What CDL Do I Need to Drive a Garbage Truck?
Refuse is one of the steadiest Class B careers there is: local routes, municipal and private employers in every county, and a license you can get without a combination skills test.
A refuse truck needs a Class B CDL with the air brake restriction removed. Roll off and transfer trailer work can push it to a Class A.
Why a garbage truck falls where it does
A rear, side or front loader is a single vehicle rated well over 26,001 pounds, so Class B applies. Nothing is towed on a standard collection route, so there is no Combination Vehicles requirement.
The exception is transfer work. A tractor pulling a transfer trailer to a landfill is a combination and needs a Class A, as does a roll off truck towing a heavy trailer.
The numbers that decide it
The federal classes are defined on the manufacturer's ratings, not on what is loaded today.
- Rear, side or front loader on a collection route
- Class B CDL plus air brakes.
- Roll off truck with no trailer
- Class B CDL plus air brakes.
- Roll off or tractor pulling a transfer trailer over 10,000 lbs
- Class A CDL.
- Small packer rated under 26,001 lbs
- No CDL for weight alone, uncommon in municipal fleets.
Air brakes
Refuse trucks have air brakes, and the restriction has to come off your license before you can drive one.
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
Municipal employers often hire on a Class B and train the rest, which makes refuse one of the shortest routes from no license to a paid driving job.
If the hauler also runs transfer trailers to a landfill, a Class A will open those routes and the overtime that comes with them.
What people get wrong
- Expecting a hazardous materials endorsement for household waste. Ordinary municipal refuse is not placarded hazardous material.
- Assuming a route truck with no trailer still needs Combination Vehicles. It does not.
- Skipping air brakes. Every truck on the route has them.
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 B CDL
Practice tests, study guides rebuilt from the state CDL manual, and narrated audio. 120 days of access, extendable to 180 or 365
Virginia Class B CDL Study Material
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Straight trucks, dump trucks, and buses over 26,001 lbs need a Class B. If that is the vehicle you will drive, this is the study material for its knowledge and skills tests, without the Class A combination-vehicle content you do not need.
- General Knowledge
- Air Brakes
- Skills Test
- CDL Manual Audio
120, 180, 365 days of access · No subscription
Virginia CDL General Knowledge Study Material
Anyone applying for a CDL for the first time, and drivers who need a refresher before adding a class or endorsement.
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 garbage truck
Do you need a CDL to drive a garbage truck?
Yes. A collection truck is rated well over 26,001 pounds, which makes it a Class B vehicle, and it has air brakes, so the restriction has to be removed.
Do garbage truck drivers need a hazmat endorsement?
Not for ordinary household and commercial refuse. The H endorsement applies to hazardous materials carried in quantities that require placarding, which is a different kind of hauling.
Can I drive a garbage truck with a Class B?
Yes, for a standard collection or roll off truck with nothing heavy towed behind it. Transfer trailer work needs a Class A.
How long does it take to get the license?
That depends on your state's permit holding period and testing availability, plus Entry-Level Driver Training if this is your first CDL. Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles publishes the waiting period.
Other vehicles, other classes
Next steps for a garbage truck
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 Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. BeginCDL.com is independent and not affiliated with any state agency.