if the bus is over 26,000 pounds, seats 16 or more passengers, and is owned by a school, or by a private company transporting children for compensation
North Carolina
* A CDL is required for: Any shuttle bus over 26,000 pounds or with more than 15 seating positions including the driver and wheelchair positions
* Endorsements: Passenger endorsement is required for more than 15 seating positions. A School endorsement is required to drive a school bus
* Exceptions: RVs driven for personal, family use only
North Dakota
* A CDL is required for: Any shuttle bus over 26,000 pounds or with more than 15 seating positions including the driver and wheelchair positions
* Endorsements: Passenger endorsement is required for more than 15 seating positions. A School endorsement is required for transporting children to and from school or school events
* Exceptions: RVs driven for personal, family use only
Ohio
* A CDL is required for:
* Any shuttle bus over 26,000 pounds
* Any shuttle bus with more than 15 seating positions including the driver and wheelchair positions
* Any school bus
* Endorsements: Passenger endorsement is required for more than 15 seating positions. A School endorsement is required for transporting children to and from school or school events
* Exceptions:
* RVs driven for personal, family use only
* Commercial vehicles “not used in commerce and not regulated by the Public Utilities Commission”
Oklahoma
* A CDL is required for: Any shuttle bus over 26,000 pounds or with more than 15 seating positions including the driver and wheelchair positions
* Endorsements: Passenger endorsement is required for more than 15 seating positions. A School endorsement is required to drive a school bus
* Additional Notes: Information on the Oklahoma website is sparse. Contact the state directly for more information, particularly regarding school bus registration
Oregon
* A CDL is required for: Any shuttle bus over 26,000 pounds or with more than 15 seating positions including the driver and wheelchair positions
* Endorsements:
* Passenger endorsement required for more than 15 seating positions
* School endorsement is required for any vehicle marked with the words “School Bus” and used for transporting children to and from school or school events
* Exceptions: RVs driven for personal, family use only
Pennsylvania
* A CDL is required for:
* Any shuttle bus over 26,000 pounds
* Any shuttle bus with more than 15 seating positions including the driver and wheelchair positions
* Any school bus with 11 or more passenger seats
* Endorsements:
* Passenger endorsement required for more than 15 seating positions
* School endorsement is required to drive a school bus designed to carry 11 or more passengers
Rhode Island
* A CDL is required for: Any shuttle bus over 26,000 pounds or with more than 15 seating positions including the driver and wheelchair positions
* Endorsements: Passenger endorsement is required for more than 15 seating positions. A School endorsement and a School Bus Certificate are required for driving a school bus
South Carolina
* A CDL is required For: Any shuttle bus over 26,000 pounds or with more than 15 seating positions including the driver and wheelchair positions
* Endorsements: Passenger endorsement is required for more than 15 seating positions. A School endorsement is required for transporting children to and from school or school events
South Dakota
* CDL Required for: Any shuttle bus over 26,000 pounds or with more than 15 seating positions including the driver and wheelchair positions
* Endorsements: Passenger endorsement is required for more than 15 seating positions. A School endorsement is required for transporting children to and from school or school events
Tennessee
* A CDL is required For:
* Any shuttle bus over 26,000 pounds
* Any shuttle bus with more than 15 seating positions including the driver and wheelchair positions
* Any school bus
* Endorsements: Passenger endorsement is required for more than 15 seating positions. A School endorsement is required for transporting children to and from school or school events
Texas
* A CDL is required for: Any shuttle bus over 26,000 pounds or with more than 15 seating positions including the driver and wheelchair positions
* Endorsements: Passenger endorsement is required for more than 15 seating positions. A School endorsement is required for transporting children to and from school or school events
* Additional Notes: A school bus not used primarily for transporting students must not bear the words “school bus.”
* Exceptions: RVs driven for personal, family use only
Utah
* A CDL is required for: Any shuttle bus over 26,000 pounds or with more than 15 seating positions including the driver and wheelchair positions
* Endorsements: Passenger endorsement is required for more than 15 seating positions. A School endorsement is required for transporting children to and from school or school events
Vermont
* A CDL is required for: Any shuttle bus over 26,000 pounds or with more than 15 seating positions including the driver and wheelchair positions
* Endorsements: Passenger endorsement is required for more than 15 seating positions. A School endorsement is required to drive any vehicle designated as a school bus
Virginia
* A CDL is required for: Any shuttle bus over 26,000 pounds or with more than 15 seating positions including the driver and wheelchair positions
* Endorsements:
* Passenger endorsement required for more than 15 seating positions
* School endorsement is required for driving a school bus that accommodates more than 15 passengers
* Exceptions: RVs driven for personal, family use only
Washington D.C.
* A CDL is required for: Any shuttle bus over 26,000 pounds or with more than 15 seating positions including the driver and wheelchair positions
* Endorsements: Passenger endorsement is required for more than 15 seating positions. A School endorsement is required to drive a school bus
Washington State
* A CDL is required for: Any shuttle bus over 26,000 pounds or with more than 15 seating positions including the driver and wheelchair positions
* Endorsements: Passenger endorsement is required for more than 15 seating positions. A School endorsement is required for transporting children to and from school or school events
* Exceptions: RVs driven for personal, family use only
West Virginia
* A CDL is required for: Any shuttle bus over 26,000 pounds or with more than 15 seating positions including the driver and wheelchair positions
* Endorsements: Passenger endorsement is required for more than 15 seating positions. A School endorsement is required for driving a school bus
Wisconsin
* A CDL is required for: Any shuttle bus over 26,000 pounds or with more than 15 seating positions including the driver and wheelchair positions
* Endorsements:
* Passenger endorsement required for more than 15 seating positions
* School endorsement is required for operating a school bus as defined under Wisconsin law
* Exceptions: RVs driven for personal, family use only, as long as they are 45 feet or less in length
* More information:
* Wisconsin CDLs: [Link to Wisconsin CDL info]
* Wisconsin school bus definition: [Link to Wisconsin school bus definition]
* A CDL is required for: Any shuttle bus over 26,000 pounds or with more than 15 seating positions including the driver and wheelchair positions
* Endorsements:
* Passenger endorsement required for more than 15 seating positions
* School endorsement is required for operating a school bus as defined under Wisconsin law
* Exceptions: RVs driven for personal, family use only, as long as they are 45 feet or less in length
* More information:
* Wisconsin CDLs: [Link to Wisconsin CDL info]
Wyoming
* A CDL is required for: Any shuttle bus over 26,000 pounds or with more than 15 seating positions including the driver and wheelchair positions
* Endorsements: Passenger endorsement is required for more than 15 seating positions. A School endorsement is required for transporting children to and from school or school events
