§383.93 – Endorsements

Guidance Q&A

Question 8: Do tow truck operators who hold a CDL require endorsements to tow “endorsable” vehicles?

Guidance: For CDL endorsement purposes, the nature of the tow truck operations determines the need for endorsements:

•     If the driver’s towing operations are restricted to emergency “first moves” from the site of a breakdown or crash to the nearest appropriate repair facility, then no CDL endorsement of any kind is required.

•     If the driver’s towing operations include any “subsequent moves” from one repair or disposal facility to another, then endorsements requisite to the vehicles being towed are required. Exception: Tow truck operators need not obtain a passenger or school bus endorsement.