Section 391.11(b) sets the qualifications for CMV drivers, including holding a valid CDL of the appropriate class for the vehicle operated. Operating without a valid CDL — expired, suspended, revoked, wrong class, or missing required endorsement — is one of the most serious driver violations.
OOS criteria
A driver operating a CMV without a valid CDL of the appropriate class is placed out of service immediately. The carrier may also receive a §391.11 violation if it allowed the driver to dispatch.
Severity weight
This is severity weight 8 in the Driver Fitness BASIC and one of the highest-impact carrier-side findings.
How to prevent it
- Verify the CDL on hire, retain a copy, and verify it again on each annual MVR pull.
- Track CDL expiration explicitly — this is the leading cause of §391.11(b) violations.
- After every Clearinghouse query showing a violation, run an MVR to confirm CDL status.
- Endorsements (HazMat, Tanker, Doubles/Triples, Passenger) are class-specific — match the endorsement to the operation.
How Roadworthy HQ helps
CDL expiration is tracked on the driver record with reminders 90, 60, 30, and 7 days out and an alert once it has expired. CDL copies are stored with retention enforced, and the DQF tab shows the CDL copy as present or missing.