We appreciate our Iowa farmers and want to make sure you can navigate the laws, regulations, and exemptions that pertain to farm transportation. Use our Farm Guide to help you get started.
A Farmerâs Guide to Iowa Transportation
- Covered Farm Vehicles. Learn about the registration and operational guidelines for covered farm vehicles in Iowa.
- Permits. Learn about permit requirements for Iowa farmers transporting overweight or oversize loads and exemptions for certain farm equipment, such as tractors and grain wagons. Get details on permits for specific types of farm vehicles, like livestock transports or implements of husbandry.
- Driver's Licensing Requirements. Get detailed guidance on driverâs licensing requirements for operating farm vehicles in Iowa.
- Farm Vehicle Registration. Learn about registration, licensing, and operational requirements for farm vehicles and equipment. Get detailed information on the rules, exemptions, and procedures for registering and operating farm-related vehicles, as well as specific tolerances and restrictions on vehicle weights.
- Anhydrous Ammonia Nurse Tanks. Learn about the Iowa and federal regulations for the safe operation, identification, and maintenance of anhydrous ammonia nurse tanks. Get detailed requirements for compliance to ensure safety and proper identification of these tanks during transport and use.
Stay Informed
Officers with the Commercial Motor Vehicle Unit (CMVu) are available to meet with local farmers in the counties or communities where they live to provide an overview of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations and Iowa DOT rules applicable to farmers and special exemptions to which they may be eligible. Contact CMVU
FAQs
List items for Farmer Safety FAQs
If you are an intrastate, private motor carrier operating in Iowa and have already obtained a USDOT number, you do not need to cancel the number. It will not trigger any new or different safety or operating requirements, and will remain available to you in the future. You are not, however, required to display the number on any vehicles at this time.
Interstate commercial motor carriers or intrastate, for-hire motor carrier, must have and display a USDOT number.
A farmer performs an intrastate movement if the product he or she is transporting never leaves the state of Iowa until it is processed as a final product.
The U.S. DOT has determined that a farmer performs interstate movement if the product he or she is transporting will continue in interstate commerce. For example, a farmerâs movement of grain from farm to elevator, where it is known (or assumed to be known) that the grain will continue in interstate commerce, constitutes the first leg of an interstate movement. How or when the farmer is paid for his or her product, or when he or she has any connection with the shipment after he or she drops it off at an elevator, is irrelevant in the courtâs eyes for purposes of defining movement of commodities in interstate commerce.
A farmer is any person who operates a farm or is directly involved in the cultivation of land, crops or livestock that are owned by that person or under direct control of that person. (CFR Title 49 part §390.5)
A farm vehicle driver is a person who drives only a commercial motor vehicle that is controlled and operated by a farmer as a private motor carrier of property; and is being used to transport either agricultural products, farm machinery or farm supplies to or from a farm; and is not be using in the operation of a for-hire motor carrier; and is not carrying hazardous materials of a type and quantity that requires the commercial motor carrier to be placarded; and is being used within 150 air-miles of the farmer's farm.
A commercial motor vehicle is any self-propelled or towed motor vehicle used on a highway in interstate or intrastate commerce to transportation passenger or property when the vehicle:
- Has a gross vehicle weight rating or gross combination weight rating of 10,001 pounds or more; or
- Is designed or used to transport 16 passengers, including the driver, and is not used to transport passengers for compensation; or
- Is used in transportation hazardous materials in a quantity requiring placarding.
Agricultural operation means the operation of a motor vehicle or combination of vehicles transporting agricultural commodities or farm supplies for agricultural purposes.
Agricultural commodities mean any agricultural commodity, nonprocessed food, feed, fiber or livestock, including insects.
Farm supplies for agricultural purposes means products directly related to the growing or harvesting of agricultural commodities and livestock feed at any time of the year.
Livestock means cattle, sheep, goats, swine, poultry (including egg-producing poultry), fish used for food, and other animals designated by the Secretary of the U.S Department of Transportation (at his or her sole discretion) that are part of a foundation herd (including producing dairy cattle) or offspring.
Yes.
No. The farm exemption only covers operators of farm vehicles that are controlled and operated by "farmers" as defined in §390.5.
Yes, a sod farmer is eligible for the farmer waiver.
Yes.
Full question: May a farmer who meets all of the conditions for a farm waiver be waived from CDL requirements when transporting another farmerâs products absent any written contract?
Answer: If a farmer is transporting another farmer's products and being paid for doing so, he or she is acting as a contract carrier and does not meet the conditions for a farm waiver. The existence of a contract, written or verbal, is not relevant to the CDL waiver provisions.
Full question: Are commercial motor vehicle drivers employed by a partnership, corporation or an association engaged in farming exempt from the CDL requirements under the farmer waiver (49 CFR 383.3(d)) or is the waiver only available to drivers employed by a family owned farm?
Answer: The purpose of the farmer exemption was to give relief to family farms (53 FR 37313, Sept. 26, 1988). The conditions for the waiver were established to ensure that the waiver focused on this type of farm operation. However, ââfarmerââ is defined in §390.5 as ââany person who operates a farm or is directly involved in the cultivation of land, crops, or livestock which (a) [a]re owned by that person; or (b) [a]re under the direct control of that person.ââ Since farming partnerships, corporations and associations are legal ââpersons,ââ Iowa exempts drivers working for these organizations from the CDL requirements, provided they can meet the strict limits imposed by the waiver conditions.
See the Quick Reference below in the question about farm wagons.
See the Quick Reference below in the question about farm wagons.
If the gross combination weight rating (GCWR) of a farm wagon and a truck or truck-tractor used in interstate commerce is greater than 10,000 pounds, the combination vehicle meets the definition of a commercial motor vehicle and is subject to the FMCSR, including annual inspection requirements.
If the gross combination weight rating (GCWR) of a farm wagon and a truck or truck-tractor used in intrastate commerce is greater than 26,000 pounds, the combination vehicle meets the definition of a commercial motor vehicle and is subject to the FMCSR, including annual inspection requirements.
Quick reference for determining whether farmers, drivers or agricultural operations are exempt from federal motor carrier safety regulations Title 49 CFR Parts 382-397
Part 382 - Drug and alcohol testing programs
Drivers are subject to drug and alcohol testing if they operate a CDL class motor vehicle beyond 150 miles from the farm or ranch including:
- Pre-employment, post accident, reasonable suspicion, and random alcohol and controlled substance testing.
- Documentation of supervisorâs two-hour training for reasonable suspicion.
- Documentation of driverâs receipt of training materials.
Part 383 - Commercial drivers license (CDL)
Drivers are subject to a CDL beyond 150 miles from the farm or ranch, when operating a CDL class motor vehicle within Iowa; or at any point beyond the state line.
Part 390 - General applicability and definitions
Private intrastate agriculture operations must comply with 390 but are exempt from USDOT numbers and marking requirements.
Private interstate agriculture operation must comply with all sections of Part 390 including USDOT number and marking requirements.
For hire agriculture operations both in intrastate and interstate commerce must comply all sections of Part 390 including USDOT number and marking requirements.
Part 391- Qualification of drivers
Rules adopted under this section concerning driver qualifications do not apply to trucks moving implements of husbandry, and special trucks operating intrastate.
Physical and medical qualifications for a driver shall not apply to a farmer or a farmer's hired help when operating a vehicle owned by the farmer while it is being used in connection with the intrastate transportation of agricultural commodities or feed.
Driver age qualifications do not apply to drivers for private and for-hire motor carriers that operate solely intrastate except when the vehicle being driven is transporting a hazardous material in a quantity which requires placarding. The minimum age for the exempted intrastate operations is 18.
Interstate drivers operating straight trucks within 150 air-miles of the farm are exempt, beyond 150 air-miles no exceptions.
Drivers operating truck tractors combo vehicles beyond state lines must be physically qualified and carry a medical examinerâs certificate.
Interstate drivers operating motor vehicles beyond 150 air-miles of the farm shall maintain driver files that include:
- Driver application for employment
- Motor vehicle record (MVR)
- Inquiry to previous employers
- Copy of medical examiners certificate
- Drivers road test documentation
- Annual driverâs certification of violations and annual review of driving record
- Driver data sheet, new employee or intermittent driver
- Entry level driver training certification
Part 392 - Operating commercial motor vehicles
There are no exemptions to part 392.
Part 393 - Parts and accessories necessary for safe operation
There are no exemptions to part 393.
Part 395 - Hours of service (HOS)
Rules adopted under this section shall not apply to a driver operating intrastate for a farm operation as defined in section 352.2, or for an agricultural interest when the commercial vehicle is operated between the farm as defined in section 352.2 and another farm, between the farm and a market for farm products, or between the farm and an agribusiness location
Interstate agriculture operations are exempt from HOS within 100 air-miles of the farm. Beyond 100 air miles of the farm or ranch a log book is required.
Part 396 - Inspection repair and maintenance
All drivers and motor vehicles must comply with lubrication; unsafe operation forbidden; inspection of vehicles in operation; driver vehicle inspection reports; periodic inspection; and inspector qualifications.
Part 397 - Hazardous materials (HM) driving and parking rules
Before transporting hazardous materials in any quantity, see Part 173.5 intrastate agriculture exceptions and requirements.
Full question: Do I need a drivers license to operate my farm tractor or other self-propelled implements of husbandry on a public highway.
Answer: Drivers with a suspended or revoked driving privilege may not operate implements of husbandry on a public highway. A license is required if the implement is not operated farm site to farm site or travels more than 2 miles from the farm.