Do I need a CDL if my truck is an F350? Confused on weights too!

Nope, because it goes off needing a CDL on GCVWR (combined) of over 26,000 lbs. You can have, say an F350, with a rating of 12,000 lbs. If you hook a trailer over 14k rated pounds you need a Class A license. If the trailer is less than 14,001 rated lbs a standard non-commercial license is all that's needed.
Has nothing to do with the weight rating of the power unit alone, It's all about the combined weight rating. I'm of course just talking about when the power unit doesn't require a CDL just to drive it alone.

 

That's essentially what I said...you can pull a trailer with a GVWR higher than 10,000 lbs as long as you stay under the 26k gross on the combination. That's the loophole with the little trucks. A modern 1-ton single rear has I think an 11,500 rating and a medium size gooseneck flatbed might have a 14k rating (a pair of 7k axles.). Well above 10,000 on the trailer but still perfectly legal with no CDL at 25,500 GCVWR. This is a fairly common setup for non-CDL. A 14k DRW truck usually means you've crept into CDL territory.

The only real tangible incentives I know of for purposely running a non-CDL setup is a little less oversight and bureaucracy. It keeps you out of the the random drug testing pool, which is legitimately a hassle on occasion even if you've never touched anything illegal in your life. Back when I was driving big truck, I used to get tired of that one myself. Also a normal driver's license you still get .08 on your BAC limit vs .04 on a CDL. If you have a commercial driver's license you're really spinning the roulette wheel if you jump in you car or on your bike with a trace of anything on your breath. If you value your CDL you should probably just make it a hard and fast lifestyle rule to never do that (as I have). Also they have recently made it more difficult and expensive to attain a CDL in the first place, so there's another reason somebody just might not want to bother with it in the first place. Do I think they should tighten the screws on non-CDL operators who purposely skirt the CDL laws to make their own lives easier? Probably...but I don't make that call. I assume they will at some point.

 

This is a good form for the information I think im looking for. i have a enclosed training trailer that will be DOT inspected because it will be commercal because of my company. The GVWR in 16,000lbs on the trailer. i am looking to buy a truck to pull it. My question is do i need a CDL with a 3500 truck? im assuming by what iam reading the anwser is Yes. if i have to get a CDL, again i am assuming it would be an A class. is there a requirement to go to a driving school? Ive been pulling large racecar trailers for years. the trailer is a 38 foot goose neck. im a ford guy, but it sound like Dodge is the way to go.