Driver License Classes

PURPOSE: This rule establishes classes of licenses for Missouri motor vehicle operators. (1) There shall be six (6) classes of licenses in Missouri. (2) Class A—The holder of a Class A license may drive any combination of vehicles with a Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR) of twenty-six thousand one pounds (26,001 lbs.) or more, provided the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of the vehicle(s) being towed is ten thousand one pounds (10,001 lbs.) or more, provided the license bears the proper endorsement(s), if any, required for the type of vehicle being driven. A holder of a Class A license may drive all vehicles that may be driven by a holder of a Class B, Class C, Class E, or Class F license, but not motorcycles or vehicles that require an endorsement(s) unless the proper endorsement(s) appears on the license. (3) Class B—The holder of a Class B license may drive any single vehicle with a GVWR of twenty-six thousand one pounds (26,001 lbs.) or more, or any such vehicle towing a vehicle with a GVWR of ten thousand pounds (10,000 lbs.) or less, provided the license bears the proper endorsement(s), if any, required for the type of vehicle being driven. A holder of a Class B license may drive all vehicles which may be driven by a holder of a Class C, Class E, or Class F license, but not motorcycles or vehicles which require an endorsement(s) unless the proper endorsement(s) appears on the license. (4) Class C—The holder of a Class C license may drive any single vehicle with a GVWR of twenty-six thousand pounds (26,000 lbs.) or less if the vehicle is designed to transport sixteen (16) or more passengers, including the driver, or if the vehicle is transporting hazardous materials and is required to be placarded under the Hazardous Material Transportation Act (46 U.S.C. section 1801), or any such vehicle towing a vehicle with a GVWR of ten thousand pounds (10,000 lbs.) or less, provided the license bears the proper endorsement(s), if any, required for the type of vehicle being driven. A holder of a Class C license may drive all vehicles which may be driven by a holder of a Class E or Class F license, but not motorcycles or vehicles which require an endorsement(s) unless the proper endorsement(s) appears on the license. (5) Class E—The holder of a Class E license may drive all vehicles which may be driven by a holder of a Class F license and receive compensation in wages, salary, commission, or fare 1) to transport persons or property; 2) as an owner or employee carrying passengers or property for hire; or 3) occasionally operating the commercial motor vehicle of another person in the course of, or as an incident to, their employment. A holder of a Class E license shall not be entitled to drive any vehicle which operation requires the driver to hold a Class A, Class B, or Class C license. The holder of a Class E license may not drive motorcycles or vehicles which require an endorsement unless the proper endorsement appears on the license. Transportation network company drivers, as defined in section 387.400, RSMo, food delivery services, as defined in subsection 2 of section 387.438, RSMo, and taxicab drivers are not required to obtain a Class E license for purposes of providing transportation services, provided the vehicle used for such purposes has a gross vehicle weight that is less than or equal to twelve thousand (12,000) pounds. (6) Class F—The holder of a Class F license may drive any motor vehicle other than one requiring the driver to hold a Class A, Class B, Class C, or Class E license, including any recreational vehicle being used solely for personal use, except that the holder of a Class F license may not drive motorcycles or vehicles which require an endorsement(s) unless the proper endorsement(s) appears on the license. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent operators of recreational motor vehicles for personal use from operating those vehicles with a Class F license. The holder of a Class F intermediate license may drive the same types of vehicles as those driven by the holder of a Class F driver license except that the holder of a Class F intermediate license cannot operate a motor vehicle on the highways of the state between the hours of 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. unless accompanied by a person who is at least twenty-one (21) years of age. The licensee is not required to be accompanied by someone twenty-one (21) years of age or older if the travel is to or from a school or educational program or activity, a regular place of employment or in emergency situations. An emergency situation is defined as any sudden or unexpected event in which a potential injury or death may occur to a living being that requires the operation of a motor vehicle. (7) Class M—The holder of a Class M license may drive only a motorcycle or motortricycle; however, the holder of a Class M license with a U201 restriction may drive only a motortricycle. (8) In addition to holding the appropriate class of license as prescribed, a driver of a motor vehicle used to transport hazardous material in a type, quantity, or both, as to require placarding under the Hazardous Material Transportation Act (46 U.S.C. section 1801) and the Hazardous Materials Regulations (49 CFR part 172, subpart F) must have qualified for and obtained an H endorsement. Any applicant for a commercial driver license requiring a hazardous material endorsement shall be at least twenty-one (21) years of age. (9) In addition to holding the appropriate class of license as prescribed, a driver of a motor vehicle designed to transport any liquid or gaseous material in bulk having a rated capacity of one thousand gallons (1,000 gal.) must have qualified for and obtained an N endorsement. (10) In addition to holding the appropriate class of license as prescribed, a driver of any commercial motor vehicle that is designed to transport any liquid or gaseous material within a tank that is either permanently or temporarily attached to the vehicle or the chassis having a rated capacity of one thousand gallons (1,000 gal.) or more must have qualified for and obtained an N endorsement. (11) In addition to holding the appropriate class of license as prescribed, a driver of any motor vehicle designed to transport sixteen (16) or more passengers, including the driver, must have qualified for and obtained a P endorsement. In addition to any other restrictions prescribed by the director, the holder of a P endorsement may be issued a restriction of M or N limiting the passenger vehicle classification which the driver may operate. The restriction is determined by the classification of the passenger vehicle in which the driving skills examination was completed. The restriction M limits passenger vehicle operation to Class B or Class C types only. The restriction N limits passenger vehicle operation to Class C type only. (12) In addition to holding the appropriate class of license as prescribed, a driver of a motor vehicle in any combination with double or triple trailers must have qualified for and obtained a T endorsement. (13) If a driver has qualified for both an H endorsement and an N endorsement, an X endorsement shall be shown on the license in lieu of the H and N endorsements. (14) If the holder of a Class A, Class B, Class C, Class E, or Class F license desires to drive a motorcycle or motortricycle upon the highways of this state, the holder must have qualified for and obtained an M endorsement. (15) In addition to holding the appropriate class of license as prescribed, the driver of a school bus owned by or under contract with a public school or the State Board of Education must have qualified for and obtained an S endorsement in accordance with the requirement of section 302.272, RSMo. In addition, the holder of an S endorsement may be issued a restriction limiting the classification of a school bus in which the driver may operate. The restriction is determined by the school bus in which the driving skills examination was completed. The driver of a school bus, as defined in section 301.010, RSMo, that is less than or equal to twelve thousand pounds (12,000 lbs.) and designed to transport ten (10) or fewer passengers is not required to obtain other than a Class F operator license and is not required to obtain a school bus endorsement. (16) In addition to any other restrictions prescribed by the director, the holder of a Class A, Class B, or Class C license who has not qualified to drive a motor vehicle equipped with air brakes shall have a restriction L shown on the license. The restriction L does not allow the holder of a license to drive a commercial motor vehicle equipped with air brakes. (17) In addition to any other restrictions prescribed by the director, the holder of a Class A, Class B, or Class C license may be issued an E restriction limiting the driver to a commercial motor vehicle with an automatic transmission if the driving skills examination was completed in a vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission. (18) In addition to other restrictions of issuance, a Missouri driver license will not be issued to an individual unless and until any previously issued Missouri or out-of-state driver license and any Missouri or out-of-state nondriver identification card is surrendered or a statement that the physical card was lost, destroyed, or stolen. An individual may hold either a valid Missouri driver license or nondriver identification card, but not both. (A) As part of the requirements to transition to one (1) license or one (1) nondriver identification card, any person previously issued a Missouri driver license or a nondriver identification card will be required to surrender one (1) of the credential types at the time of their next application for any new, renewal, or duplicate. (B) The holder of a Missouri driver license may during a period of suspension, revocation, denial, or disqualification of their driving privilege elect to surrender the physical driver license and obtain a nondriver identification card. The holder of a nondriver identification card issued during any period of suspension, revocation, denial, or disqualification will be required to surrender the nondriver identification card to be eligible for return or issuance of a driver license. Any applicable fees will apply. (C) The holder of a Missouri driver license or nondriver license may hold a valid noncommercial instruction permit if other testing and eligibility conditions for the permit class type requested are met. (D) The holder of a valid, unexpired Missouri driver license may hold a commercial learner’s permit if other permit testing and eligibility conditions are met. AUTHORITY: section 302.015, RSMo 2016, and sections 302.010 and 387.438, RSMo Supp. 2024.* Original rule filed Jan. 16, 1990, effective May 11, 1990. Emergency amendment filed June 20, 1990, effective June 30, 1990, expired Oct. 27, 1990. Amended: Filed June 20, 1990, effective Dec. 31, 1990. Emergency amendment filed Oct. 26, 1990, effective Nov. 5, 1990, expired March 4, 1991. Amended: Filed Jan. 3, 1991, effective June 10, 1991. Emergency amendment filed April 8, 1991, effective April 18, 1991, expired Aug. 15, 1991. Amended: Filed April 8, 1991, effective Aug. 30, 1991. Emergency amendment filed July 15, 1991, effective July 25, 1991, expired Nov. 21, 1991. Amended: Filed July 15, 1991, effective Oct. 31, 1991. Amended: Filed July 2, 1992, effective Feb. 26, 1993. Amended: Filed March 10, 1993, effective Sept. 9, 1993. Amended: Filed April 16, 1993, effective Oct. 10, 1993. Amended: Filed Nov. 1, 1993, effective May 9, 1994. Emergency amendment filed Dec. 1, 1995, effective Dec. 11, 1995, expired June 7, 1996. Amended: Filed Dec. 1, 1995, effective May 30, 1996. Amended: Filed June 29, 2000, effective Dec. 30, 2000. Amended: Filed Oct. 10, 2003, effective April 30, 2004. Amended: Filed Feb. 17, 2015, effective Aug. 30, 2015. Amended: Filed Aug. 1, 2017, effective Jan. 30, 2018. ** Amended: Filed March 31, 2025, effective Sept. 30, 2025. *Original authority: 302.010, RSMo 1939, amended 1949, 1951, 1955, 1961, 1978, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1995, 1996, 2002, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2015, 2021, 2022; 302.015, RSMo 1989, amended 2014; and 387.438, RSMo 2017. **Pursuant to Executive Orders 20-04, 20-10, and 20-12, 12 CSR 10-24.200, section (6) and subsection 2 of section 302.720, RSMo was suspended from April 3, 2020 through July 15, 2020.