There are 13 different classes of driver's licence in Québec. Each one authorizes its holder to drive a specific category of road vehicle.
California Driver License Classes. With a Commercial Class A License: Any legal combination of vehicles, including vehicles under Class B and Class C. Any single vehicle with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of more than 10,000 pounds. Any trailer bus, with endorsement OR more than 1 vehicle, with endorsement. Any vehicles under Classes B and C. To obtain a Class 1 driver's licence to be authorized to drive a combination of road vehicles, you must have held a valid Class 5 driver's licence for at least 2 or 3 years, depending on the situation, have a good driving record, be in good health, and pass a knowledge test and 2 road tests.
The federal standard requires states to issue a CDL to drivers according to license classifications. Here are the Class designations from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration: Class A License - Any combination of vehicles with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds provided the GVWR of the vehicle(s) being towed is in excess of 10,000. Class 1 also authorizes its holder to operate all other types of road vehicles, except for: motorcycles (Classes 6A, 6B, 6C and 6E) To drive a taxi (Class 4C), you must also hold a taxi driver's permit. A Class 1 licence can bear the following endorsements: F – To drive a heavy vehicle equipped with an air brake system.
A Class 1 licence authorizes its holder to drive a combination of vehicles, i.e.:
Class 1 Drivers License Canada
- a double- with a of 4,500 kg or more, equipped with a , having no cargo space and hauling one or more or
- a road tractor with 3 axles or more equipped with a fifth wheel, having no cargo space and hauling a trailer or one or more semi-trailers
- a covered by Class 3 hauling a trailer or semi-trailer whose net weight is 4,500 kg or more and which is only used to transport equipment, tools or furnishings as part of its permanent equipment
- a truck covered by Class 3 hauling any trailer or semi-trailer other than those described above, with a net weight of 2,000 kg or more
Class 1 also authorizes its holder to operate all other types of road vehicles, except for:
- motorcycles (Classes 6A, 6B, 6C and 6E)
To drive a taxi (Class 4C), you must also hold a taxi driver's permit.
A Class 1 licence can bear the following endorsements:
- F – To drive a heavy vehicle equipped with an air brake system
- M – To drive a heavy vehicle equipped with a manual transmission
- T – To drive a road train, that is, a double road train more than 25 metres long that requires a special road train operating permit
See the procedure for obtaining a Class 1 licence
A Class 2 licence authorizes its holder to drive:
- a bus designed to transport more than 24 passengers
Class 2 also authorizes its holder to operate all other types of road vehicles, except for:
- heavy vehicle combinations (Class 1)
- motorcycles (Classes 6A, 6B, 6C and 6E)
To drive a taxi (Class 4C), you must also hold a taxi driver's permit.
A Class 2 licence can bear the following endorsements:
- F – To drive a heavy vehicle equipped with an air brake system
- M – To drive a heavy vehicle equipped with a manual transmission
See the procedure for obtaining a Class 2 licence
A Class 3 licence authorizes its holder to drive:
- a with 2 axles and whose net weight of 4,500 kg or more
- a truck with 3 or more axles
- either of the above vehicles that is:
- hauling a trailer or semi-trailer and which is only used to transport equipment, tools or furnishings as part of its permanent equipment, and whose net weight is greater than 2,000 kg but less than 4,500 kg
- hauling a trailer or semi-trailer whose net weight is less than 2,000 kg
- either of the above vehicles that is:
Class 3 also authorizes its holder to operate all other types of road vehicles, except for:
- heavy vehicle combinations (Class 1)
- buses designed to transport more than 24 passengers (Class 2)
- motorcycles (Classes 6A, 6B, 6C and 6E)
To drive a taxi (Class 4C), you must also hold a taxi driver's permit.
A Class 3 licence can bear the following endorsements:
- F – To drive a truck equipped with an air brake system
- M – To drive a truck equipped with a manual transmission
See the procedure for obtaining a Class 3 licence
A Class 4A licence authorizes its holder to drive:
- an ambulance
- a police vehicle
- a fire department vehicle
A Class 4A licence also authorizes its holder to drive:
- a bus designed to transport 24 passengers or less (Class 4B)
- a taxi (Class 4C), if you hold a taxi driver's permit
- a (Class 5)
- a (Class 6D)
- a tractor (Class 8)
See the procedure for obtaining a Class 4A licence
A Class 4B licence authorizes its holder to drive:
- a bus or minibus designed to transport 24 passengers or less
A Class 4B licence also authorizes its holder to drive:
- a taxi (Class 4C), if you hold a taxi driver's permit
- a (Class 5)
- a (Class 6D)
- a tractor (Class 8)
If you hold a Class 1, 2, 3 or 4A licence…
You do not require a Class 4B licence to drive a bus designed to transport 24 passengers or less.
See the procedure for obtaining a Class 4B licence
You must hold a Class 4C licence as well as a taxi driver's permit issued by the SAAQ to work as a taxi driver anywhere in Québec except on the Island of Montréal, in which case the permit is issued by the Bureau du taxi de Montréal. For more information, consult the Taxi and Limousine section.
A Class 4C licence also authorizes its holder to drive:
- a (Class 5)
- a (Class 6D)
- a tractor (Class 8)
If you hold a Class 1, 2, 3, 4A or 4B licence…
You do not require a Class 4C licence to drive a taxi. However, you must hold a taxi driver's permit issued by the SAAQ or the Bureau du taxi de Montréal.
See the procedure for obtaining a Class 4C licence
A Class 5 licence authorizes its holder to drive:
- an automobile, that is, a vehicle having 2 and a of less than 4,500 kg
- a , also known as a recreational vehicle (RV)
- a , such as a grader or loader
- a , such as a tow truck
A Class 5 licence also authorizes its holder to drive:
- a (Class 6D)
- a tractor (Class 8)
The vehicle can haul a trailer.
See the procedure for obtaining a Class 5 licence
A Class 6A licence authorizes its holder to drive:
- any
A Class 6B licence authorizes its holder to drive:
- a motorcycle with a cylinder capacity of 400 cc or less
A Class 6C licence authorizes its holder to drive:
Class 1 Drivers License Nova Scotia
- a motorcycle with a cylinder capacity of 125 cc or less
A Class 6A, 6B or 6C licence also authorizes its holder to drive:
- a (Class 6D)
- a (Class 6E)
- a tractor (Class 8)
See the procedure for obtaining a Class 6A, 6B or 6C licence
A Class 6D licence only authorizes its holder to drive:
- a moped or scooter, that is:
- a vehicle equipped with an electric motor or a motor having a cylinder capacity of not more than 50 cc with an automatic transmission and having a maximum speed of 70 km/h.
See the procedure for obtaining a Class 6D licence
A Class 6E licence only authorizes its holder to drive:
- a
To obtain a Class 6E licence, you must hold a Class 5 (passenger vehicle) licence and complete a one-day training course. Holders of a Class 6A, 6B or 6C (motorcycle) licence are also authorized to operate a 3-wheel motorcycle.
See the procedure for obtaining a Class 6E licence.
A Class 8 licence only authorizes its holder to drive:
- a tractor used for farm-related purposes
Class 1 Drivers License Nl
See the procedure for obtaining a Class 8 licence