What CDL Do I Need to Drive a Flatbed?
Flatbed means two very different vehicles, and the word on its own does not tell you which license you need. What matters is whether there is a trailer involved.
A flatbed tractor-trailer needs a Class A CDL. A flatbed body on a single straight truck is a Class B, or no CDL at all if the rating is under 26,001 pounds.
Why a flatbed falls where it does
A tractor pulling a flatbed trailer is a combination rated over 26,001 pounds with a towed unit over 10,000, so it is Class A and needs the Combination Vehicles knowledge test.
A flatbed deck mounted on a straight truck is a single vehicle. If its rating reaches 26,001 pounds it is Class B. Plenty of landscaping and equipment flatbeds are rated below that and need no CDL for weight.
The numbers that decide it
The federal classes are defined on the manufacturer's ratings, not on what is loaded today.
- Tractor with flatbed trailer
- Class A CDL. The standard open deck freight job.
- Straight truck with a flatbed body, GVWR 26,001 lbs or more
- Class B CDL.
- Straight truck flatbed under 26,001 lbs
- No CDL for weight alone.
- Flatbed hauling an oversize or overweight load
- Same license, but permits and sometimes escorts apply on top.
Air brakes
Any flatbed rig in the Class A or heavier Class B bracket has air brakes, so the restriction needs removing.
Air brakes is not an endorsement. It is a restriction that stays on your license until you pass the air brake knowledge test, and it bars you from every air braked vehicle while it is there.
When the answer is different
Flatbed work is defined by cargo securement more than by the license. Chains, straps, binders, tarping and load distribution are tested on the knowledge side and inspected roadside, and they are where new open deck drivers get written up.
If the load is a hazardous material in placardable quantity, add the H endorsement. Steel, lumber and machinery are not.
What people get wrong
- Assuming flatbed is a kind of endorsement. It is not. There is no endorsement for open deck freight.
- Treating securement as something you learn on the job. It is on the knowledge test and it is what roadside inspections look at.
- Buying a Class B for flatbed work and discovering the job is a tractor-trailer.
Not sure this is what you will end up driving?
The CDL Selector asks a few yes or no questions and tells you the class and the endorsements your plans actually need, which is worth doing before you pay for a knowledge test.
Study material for Class A CDL
Practice tests, study guides rebuilt from the state CDL manual, and narrated audio. 120 days of access, extendable to 180 or 365
Nebraska Class A CDL Study Material
You save $18.80
Pulling a trailer over 10,000 lbs takes a Class A. Three written tests stand between you and that license: General Knowledge, Air Brakes, and Combination Vehicles. This covers all three, plus the skills test.
- General Knowledge
- Air Brakes
- Combination Vehicles
- Skills Test
- CDL Manual Audio
120, 180, 365 days of access · No subscription
Nebraska Complete CDL Study Material
You save $35.55
Not sure which class or endorsements your job will need, or expecting to add more later? Every module and every endorsement is here, so nothing on the test can surprise you.
- General Knowledge
- Air Brakes
- Combination Vehicles
- Passenger
- Skills Test
- Tank Vehicles
- Hazardous Materials
- School Bus
- Doubles and Triples
- CDL Manual Audio
120, 180, 365 days of access · No subscription
No subscription. If more time is needed, it’s your choice.
Questions people ask about driving a flatbed
What CDL do I need for flatbed driving?
A Class A CDL for a tractor pulling a flatbed trailer. A straight truck with a flatbed body is Class B if it is rated 26,001 pounds or more.
Is there a flatbed endorsement?
No. Only H, N, P, S, T and X are endorsements. Flatbed work needs the right class and a working knowledge of cargo securement, not an endorsement.
Do I need a hazmat endorsement for flatbed?
Only if the load is a hazardous material in a quantity that requires placards. Ordinary steel, lumber and equipment do not.
What is the hardest part of the flatbed knowledge material?
Cargo securement: how many tiedowns a load needs, their working load limits, and how the load is distributed over the axles.
Other vehicles, other classes
Next steps for a flatbed
This page explains the federal class definitions in 49 CFR Part 383. States may be stricter and several have their own intrastate exemptions, so the edge cases are decided by Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles. BeginCDL.com is independent and not affiliated with any state agency.