Do Kentucky farmers require a CDL with farm tags on their trucks?

Answer 1

No, provided the vehicle is operated under the following conditions:

• It is operated by the farmer, direct (W-2, not 1099) employees of the farmer, or immediate family members of the farmer
• It is operated within a 150 mile radius of the farm.
• It is used exclusively for direct support of farm activities (this may include delivering a product grown on that farm or taking products to market)
• It is not hired out on a third-party basis

The farmer or person operating the vehicle will still be required to have a DOT medical card.

Answer 2

Registered farm vehicles are exempt from requiring a CDL under the FMCSR, provided they meet the following criteria:

• They are used on a not-for-hire basis (meaning, they're not hired out)
• They are registered as farm vehicles
• They are operated by the farmer, immediate family of the farmer, or direct employees of the farmer
• They are used only in support of that farm's functions
• They remain within a 150 mile radius of that farm

Individual states, however, may have their own licencing requirements (e.g., chauffeur's licence with endorsements for a vehicle over 26k GVWR/GCWR, non-CDL class A or Class B licences, etc)