Hotshot/CDL requirements

Depends on the GVWRs. You will obviously be over 10,001 so DOT requirements apply. CDL is required when the GVWR or actual GVW is over 26,000, whichever is greater.

If the trailer has a GVWR or actual weight of 10,000 or greater and the combination is 26,001 GVWR class A CDL required.

 

26,000 MAX WEIGHT WITHOUT CDL
-17,000 WT OF TRUCK + TRAILER
9,000 MAX LOAD UNDER CDL

None of your axles / tires may exceed maximum mfg rating. With or without CDL.

Back Seat is NOT recognized by DOT as a Sleeper Cab.

 

Look at the VIN plate in the door. A dually is going to have a GVWR of 12000 or more. Then look at the VIN plate on the trailer. Add the two. DOT goes based on whatever is greater GVWR or GVW.

 

I actually cannot find a trailer matching your description that is not at least 23,000 lbs GVWR. It may be possible there are some. Post a make model of truck and trailer and I can give you exact numbers. Last thing you want is to be 2 states away and placed out of service for no CDL.

 

Apparently I was mistaken judging by the prior post but I was under the impression a Class B was required for any vehicle over 10,000 lb and a Class A for anything over 26001

 

I use a 2500 truck GVWR 10k. My trailer is a tandem axle single wheel with a 14k GVWR. The combination is rated and licensed for 24k. Empty weight is 14560 with fuel luggage and me in the cab. 24,000 minus 14560 is 9440 pounds of cargo I can haul. Now understand that my rear axle is rated for 6200 lbs and the trailer axles are rated at 7000 each. That’s a 22k design limitation. You never want to exceed those capacities. Granted 6200 lbs is way more than 3/4 of a ton in the bed. The trailer toungue adds 1940 lbs of empty weight to my rear axle, which scales 3200 empty with no trailer and 5140 with empty trailer. 6200 lbs minus 5140 means I can add 1060 lbs to the tongue before I exceed the trucks design limits, which is unsafe. Adding air bags for leveling is a good idea but you should never exceed design limits. (Plus airbags help prevent headlights blinding people. I actually adjust mine down-it takes all of a minute.) That’s why it’s imperative to know how much your cargo weighs and know where to put it on the trailer. Hint: if your rear axle has less than half it’s original travel you’re probably too heavy. I once (unwisely) pulled a trailer with a class 4 drawbar and it had a 4K tongue weight which left me with 1” of suspension travel. The truck pulled it but it wasn’t smart. The trailer wasn’t loaded properly.