Question about motorcycle endorsement and CDL

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by DocWatson, Nov 12, 2012.

  1. DocWatson

    DocWatson Road Train Member

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    Jan 21, 2010
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    I got a question and couldn't find any answers thru the search function.

    I currently have a motorcycle endorsement here in WA on my regular driver's license. I want to get training very soon for my CDL. If I hypothetically get my CDL from say Idaho (trying to get with Swift) and then come back here to WA to transfer it over to a WA CDL A, will my motorcycle endorsement automatically transfer over as well?

    I have no plans on quitting riding but I'm hoping I don't have to go back thru the whole process of getting my motorcycle endorsement again. How does that work on your CDL (if it is possible to carry it over)? Does it just show a motorcycle endorsement on your CDL license?

    Thanks in advance for any info.
     
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  3. H-D Road Glide

    H-D Road Glide Light Load Member

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    Jun 25, 2012
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    You would have to check with the DMV. Since I got my motorcycle endorsement in Nevada when I was 18, I never had a problem switching it over to California or Florida.
     
  4. DocWatson

    DocWatson Road Train Member

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    I can check with them. So does your CDL have a motorcycle endorsement on it or do you have a separate cager driver's license with a motorcycle endorsement? Not sure how that works.

    Nice bike BTW. Don't currently have a Harley but there's one in my future.
     
  5. H-D Road Glide

    H-D Road Glide Light Load Member

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    It's a CDL Class A with motorcycle, tanker, hazmat, doubles and triples endorsements. Can drive/ride just about everything on the road except a school bus or anything carrying passengers commercially.
     
  6. KMac

    KMac Road Train Member

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    Waxahachie, TX
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    The process is you would change your WA license to ID... so your endorsement should follow that... you then get your CDL, transfer that back to WA and everything should follow it right back over.
     
  7. DocWatson

    DocWatson Road Train Member

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    That makes sense. Easy enough.

    Cool. That's what I will do then. Glad to hear I won't have to retake the motorcycle test, not that it's very difficult, just would have been an inconvenience.
     
  8. Flip Flops

    Flip Flops Medium Load Member

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    The Left Lane..
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    Mine says Commecial Drivers License Class AM, with the endorsements listed seperate...
     
  9. QBall3577

    QBall3577 Medium Load Member

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    Fort Worth, TX
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    What Kmac said is what happened when I went from a CO license with a cycle endorsement to a MO license for cdl.... then I moved to AZ, then back to CO, and now in TX... and it followed me without having to take any tests. Only test i've had to take for each transfer has been Hazmat.
     
  10. mama mia

    mama mia Medium Load Member

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    EHere, in AL, the issue wasn't the motorcycle but the boat (vessel). In UT they don't have a separate designation for boat so his UT temp only said AM, but when we transferred the license back to AL it went back to AMV. Motorcycle endorsement hasn't been an issue to transfer for us at all.
     
  11. al_huryn

    al_huryn Medium Load Member

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    Philadelphia, PA
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    Just make sure they actually put the M endorsement on the newly issued license. When I switched from NJ to PA years ago, I didn't pay attention to it and they didn't put the M on. I had to take the test again, was no big deal I just took the weekend course they offer here in PA for free thru the state, but it could have been avoided if I'd paid attention to begin with.
     
    DocWatson Thanks this.
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