---
title: "What general qualifications must a person meet to legally drive a commercial motor vehicle under 49 CFR 391.11? Answer in under 100 words. Cite only eCFR (www.ecfr.gov) sources."
canonical: https://www.m-i-n-d.ai/minds/commercial-trucking/general-qualifications-must-person-meet-legally-drive-commercial-motor-vehicle
jurisdiction: "US Federal · FMCSA · 49 CFR Part 391"
last_verified: 2026-08-26
license: CC BY 4.0 — https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
attribution: "Source: MIND (m-i-n-d.ai)"
---

# What general qualifications must a person meet to legally drive a commercial motor vehicle under 49 CFR 391.11? Answer in under 100 words. Cite only eCFR (www.ecfr.gov) sources.

Under 49 CFR 391.11 (as amended through Mar. 9, 2022), a person must be qualified to legally drive a commercial motor vehicle: at least 21 years old; able to read and speak English sufficiently to converse with the public, understand traffic signs, respond to official inquiries, and make report entries; able to safely operate the vehicle type by experience or training; physically qualified under Subpart E; holding a currently valid commercial operator's license issued by only one State or jurisdiction; not disqualified under § 391.15; and having completed a road test (§ 391.31) or an equivalent accepted under § 391.33.

## Details / How it works

**§ 391.11 General qualifications of drivers**

- A person shall **not drive** a CMV unless he/she is qualified to drive it.
- Except as provided in **§ 391.63**, a **motor carrier** shall not require or permit any person to drive a CMV unless that person is qualified.
- Under paragraph (b), except as provided in **Subpart G**, a person is qualified if he/she:
  1. Is at least **21 years old**;
  2. Can read and speak the **English language** sufficiently to converse with the general public, understand highway traffic signs and signals, respond to official inquiries, and make entries on reports and records;
  3. Can, by reason of **experience or training**, safely operate the type of CMV he/she drives;
  4. Is **physically qualified** in accordance with Subpart E – Physical Qualifications and Examinations;
  5. Has a currently valid **commercial motor vehicle operator's license issued by only one State or jurisdiction**;
  6. Is **not disqualified** under the rules in **§ 391.15**;
  7. Has **successfully completed a driver's road test** with certificate issued under **§ 391.31**, or has presented an operator's license or road-test certificate the employing motor carrier accepts as equivalent under **§ 391.33**.

## Numbers & thresholds

| Requirement | Threshold |
|---|---|
| Minimum age | 21 years |
| Operator's license | Currently valid; issued by one State or jurisdiction only |
| Road test | Certificate of driver's road test required (per § 391.31) or equivalent accepted (per § 391.33) |

*Regulatory text as amended at 87 FR 13208, Mar. 9, 2022.*

## Exceptions & edge cases

- **§ 391.63** provides exceptions to the general qualification requirement for motor carriers.
- **Subpart G** provides exceptions to the qualification rules in paragraph (b).
- Physical qualification is determined by cross-reference to **Subpart E – Physical Qualifications and Examinations**.
- Disqualification is governed separately by **§ 391.15**.

## Sources

- [1] U.S. National Archives, Electronic Code of Federal Regulations — 49 CFR 391.11 — General qualifications of drivers · https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/section-391.11 · as of 2026-08-26